Dayton Housing Advocate Voices Her Truth in Divercity show - May 13-22

Tellin’ Tales Theatre presents Divercity performing live– May 13-15 at the Greenhouse Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago and virtually— May 13-22 on Vimeo. The Saturday evening live performance will include sign language interpretation, audio description and an after-show talk back. The virtual show includes closed captioning and audio description. The theme is “Voicing our Truths.”

Divercity is directed by Tekki Lomnicki, co-founder and artistic director of Tellin’ Tales Theatre, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary. All of the performers are writers, actors and advocates with disabilities, from Chicago, Evanston, Rock Island, Indiana and Ohio. They include Susan Coleman Caldwell of West Milton. (see info about her below)

Stories range from failed vegan cheese making and discovering one’s inner goddess to a fateful train ride in Romania. Live tickets are available at Greenhousetheater.org or 773-404-7336 and virtual tickets can be purchased at Tellintales.org. Ticket holders will be emailed a link to watch the video one-hour before the show. Closed captioning and audio description will be available.

“I am excited to be back live and yet offer a virtual version for our audiences across the country.” says Tekki Lomnicki, artistic director of Tellin’ Tales Theatre. “Throw away any preconceived notions you have about disability because these performers demonstrate that though they are different in appearance and physical ability, they show how alike we all are when we share our stories.”
Stories were developed and directed in a six-week Zoom Master Class taught by Lomnicki. The disabilities of the performers include blindness, dwarfism, brain injury, mental illness, cerebral palsy and Muscular Sclerosis.

About Susan Coleman Caldwell:
Originally from Indianapolis, Caldwell lives with her husband Jim and their dog Cooper in West Milton, a little village outside of Dayton. For the past 8 years, she has worked for a nonprofit agency devoted to providing access to food and housing stability, and still finds her work meaningful. She has always enjoyed writing, but never really put her story on paper, never mind on a stage, and it is definitely a process. She is grateful to have the guidance of this Master Class.

The mission of Tellin' Tales Theatre is to shatter barriers between the disabled and non-disabled worlds through the transformative power of personal story. We bring together children and adults from both communities to share their stories in theatrically innovative productions and programs to promote awareness, understanding and acceptance.

Divercity is partially supported by grants from the Illinois Arts Council, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation.