Actors make their living by telling the stories of other people. It is a craft marked by embodying a completely different life. But sometimes this process pushes out those who could most authentically tell the story.
Historically, most actors cast in plays have been able-bodied and neurotypical. Raleigh Little Theater is working to include greater disability representation in their programming. In 2018 they started putting on “sensory friendly” performances, and after receiving positive feedback, they decided it was time to step up their efforts and include people with disabilities in the cast, not just the audience.
The theater’s upcoming production of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” is directed by Patrick Torres and stars Michael Larson. Larson is a 17-year-old junior at Eno River Academy in Hillsborough. He has autism, just like the main character in the play. Even though the role is not usually portrayed by an actor on the spectrum, Torres says it was important to RLT to cast someone with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the role.
Host Frank Stasio talks with Torres and Larson about the play and why theaters and the arts should work for greater disability representation. “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” runs from Jan. 17-Feb. 9 at the Gaddy-Goodwin Teaching Theatre in Raleigh. The sensory-friendly performance is Feb. 9 at 3 p.m.
