New inclusive drama program in Yarragon

by Bonnie Collings
A new performing arts program is set to create a space where adults with a disability can develop and explore performing arts skills and stage craft.
Organised by local creatives and support workers David Williams and Kate McCulley, and operating under the auspices of the Yarragon Arts Council, "Dramability" will begin with weekly classes in Yarragon next term.
Using a neuro-affirming and trauma informed approach, "Dramability" positions the individual at the centre of project development.
With almost 50 years of teaching experience between them and extensive experience in music and drama, David and Kate said participants would have access to high quality performing arts education and training and work towards creating their own performance piece.
"Dramability is a program designed for people with a range of disabilities," David said.
"It's a disability support program, it's inclusive, it's proactive. Participants engage in a range of skill development (including) self-confidence, resilience, working together, things that can help them in other aspects of their daily life. The idea was to develop those sorts of skills through drama."
"We're all about breaking down barriers," Kate said. "Our main thing is ensuring that everyone feels safe because when people feel safe, they can reach their potential, they can challenge themselves and they can do incredible things."
Kate said a key aspect of the "Dramability" program was breaking down barriers to performance, seeing challenges not as a road block, but as an opportunity to develop a creative and interesting performance.
"Where there may be a barrier to being able to perform, whether that's expressive communication, whether it's mobility, whether it's anxiety – we provide the supports," Kate said.
"We're very creative in how we ensure that barriers are broken down so that the stage is completely accessible for each one of our participants."
The "Dramability" program will be guided by each participant, their skills and their interest.
"If we do our job right, we get to know each individual so well that we then tailor what we can provide to support them in every step of the process," she said.
"We feel like there is a need for this because it also strengthens the participants' communication skills, independence, and agency. It gives them a voice."
"They've got different abilities, and in the drama course we find out what they are," David said. "We find out what their interest is, and we cater to that. If we celebrate the fact that they have different skills and different abilities, we bring that out in them in the performance."
"Dramability" classes will run on a school-term schedule. The program will start with weekly three-hour classes on Thursdays at the Yarragon Uniting Church Hall, from 9:30am to 12:30pm.
Kate said once participants got a feel for what interested them in a drama and performance space, they would work towards creating a performance opportunity where participants could showcase their work on stage.
"We'll start off by doing improvisation, workshopping, journaling, learning some songs, and then we'll see where the interests of the group direct us," Kate said.
"It will be driven by them in many respects in regard to the development of the project, what directions we go and we will develop our piece accordingly.
"We're supported by many of our friends in performing arts spaces around Gippsland and we have many people who generously donate their time to to provide the participants with a semi-professional experience like what any other theatre company would have."
For more information about or "Dramability" or to get involved email dramabilityac@gmail.com