Reaching the Stars and the Moon.

An all-abilities Melbourne community theatre is bringing ‘life changing experiences’ for both disabled artists and their mentors. Actor and entertainment journalist Tayla Ham reports.

Have you ever attended a theatre production where the lead actor had a disability or a musical in which half the cast members had disabilities? Chances are that you haven't. 

Melbourne-based amateur theatre group Stars and The Moon (STaM) is changing this through its unique and innovative "inclusicals” which have casts with a diverse range of abilities.

Eitan Meyerowitz founded the company after performing in community theatre with his cousin, who lives with Down syndrome. Meyerowitz wanted to create a space where people of all abilities could shine equally on stage, while producing shows designed and performed to industry standards.

Arts Access Australia released data in 2019 which revealed that almost 60% of arts and cultural organisations did not employ any disabled individuals. Furthermore, about 1 in 5 artists with disabilities reported that their condition had hindered their professional growth and opportunities. 

Although the data is not solely theatre related, it does underscore a significant challenge faced by people with disabilities in developing their talents. If someone cannot secure a spot in a cast, production team, or training program due to ableism, it becomes impossible for them to improve their artistic abilities, putting them at risk of falling behind their peers.

“STaM brands itself as an all-abilities theatre company,” says co-producer and co-production manager Alex Miller.

Regardless of a performer's ability, Miller explains, STaM exists to serve them and focus on inclusion and integration.

“[STaM] aim to create theatre that reflects the diversity of the communities that we serve and that come to our shows,” Miller says.

In 2021, STaM held its first inclusical with a concert performance of Seussical The Musical. In 2022, they stepped up to a first fully staged inclusical - Spongebob The Musical, which was a huge success.

2023’s inclusical School of Rock received an Award of Excellence from the Music Theatre Guild of Victoria for promoting inclusion and diversity for the production.

“We don’t change our standards just because someone has a disability or is neurodivergent,” Miller says. 

He says a core value of the company is striving for excellence. “We are here to make great theatre, and we believe in holding everyone to a high standard. That’s what makes our performers thrive... Because, you know, we're about creating opportunities for people who might not otherwise have them.” 

STaM has devised a unique method to ensure the effectiveness of inclusicals, called the ‘Castmates’ model, which Miller explains is a mentorship program that is unique.

The Castmates model “pairs performers with and without disabilities. Usually, that means these performers share a role on stage, although that's not a hard and fast rule,” Miller explains.

According to Miller, the Castmate system offers individualised assistance to cast members with disabilities that they may not receive otherwise. Even if they do not require constant support, a Castmate is available to provide support, companionship, help with learning lines and songs, and advocate for them if their support needs change.

If more support is required, the STaM team includes an inclusion co-ordination team with extensive experience in disability support management. This team is the first point of call to assist with complex situations such as behaviour management and emotional regulation. Miller says he the success of the Castmate model is thrilling and he wants to continue working with the company long-term.

For Castmates without a disability, STaM is sometimes the first experience they have working in a disability support role.

“I think most people find it to be very eye-opening and very rewarding. We attract incredible people, and so there's an amazing social aspect between the whole cast,” Miller says.

He says that the role is more demanding than a typical community theatre experience, since cast members take on both a disability support role and a role in the show.

To help, Miller says that STaM focuses on supporting not only performers with disabilities but also "supporting the supporters, by providing training, checking in and fostering a social culture within the cast.”

Jocelyn Brewer is a psychologist and performing arts graduate based in New South Wales who has worked with people with disabilities for 15 years. Although she has never seen a model like this used in practice, she believes it can benefit both parties. Brewer explains that often, disability inclusion is commonly thought of to benefit only the disabled person, “but increasingly it is also about the wider community having direct and meaningful experiences interacting and collaborating with people who live with disabilities.”

“[These experiences] break down stigma and stereotypes that limit our sense of what people with various disabilities can do,” Brewer says.

STaM's feedback from its disabled performers and caregivers is overwhelmingly positive.

“It is a life-changing experience. We find that theatre is not just a source of catharsis and artistic expression, but it has therapeutic benefits as well… We see our performers overcome their fears and previous challenges, going from things like social anxiety to being able to sing solo on stage under lights,” Miller says. “We find that what we're creating is not just fun, but it's also incredibly useful.”

After three successful inclusicals, STaM is working on its fourth inclusion, The Addams Family, which will be staged from August 21-25.

https://www.starsandthemoon.org/