Theatre Major Lands Full-Time Position Improving Accessibility for Diverse Casts, Audiences

布里斯托尔,R.I. – 结合了他们对戏剧的热爱和对宣传的热情, senior Korbin 约翰逊 has spent the past nine months 培训 theater companies in how to accommodate neurodiverse audiences, 数据类型转换, 创意团队, with the goal of making theater significantly more accessible for the neurodivergent community.

This work is part of their part-time role as the associate director of Neurodiverse Inclusive Certified Entertainment (NICE) at 光谱剧团 在R州普罗维登斯.I., a position they will begin full time after graduating later this month.

“我一毕业, 培训项目由我负责,约翰逊说, 主修戏剧，辅修艺术管理, 从纳蒂克, Mass. “戏剧真的帮助我表达了自己和我的神经多样性.”

约翰逊’s work with Spectrum began with an internship during the fall of their sophomore year – a connection they made through a former technical director at RWU. 实习结束后, 约翰逊被Spectrum聘为行政助理, 他们仍然扮演着重要的角色, 除了为公司代理. Spectrum’s mission is to create professional opportunities for autistic actors and playwrights as well as make entertainment venues more accessible so all people can enjoy live entertainment.

“Recent studies show that one in seven people are neurodivergent,约翰逊说, who is autistic. “That’s a huge part of the population that’s underrepresented and under-accommodated.” As they explained, the neurodiverse community does not just include people with autism. Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder also fall under the term.

作为他们与NICE合作的一部分, 约翰逊说 they assist theater companies in improving accessibility while maintaining the artistic integrity of a show. 这可能看起来像给人们特殊的眼镜, 耳机, or warnings of any loud noises or flashing lights so they can self-adjust during a play.

In addition to working at Spectrum, 约翰逊说 they would also like to continue acting.

回顾他们在RWU的四年时光, 约翰逊 speaks highly of the faculty and classes within the Theatre Department and said the department’s study abroad program was a big draw for them. As part of the study abroad program, 约翰逊 spent three months in London during their junior year. Their group saw approximately 40 plays including at the Royal National Theatre, 年轻的维克, 巴比肯剧院, 莎士比亚环球剧院, 还有许多著名的西区剧院——干草市场, Aldwych, 萨沃伊, 《网赌的十大网站》杂志, 和温德姆. Students on the trip also visited museums, art galleries, and historical sites in the city.

“I really loved the experiential learning aspect of it and just being completely immersed in the culture,他们说. “I learn so much better going to an art museum or going to a historical site and actually seeing the history for myself rather than learning about it in a classroom from a lecture. 这样我吸收的东西更多，也更有趣.”

在RWU, 约翰逊是舞台剧公司俱乐部的成员, Neurodiverse网络, 及交际舞队. They also acted in several plays and musicals at RWU this year including “Oklahoma” and “Murder at the Grey's Hound Mansion.”

RWU以外, 约翰逊参加过公开演讲活动, including giving a guest lecture to medical students at Boston University that focused on treating autistic and chronically ill patients. 四月，他们在 马萨诸塞州2024年的过渡会议 关于他们神经多样性的经历.

约翰逊在RWU的那段时间是成长的时期. “I’ve learned so much over the past four years and have really come into myself as a person and figured out where my values lie,他们说. “这些课程起到了很大的作用(让我为接下来的工作做好准备)。. I’ve used things so far in my career from classes that I didn’t expect to.”

成长的过程中, 约翰逊说, 他们在学校过得很艰难, 但当他们开始在RWU的旅程时，一切都改变了.

“罗杰·威廉姆斯让我重新找回了对学习的热爱, 在更安全的环境中学习, 寻找新朋友, 享受生活,约翰逊说. “对我来说，这是一个疗伤的过程. I’ve found a lot of community at RWU and pockets of people I’ve connected with.”