Join Art Spark Texas along with members of TILT Performance Group and ATX Theatre ConFab producers for a developmental reading of James Burnside’s “Waiting for the Bus,” a new play on America’s long and troublesome history of institutionalizing people with disabilities.

Synopsis: The history of the institutionalization of disabled people, particularly people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, in America began in the 1840s with the noble notion of “Moral Therapy.” That what would “cure” these people was light, fresh air, good food, and honest work. Large gothic facilities were built in the countryside, and they rapidly became overcrowded, poorly maintained, and poorly staffed while “patients” were subjected to all manner of experimental “procedures.” This play could easily have been just another horror show​. And that would certainly be a large portion of the truth, but lost would be the humanity of the people who lived in these institutions—people with hopes and dreams and love, people with family and friends.

Afterwards, stay for a talk led by AST Executive Director Celia Hughes where you can gain new perspectives about what it’s like to live with or without accommodations directly from cast and audience members living with disabilities and from advocates who specialize in providing accommodations.

THIS IS THE PLACE where you can finally ask all those burning questions about exactly how to create events that are more accessible to ALL audiences—with the added benefit of witnessing methods in action during the reading.

We will provide ASL interpreting, audio description, and open captions.