The Project

Now in its seventh year, Actual Lives continues to be Central Texas own and only ensemble dedicated to crip theatre with attitude.
We have used the basic writing-into-performance workshop successfully with adults and with young adults aged 14 and up. An Actual Lives workshop can be done in as little as six hours from start to finish (an effective tool for conferences), or it can last a weekend, a week, or a month. No matter what the time constraints, Actual Lives always begins with a focus on generating autobiographical writing through memory and open-ended interactive exercises. The first prompt is "Write about a powerful memory." From there, we move to the development of autobiographical narratives, either individually or integrated into small group pieces by focusing on common themes, or perhaps disagreements, among participants. Together we explore the many ways that images from writing can be translated into meaningful moments in performance. During the sessions, participants have a chance to work individually and in small groups with the instructors and project volunteers to develop their themes in writing, then work out theatrical strategies, pacing, logistics, etc. Whether the final workshop "product" is a bare-bones staged reading or a full-fledged performance with lighting and sound, Actual Lives performances always engage the imagination of audiences in re-envisioning what it means to live with disability.