Realwheels is a Vancouver-based theatre company committed to authentically representing the disability experience through their performances. This month, they present Wheel Voices: Tune In!: a virtual, mixed-media production that aims to express disability experiences and foster understanding for these experiences.
Wheel Voices: Tune In! showcases a mix of original monologues, rap, spoken word, and choral music. The show was scheduled to begin production exactly one year ago but, as with so many things, it was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The fourteen cast members have since been rehearsing the show remotely.
Wheel Voices: Tune In! will be available to view online on May 5 and 14 at 7 PM PST. The May 5 show features ASL interpretation, and the May 14 show features audio description and captioning.
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These accessibility features are right in line with the core values held by the Realwheels company. Realwheels advocates not only for their own performers and behind-the-scenes personnel, but for audience members with disabilities.
That’s not to say people without disabilities are unwelcome – another tenet in the Realwheels philosophy is encouraging dialogue between community members with and without disabilities.
This award-winning theatre company was founded in 2003 by Simon Fraser University theatre alum James Sanders, and theater professional Bob Frazer. Sanders left Realwheels in 2014, but his mark on the Vancouver theatre scene and the community for those with disabilities has been indelible.
Since its inception, Realwheels has been dedicated to creating space and opportunities for performers who have disabilities.
Not only is there insufficient representation of people with disabilities in mainstream programming, but people with disabilities generally don’t portray characters with disabilities. A 2018 white paper study concluded that only 22% of all characters with disabilities were represented by people who actually had those disabilities.
If you’re interested in supporting a local theatre company and learning more about the disability experience, pay-what-you-can tickets for Wheel Voices: Tune In! are available here.