DARK DISABLED STORIES: NAVIGATING IN AN INACCESSIBLE WORLD

NEW YORK (March 22, 2023) -  In many industries including retail and entertainment, disability is often overlooked and disregarded. Whether it's visible or invisible, people living with disability are often judged and excluded from communities. People with disability including myself must learn how to navigate and break barriers in an inaccessible world.
 

Written by acclaimed writer and performer Ryan J. Haddad, Dark Disabled Stories premiered on March 9th at The Public Theater's Silva Theater in New York City. This autobiographical play highlighted Haddad’s numerous encounters with strangers as he navigates through a city that doesn’t accommodate his cerebral palsy. The play also co-starred Dickie Hearts, and Alejandra Ospina. Dickie Hearts played Ryan in American Sign Language alongside Ryan; and Alejandra Ospina was the Describer, and played a role while sharing her struggle navigating through the New York City subway system in a wheelchair. 

Dark Disabled Stories examined ableism, and the daily assumptions people who don’t live with disability make about people with disability. To accommodate all persons with disability, Dark Disabled Stories featured American Sign Language, open captions, and audio description in every performance. For this production, The Public expanded wheelchair and mobility access. 

As a person living with an invisible disability, the fear and struggle continue to exist within my life. Dark Disabled Stories provided various perspectives of how people struggle with different disabilities such as cerebral palsy and deaf. This was very relatable to my current and past encounters of navigating through New York City as a person living with epilepsy.

At the age of 16, I was diagnosed with epilepsy following two seizure episodes in 2011. As a result, I was provided a green pass during my senior year of high school. The pass allowed me to gain access to use the elevator before my first class, after lunch period, and upon dismissal time. My high school was located on the fourth floor of another high school that owned the entire building.

One day during my senior year of high school, lunch period had ended, and I needed access to the elevator to get to my 6th period class on time, located on the fourth floor. I attempted to seek assistance from a staff member from the other high school. Upon requesting access to the elevator, she questioned my appearance with a snarky attitude. Despite showing proof of the green pass that was provided by my principal, she denied me access to the elevator. Due to the nature of the situation, I was forced to use the stairs, and became late for my 6th period class. It was obvious that the action she took was discriminatory. I informed my principal of the incident, resulting in a staff member from my high school to escort me to the elevator when necessary.

This was an experience that traumatized me to this day as I navigate through public places in New York City. I’ve always wondered: God forbid I have an epileptic episode; will someone assist me? Do they have the knowledge of assisting a person living with epilepsy? Will I be discriminated because they expect me to rely on a crutch or wheelchair? These are questions that often daunt me as I travel around the city. People with disability may have similar questions. In the public's eye, they expect a person to be carrying a crutch, wearing a cast, have a missing limb, or sitting in a wheelchair as a form of validation that such a disability exists. 

Though I don’t rely on a wheelchair or crutch, I must make sure not to perform strenuous activities that would cause high stress or overexertion, which can trigger a seizure. Hidden disabilities are often overlooked as I travel within New York City. My only validation of my epilepsy diagnosis is in the form of medical records, which is a sensitive and confidential document. Unfortunately, due to that nature, many people including myself have always been afraid to disclose our disability to the public eye.

As Ryan stated at the outset of Dark Disabled Stories, “I am not here to be pitied and I am not a victim…” Disability is something that a person will always have for their entire life. Different disabilities have different health complications, challenges, and accommodations. People who don’t live with disability will never understand the barriers and daily struggles people with disability encounter in their daily lives. Unfortunately, the world is currently inaccessible for people like me. Yet, there’s always a way to make our environment more accessible and accommodating to all persons with disability. I may always live with a disability, but DISABILITY DOESN’T STOP ME! 

[Note: Dark Disabled Stories has concluded on April 9th, and this is a review/analysis on the play.]

About The Public 

Founded by Joe Papp, The Public is one of the nation's first nonprofit theaters engaging on-stage and off-stage with social issues and important topics of today's society. Programs include the annual Shakespeare in the Park at The Delacorte Theater in Central Park, Joe's Pub, and Public Works.

For over 60 years, The Public continues to serve as a cultural institution, while providing art and culture for everyone. The Public received 60 Tony Awards, 190 Obie Awards, 57 Drama Desk Awards, 61 Lortel Awards, 36 Outer Critics Circle Awards, 13 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards, 62 AUDELCO Awards, 6 Antonyo Awards, and 6 Pulitzer Prizes.

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