Disability Performers Dancing With Delight

Tuggerah group secures $50k grant.


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Options Theatre Company/facebook

A Central Coast theatre company will today show its gratitude to Newcastle Permanent in its own special way.

Options Theatre Company, which aims to develop the skills and self-esteem of people with disabilities, will stage a special one-off performance at its theatre on Tuggerah's Reliance Drive this morning.

Director Stuart Smith says it's after they've received $50,000 from the charitable foundation.

"That's made it possible for us to fit out our new theatrical training space and rehearsal studio," says Mr Smith "So all the guys we work with have created a show called 'Encore'."

"We're going from musicals, dancing, that sort of thing," Mr Smith says describing the performance, "then we go through working through an Auslan-style performance, using sign language and contemporary dance together... we see a bit of Shakespeare in the play as well."

NPCF CEO Phil Neat says it follows a grant they gave Options in 2012 for a lighting rig in its old theatre near Gosford.

"There are 18,000 people on the Central Coast who require help with day-to-day activites due to their disability," says Mr Neat, "and Options Theatre gives them the ability to experience the opportunities involved in working and feeling part of the community."

Mr Smith says disability theatre is its own unique art form, and he has high hopes for the future now that Options has a well-equipped base.

"We opened a symposium for Disability Arts that was held in Glasgow (Scotland) last year, and that was a major thing for us because it took as to an international platform," he says.

"Our audience is growing, and this is a very unique style of theatre - something the Central Coast and Australia don't get to see very much of."

Alex Darling

25 October 2018

Article by:

Alex Darling




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