A.B.L.E. – Artists Breaking Limits & Expectations is thrilled to return to Chicago Shakespeare Theater this spring with a re-imagining of the epic classic The Odyssey.
A.B.L.E’s production weaves music, movement, shadow puppetry, and scenes devised by the group into a powerful and joyful celebration of the choices we make, and the challenges we face along our journey. The vibrant adaptation features a neurodiverse cast of 44 performers, including 24 actors with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The performance in the Courtyard Theater on May 11, 2024 at 2pm will mark the two companies’ 7th collaboration, most recently having co-produced A Midsummer Night’s Dream last spring.
ABLE’s spring 2024 Monday ensemble gathers for a group photo – photo by Joe Mazza/BraveLux
ABLE’s spring 2024 Sunday ensemble gathers for a group photo – photo by Justin Barbin
The theme of fate vs. agency is prevalent in Homer’s tale, and it’s one that co-directors Braden Cleary and Katie Yohe particularly wanted to highlight with the Ensembles. Currently, 24 actors with varying disabilities including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and autism take part in A.B.L.E.’s performance ensembles. “Folks with intellectual and developmental disabilities often have a lot of choices made for them, or it’s presumed that they are not capable of making their own choices,” says Yohe, also A.B.L.E.’s Executive Artistic Director. “Braden and I drafted a loose skeleton of the story but the script and production is really actor-led.” Each actor self-identified where their strengths lie as a performer, and were assigned to a chapter of the story based on their interests.
Marissa Bloodgood hugs her hands to her heart and tosses her head back with a laugh as the loving and hopeful Penelope - photo by Justin Barbin
Over the course of a 10-week rehearsal process, actors collaborated with a team of volunteer facilitators to build the story. Facilitator Kara Davidson, a company member at Manual Cinema, helped actors design and build shadow puppets to bring to life monsters like the Cyclops and Scylla. Music Educator Polly Yukevich loaned the ensembles 15 ukuleles to bring musical magic to The Lotus Eaters and the seductive Sirens.
Ensemble members gather to rehearse a shadow puppet segment - photo by Joe Mazza/Brave Lux
A.B.L.E. is committed to ensuring everyone feels they have a space in the theatre. The sensory-friendly performance will include numerous accessibility supports for audience members of all ages and ability levels. This includes dual ASL interpretation and open captioning. A.B.L.E. also reserves a designated movement zone for audience members who need to move around to help them focus. Audience members will receive a social story and sensory guide before the show to help them know what to expect from their trip to the theatre. Yohe says, “We hope we can set an example for our community of what true inclusion looks like both onstage and off.”
Don’t miss this one-time-only theatrical event Saturday May 11, 2024 at 2pm at Chicago Shakespeare Theater!
ABLE is committed to removing barriers, and that includes ensuring our work is financially accessible for everyone who wants to attend. Tickets for this event are pay-what-you-can; pick the pricing tier that works for you:
- $15 – I am ABLE to connect – this level represents ABLE’s commitment to making the arts accessible for all.
- $30 – I am ABLE to contribute – this level helps offset crucial production costs like props, costumes, and rehearsal space.
- $45 – I am ABLE to create – this level represents the true cost of A.B.L.E.’s programming. If everyone purchased a ticket at this level, we would break even for this semester.
Can’t attend live? That’s okay! Performances will be available to stream On Demand from ableensemble.com/athome later this year
This production of The Odyssey is sponsored by Gail and Dennis Rossow. A.B.L.E.’s 2023-2024 Season is partially supported by grants from The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, FunFund, The Illinois Arts Council, Innovation 80, The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, and The National Endowment for the Arts.
About our producing partner, Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Regional Tony Award-recipient Chicago Shakespeare Theater produces a bold and innovative year-round season—plays, musicals, world premieres, family productions, and theatrical presentations from around the globe—alongside nationally recognized education programming serving tens of thousands of students, teachers, and lifelong learners each year. Founded in 1986, the Theater’s onstage work has expanded to as many as twenty productions and 650 performances annually. Chicago Shakespeare is dedicated to welcoming the next generation of theatergoers; one in four of its audience members is under the age of eighteen.
As a nonprofit organization, the Theater works to embrace diversity, prioritize inclusion, provide equitable opportunities, and offer an accessible experience for all. On the Theater’s three stages at its home on Navy Pier, in classrooms and neighborhoods across the city, and in venues around the world, Chicago Shakespeare is a multifaceted cultural hub—inviting audiences, artists, and community members to share powerful stories that connect and inspire. www.chicagoshakes.com
