Presenter Bio:
Debbie Patterson is a Winnipeg-based actor, playwright, director, and dramaturge. She is the founding artistic director of Sick + Twisted Theatre, a company dedicated to creating work through the lens of disability. A co-founder of Shakespeare in the Ruins, Debbie has spent over three decades shaping Manitoba’s theatre landscape through performance, leadership, and community engagement.
Her groundbreaking work includes becoming the first disabled actor to play Richard III professionally in Canada, and creating Sargent & Victor & Me, a solo show exploring her MS diagnosis. She’s collaborated with major companies across Canada, including Prairie Theatre Exchange, Stratford Festival, and Theatre Passe Muraille, and is a sought-after consultant on Crip Aesthetics and accessibility in the arts.
Debbie’s accolades include the United Nations Activist Award, the Winnipeg Arts Council’s Making a Mark Award, and the King Charles III Coronation Medal. She continues to lead nationally recognized projects while mentoring emerging artists and advocating for disability justice in the arts.
Presentation Description:
Reimagining Disability in Theatre: Storytelling, Representation, and Artistic Excellence
After two decades as a professional performer, I was diagnosed with MS and suddenly found myself navigating a world where disabled artists were nearly invisible. That experience led me to create a disability-led theatre company—one that not only makes space for disabled performers but also challenges the stories we tell about disability.
This presentation, led by Debbie Patterson, will explore how disability is often erased or misrepresented in theatre and media, and why it’s vital to centre disabled voices in our cultural storytelling. We’ll also feature a short performance by the Sick + Twisted Theatre Choir, offering a powerful example of what inclusive, disability-led artistry looks and sounds like.
What You’ll Take Away:
- A better understanding of how disability is typically portrayed in theatre, and why that needs to change.
- Insight into how storytelling shapes our beliefs about disability, and how those beliefs impact real lives.
- Real-world examples of how disabled artists like Niall McNeil are creating bold, original work.
- Ideas for how to support and collaborate with disabled artists in meaningful, respectful ways.
- Inspiration to imagine a more inclusive future for the arts, one where everyone’s story matters.
