INCLUSIVE ARTS: With Ethan Arnold – Neurodiverse Actors Can Do Anything!
Getting a regular paid gig in the performing arts is no easy feat, but Ethan Arnold has done exactly that. In this enjoyable and thought-provoking episode of Community Matters, Nicky sits down with Ethan to hear his remarkable story.
Ethan is a Performer, Writer and Creator with The Strangeways Ensemble, a local theatre group of seven professional actors, all performers with an intellectual disability, employed by the Merrigong Theatre in Wollongong. Born from a joint initiative between Merrigong and The Disability Trust, the Ensemble has been running since 2014, when they made their debut with the critically acclaimed production ‘The Man Who Dreamt the Stars.’
Ethan joined the Ensemble in 2019, progressing from back-of-house production support to writing, acting and taking centre stage. In that time, the group has delivered five major productions, each one the product of a deeply collaborative, co-designed process that Ethan explains takes an average of three years to develop and bring to life.
In this conversation, Ethan takes us inside that creative process, from the generation of ideas and script development right through to stage design and music, and speaks about the camaraderie that makes the Ensemble's unique approach so special. He reflects on recent productions including The Seven, a thriller exploring the mysterious disappearance of seven people, and the powerful Something That Happened, which challenged ableism in theatre head-on. Inspired by a story of an international casting search for actors to perform in a version of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, the production flipped the script on inclusion, with actors with disability auditioning for the lead roles of non-disabled characters, delivering a clear and compelling message: neurodiverse actors can do anything.
Ethan also treats listeners to a rendition of part of his stage monologue Spider in My Room, offering a vivid glimpse into his imagination and creative voice. And he lets slip that a brand new passion project, Grand Final Day, is already in the works.
Having once put his creative dreams aside because of his disability, Ethan now reflects with quiet pride: "A dream that I doubted would happen, it's happening." For anyone who may be struggling to back themselves, his advice is simple and clear: "Never say never, you can do it!"
The Strangeways Ensemble's upcoming Cabaret Show plays at Merrigong on 27 June before touring NSW, visiting Goulburn and Queanbeyan. See the link below for more information.
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