On December 2, 2023, our in-person ensembles performed their original show Twists & Turns for a sold out crowd at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.

Ever wondered what happens before our audience comes in? Here’s a look behind the scenes at show day:

First, our Teaching Teams arrive to set up

We bring all of our familiar visual aids and sensory supports from rehearsal to make the transition to the theatre as easy as possible for our actors. Here’s our check in station with our Zones check in board, the schedule for the day, and our stage manager kit.

Then, our Facilitation Team arrives.

Because our ensembles rehearse on different days and times, show day is the first and ONLY chance for our entire team to practice the show all together. Our Facilitators arrive early to discuss blocking and technical needs for key moments, and run through the entire show as a team before the actors arrives. For this show, we were lucky to work with musician Bill Larkin who orchestrated our scenes live.

We test technical elements

During the facilitator run-through we test important technical elements like light and video cues. This photo shows the view from the tech booth as a hand programs some light cues.

Our Access Team gets into position!

In addition to making our rehearsals and process accessible for our performers, we are equally invested in making our performances accessible for as many audience members as possible. American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreters Havalah Teaman and Peter Wujcik worked together to translate our show into ASL and joined our facilitator run-through to practice timing.

Lunch Break!

After a busy 3 hour rehearsal, our team enjoyed lunch courtesy of our friends at Chicago Bagel Authority.

Thanks CBA for keeping our team happy!

We had bagel sandwiches, chips, and enormous cookies to hold us over until the performance.

Then, actors started arriving!

After checking in, actors could step onto the stage and join a game of mirroring and a gentle warm up. Eric was the first to arrive and loved practicing projecting to the back of the house!

Meanwhile, our Front of House team gets into position

While the actors, teaching artists, and facilitators were busy onstage, our Front of House team started setting up the lobby to take donations, check in guests, and share more information about A.B.L.E. Board members Erin and Dennis, and Development Manager, Michelle, were part of the team front of house.

The ensemble warms up onstage

Once all of our actors were together, we enjoyed a group warm up to get our bodies, voices, and minds ready for the show.

It's time for a Q2Q

A Q2Q is a special type of rehearsal where we don’t do the full scene, we just go through key technical moments, like when lights need to shift, or if music needs to be played.

The House is Open!

Once our actors cleared the stage, we our Front of House team could start letting in the audience. ABLE shows are always general admission so people can pick the seat that works best for them, regardless of finances.

Showtime!

Once the audience is seated, then it’s finally showtime! Twists & Turns combined personal narratives with wild feats of imagination. We faced down our monsters, danced with Taylor Swift, celebrated our strengths, and did a lot of singing and dancing with live accompaniment from our train conductor, Bill Larkin.You can learn more about the process of making this show in our digital program.

Time for autographs

The lobby after an A.B.L.E. show is always bustling with excitement and love. IN addition to getting flowers and accolades from the friends and family, Matt and the other actors have show posters they can get the rest of the cast to sign

Our devised shows are always a special way for our actors to share their hearts and minds with our community. We were excited to see so many longtime A.B.L.E. friends in the crowd, and to meet some new audiences members as well!

Do you have favorite memories to share from Show Day? Tag us in your photos and videos on Facebook and Instagram, and be sure to use the hashtags #TwistTurnABLE and #ABLEensemble

Couldn't make it to the show? Never fear!

Twists & Turns will be available to stream in early 2024. In the meantime, you can watch a range of other productions on the A.B.L.E. at Home page on our website.
You can still support our work by donating to our year-end #giveABLE23 campaign. A.B.L.E. strives to make our programs accessible and affordable for everyone - including our audiences. Pay-what-you-can ticketing ensures everyone can enjoy a night at the theatre, but box office revenue accounts for less than 5% of our annual budget. We rely on donations large and small from people like you to continue providing creative opportunities, social opportunities, and leadership and employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

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