For several decades, the University of Calgary, Canada, housed an
otherwise community-based service for people with dual diagnoses:
developmental delay, plus a behavioural disorder. The mandate of
"The Behaviour Support Team" was to support clients who were
transitioning from institutions into community living. The Team was
for many years considered the agency of last resort. Virtually all
people who were receiving service were diagnosed with a mental
health disorder, along with a second disabling condition; for
example, visual impairment, brain injury, genetic skin disorders,
deafness (not always considered a disability) and many others,
coupled with an intellectual challenge. As practitioners, we were
expected to offer support groups along with individual counselling
as well as outreach support. Drama groups were a hit, and this book
tells the evolutionary story of the ultimate development of a
theatre company, mandated to tell the stories, and to provide the
thrilling opportunity for its "actors" to experience the spotlight
This book, complete with scripts, takes a political stance, which
is not always easy for some readers to accept. Herein lays some of
its appeal as the narrative, at times, challenges the
rehabilitation and theatre communities. This fact, coupled with the
reality that the artistic director has a disability of her own,
makes for an interesting, if not edgy, yet educational read. The
book provides theoretic considerations, which are often
contradictory, but virtually always controversial where mental
health is concerned. Theoretic considerations are contrasted and
compared to feminism, shamanism (depicted by turtle on the book
cover; more specifically trickster, depicted by coyote), and trends
in rehabilitation within a Canadian context. The final draft of the
book goes on to include some American context provided by my
theatre colleague Leslie Fanelli, who began similar work within the
disability theatre movement on the other side of the continent,
decades before we had the pleasure of meeting. The reader will also
find practical application and instruction for the development of
three levels of theatre experience for acting enthusiasts. In
essence the stories gleaned from the chapters and accompanying
scripts, speak of our inherent right to creative expression, one
which is often denied those who are differently able.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
