In CATA’s popular “Shakespeare’s Players” theater workshop, actors with disabilities explore the rich emotions, complex characters, and timeless stories in The Bard’s beloved plays. For years, the Players have shared snippets of their work in CATA’s Annual May Performance & Gala. But in CATA’s first-ever “Shakespeare Sharing,” the stage—and a captivated audience of more than fifty friends and family—was all theirs, giving the Players the chance to delve deeper into their craft.
“During my performance as Romeo I felt great and really happy,” reflected CATA actor Roman. “I loved the whole shebang!” added CATA actor Cindy Schuyler. “It was so much fun performing for a more intimate group. It was really inclusive.”
Roman Palleschi stands onstage as Romeo.
“To really grow as an actor, you need performance experience,” explains Kelly Galvin, CATA Program Director. “The more opportunities you have in front of an audience, the more you can move beyond nerves to build confidence and fully express yourself.”
The Shakespeare Sharing is one of several innovative pilots CATA is launching to deepen and expand programs for artists with disabilities. “This initiative reflects a bold and exciting vision that is at the heart of CATA’s new strategic plan,” says Margaret Keller, CATA Executive Director. “People with disabilities are hungry for more opportunities to delve into their talents. We’re excited to pilot new performance programs like the Shakespeare Sharing, which goes beyond our Annual Gala Performance to give CATA artists the chance to more fully explore an art form they love, while giving them a platform to share their talents with the community.”
“Everything from the morning dress rehearsal, to getting into costume backstage, to the final bow helps expand the artistic experience,” adds Kelly. “Many of the artists in Shakespeare’s Players are longtime performers. They’ve been thrilled to have this dedicated opportunity to share their talents.”
Laurie Sunderland addresses Cleopatra as Dolabella.
Scott Thomas chastises the spirit Ariel as Prospero.
Eric Schumann’s Ariel shudders as he recounts his frightful tasks.
The Players spent months developing a 45-minute review of their favorite scenes and monologues, which they presented at Shakespeare & Company’s Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre in Lenox. “The actors were instinctively drawn to certain classic characters, like Julius Caesar, Puck, Titania, Romeo, and Cleopatra,” says Caroline Calkins, CATA Resident Theater Faculty who co-teaches the workshop with Diane Prusha and Greg Boover. “As we explored these roles, we began to see a common thread of dreams connecting them all—eventually, we decided to use that as the framework for our show: ‘Perchance to Dream.’”
Cindy Schuyler describes foreboding dreams as Calpurnia.
“First I wanted to play Titanius,” Cindy explains. “Then, during rehearsals, I decided that Calpurnia went with what I was really trying to express.”
Kelly describes how the Players’ engagement surged once they learned about this new performance opportunity: “They were very ready to dig into their scenes and take on a robust rehearsal schedule, even practicing their lines together over Facetime when they weren’t in workshop.”
Ethan Margolis points into the audience, commanding the stage as Prospero.
Randy Yanikoski’s Puck finishes the show with gleeful clapping.
As Caesar, Dan Waite raises up his hands.
Sam Pelletz’s Cleopatra longs for her next dream.
All that hard work shone brightly as the Players stepped into the spotlight, expressing passionate emotions and sending the audience into laughter with Shakespearean mischief and farce. Prospero slammed his staff, Bottom brayed in bewilderment, Caesar confessed his fears, and Cleopatra burned with love.
The energy on stage was electric and the audience couldn’t help but respond with admiration. “My heart is so open,” one guest shared. “The quality of the actors’ work was obvious and I was totally impressed by the way they got into their characters. And it was fun!” Another attendee agreed: “From the moment we sat down, it was a joyful experience. We can’t wait to come back next year!”
Kellie Ward, who played Titania, also felt the power of the event. “The stage has literally been my life,” she said while greeting her audience in the lobby. Kellie has been in CATA’s Shakespeare’s Players ensemble for over two decades, and she found this new performance opportunity very fulfilling.
Kellie Ward kicks off the show with a dramatic monologue.
In true CATA fashion, accessibility was woven throughout the show. Using an adaptive “Feeding In” technique, where actors receive prompts for their lines from CATA faculty, the Players were able to fully dive into their characters and connect with the audience without having to focus on memorization. CATA provided a wide range of accessibility tools, including ASL interpretation, open captions, fidget spinners, Braille and large print programs.
Captions ran onstage throughout the show.
Thank you to our CATA supporters who make our work possible. Without your generosity, these life-changing opportunities would not be possible.
All the world’s a stage, and all these CATA artists are talented players!
Photos by Christina Lane
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