The scene: a coffee shop. The actors: teens living with muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy. The plot: poking fun at how the able-bodied treat those who are not. With their new play "Please Be Seated", these spirited youngsters prove that not being able-bodied is anything but disabled.
Beit HaGalgalim, or House of Wheels, is a non-profit devoted to the rehabilitation and support of special needs youth. With 5 centers across Israel offering services to over 350 children, the organization gives these youth an opportunity to participate in activities that the might not usually get a chance to join in on, like kayaking and camping trips. One of their goals is to create an accessible culture- a culture that embraces those living with special needs, both physically and emotionally.
The play is performed entirely by youth living with special needs, and is intended to communicate to the audience that they are capable of creating, thinking, and speaking for themselves- and can have a sense of humor about the whole situation. The idea of putting on a play had been gelling around for several years now, and finally came to fruition with the "Please Be Seated" production. The act of creating and acting in this play is an empowering experience for many of the performers, who have both literally and figuratively found their voice on stage.
Beit HaGalgalim, or House of Wheels, is a non-profit devoted to the rehabilitation and support of special needs youth. With 5 centers across Israel offering services to over 350 children, the organization gives these youth an opportunity to participate in activities that the might not usually get a chance to join in on, like kayaking and camping trips. One of their goals is to create an accessible culture- a culture that embraces those living with special needs, both physically and emotionally.
The play is performed entirely by youth living with special needs, and is intended to communicate to the audience that they are capable of creating, thinking, and speaking for themselves- and can have a sense of humor about the whole situation. The idea of putting on a play had been gelling around for several years now, and finally came to fruition with the "Please Be Seated" production. The act of creating and acting in this play is an empowering experience for many of the performers, who have both literally and figuratively found their voice on stage.
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