What Access Means to Us
At A.B.L.E., we work to create a world where accessibility is the rule, not the exception.
Inclusion benefits everyone—not just people with disabilities.
At A.B.L.E. we work with access in mind from the beginning to ensure that everyone feels they belong.
By modeling radical accessibility onstage and off, A.B.L.E.’s work strives to push boundaries, challenge expectations, and foster a more inclusive and empathetic arts sector.
Will you join us?
A.B.L.E. is working toward a more empathetic world. Learn how you can champion disability inclusion in your community.
Here’s how we center access in all that we do:
Program Design
We design our programs to meet participants where they are.
Our rehearsals accommodate multiple learning and communication styles by incorporating tools like visual aids, social stories, sign language, and maintaining a 2:1 ratio of participants to support.
Our staff ensures our disabled participants have the tools and information to perform their roles effectively. This includes creating Easy Read schedules and weekly social stories, liaising with parents and caregivers through regular phone calls and emails, coordinating travel plans, and nurturing supportive and engaged feedback.
A.B.L.E. intentionally programs a season that allows actors to claim ownership over classical pieces that have not traditionally been “for” them and share their imaginations and ideas with an audience.
Geographic Accessibility
As an itinerant company, A.B.L.E. partners with venues around Chicago to host our programs and performances. All venue partners must show a commitment to accessibility, including ADA compliance and sensory-friendly spaces. We consult with all venue partners to develop site-specific social stories that can support patrons with disabilities and train staff.
We also continue to offer virtual programming for those who need or prefer to participate from home.
Financial Accessibility
Everyone deserves access to the arts regardless of finances. Our programs, masterclasses, and performances are pay-what-you-can. We also offer technology and travel assistance to reduce barriers for our participants and volunteers, and have developed a Partner Grant Toolkit to support outreach partners in securing funding.
We also believe that a career in the arts shouldn’t bar someone from earning a living wage, and we are committed to providing a living wage and professional support to the artists who make our work possible.
Audience Accessibility
We want everyone to feel they belong in the theatre. Every A.B.L.E. show is a relaxed and sensory-friendly performance, so you can come as you are.
We also offer open captioning, ASL interpretation, sensory support tools, multi-format programs, and more!
Access for All
Anyone from any race, class, religion, gender identity, or sexual orientation may also have a disability. That puts A.B.L.E. in a unique position to build bridges between communities. We recognize our responsibility to ensure our work represents and reaches people of diverse backgrounds and lived experiences.
We challenge ourselves to push harder—in our leadership, staffing, and programming—to nurture dialogue, encourage diverse perspectives, and connect across our differences to elevate our work. As we continue to grow, we hope to build an organization that represents the intersectionality of the city of Chicago and the disability community at large.
“Nothing About Us Without Us”
Through all of our work, A.B.L.E. is committed to letting our community lead. That includes paid roles like our Program Advisory Council and Creative Associates.
Our ensembles are involved in every step of the creative process—from season selection to casting to staging. We invite community feedback and participation through regular Town Hall sessions, program surveys, and free open studio workshops.
Everyone begins at the beginning.
We can help you build more inclusive and accessible spaces. We offer consulting and trainings for arts organizations and those working with people with disabilities.
Sharon Collins, Mom to Actor Benjamin
Zach Wandel, Actor since 2024
Matt LaChapelle, Ensemble Member since 2018
Polly Yukevich, Facilitator since 2015
Diversity & Inclusion at A.B.L.E.
It is impossible to meaningfully work against ableism without also confronting the many intersecting societal prejudices that marginalize and oppress others.
As we continue to expand our programs over the next few years, our approach to diversity, inclusion, and equity is founded upon three core tenets:
Diverse Leadership
We commit to recruiting and retaining diverse leadership for our Board of Directors and staff. This leadership should reflect the lived experiences of our participants, including individuals who identify as different races, ethnicities, gender expressions, sexual orientations, and abilities.
Diverse Voices
The disability community is beautifully diverse, and we welcome program participants who can share their varied voices and experiences on the stage and screen. As we work with our actors to develop their confidence and skills, we want them to see people like them in the classroom. We commit to working with diverse artists on all levels—from our volunteers, guest artists, teaching staff, and examining and removing barriers that may prohibit individuals from working with A.B.LE. This will include creating employment opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Diverse Partnerships
We commit to seeking new venues, contractors, and outreach partners that will allow us to reach new audiences and participants. We are grateful for the relationships we have built on the north side of Chicago, which have allowed our programs to grow. As we continue to expand, we will forge new relationships with organizations and service providers, specifically looking towards businesses based in the south and west sides, where creative opportunities have historically been scarce.
Accountability & Transparency
As part of A.B.L.E.’s pledge to encourage a more diverse and inclusive organization, we will provide regular updates on how we’re tracking against these goals. We will continue to add to and update these goals regularly, at least annually.
Please contact us with any questions, feedback, or stories related to your experience of access on this website, at our events, or at our shows.
