CRS
Content
Evan Laffer
CRS Projects: Oral History
5/3/16
CRS PROJECTS: ORAL HISTORY
PROJECT PORTFOLIO
Cover Letter
During my time in CRS Projects: Oral History, I set out to interview members of the
Outside Voices Theater Company, a theater collective for intellectually disabled
individuals. My time working on this project has taught me a lot about the roles of
intellectually disabled people in crafting their own narratives, as well as my own abilities
as a purveyor of oral history.
Going into the project, I was not really sure what to expect of Outside Voices and its
members, having never been exposed to any sort of program like this. This kept my
initial ideation of what the finished project would be loose, and I relied on the interviews
I conducted with the members of Outside Voices, as well as its founder Cathy James, to
guide my project in the appropriate artistic direction.
In the end, I decided to create a podcast-like audio piece that presented the knowledge
I gained from my subjects in a clear, educational way. I learned that Outside Voices is a
very unique, revolutionary theater program, and felt that the best way to highlight that
was to present the narratives of my subjects in an untainted, straightforward way.
I feel that this project will positively shape my feelings about oral history in the future, as
it taught me a lot about the importance of giving all individuals a platform to share their
narratives in the way they feel is correct.
SECTION 1: METHODS
Class Reading 1: “Gripes about Humans of New York”
The problem I see with Humans of New York has to do with the inherent limitations of its
form. The experience of scrolling through the photos and reading their attached
captions feels not unlike reading the lyrics to songs i’ve never heard. It’s like peoplewatching minus the modest thrill of true randomness and mystery, plus a false sense of
finality. The captions tell stories, fragments of stories or musings but never enough to
really communicate the specificity of the individual. And of course the photos can’t do
this either. If a picture is worth a thousand words, it feels weird to be looking at a picture
paired with about a hundred. This way, the picture is cheapened, and the words are
never enough to express three dimensionality of character. This brings me to the name
chosen by creator Brandon Stanton. Humans of New York. Why not People of New
York? It is unfortunately, and yet aptly named. It’s hard to put a finger on the
disconcerting use of the word “Humans” here. It’s off putting much in the same way as
when someone insists on referring to women as “females”. It feels impersonal, robotic,
and ironically, not very human.
Class Reading 2: Social Practice
Social practice in its many forms seem to be an increasingly relevant presence in the
world. Particularly social practice projects which utilize the internet as a primary platform
for organization and proliferation. Black Lives Matter is a prime example of such a thing.
The first time I and many others heard about Black Lives Matter was on twitter in the
form of a hashtag, and one need only spend a few minutes researching online to
discover the countless manifestations of the movement and its impact on culture and
the social/political climate. The impact of this movement on national (and international)
conversations of racial justice is immense and ever-changing. I think it’s fair to say that
this particular phenomena is something of a turning point for social practice as we
understand it- the internet is a tremendous boon to the visibility of social practice. Black
Lives Matter is of course only one of many movements attempting to address society’s
ills. It’s not as if movements like this have not happened in the past, issues of Child
Labor, Women’s Suffrage, Civil Rights all happened without the aid of our modern
technology, but what i find most interesting about what’s going on now is the potential
for movements to spring so spontaneously into existence, the power wielded by people
to launch a message into national and global awareness in ways more difficult to ignore
than ever before. It’s a very exciting time and I’m hopeful for the positive changes that
will continue to be brought about.
Written Piece: Define Oral History
As an artist there is much to be learned from the practice of oral history. By listening to
the stories of individuals from all walks of life one becomes privy to modes of
experience which otherwise might be wholly inaccessible. As an actor of course this can
be highly valuable as our stock in trade is the lives of others in all their depth and
specificity. I think that the aspect of oral history which strikes me personally as the most
is that embedded in the experiences of individuals as shared in their own words, there
are clues and information about the state of our culture, politics, and the world at large.
The formality of oral history interests me as well because it is unique among interview
forms both conventional and unconventional. It seems to demand a certain heightened
awareness of the interviewee; a carefulness meant to extract the purest stuff possible
from the subject, rather than to entertain a television, radio or internet audience. That’s
not to say that it is intentionally boring, far from it. My goal is to hone my skills as an
interviewer to avoid being boring while simultaneously sharpening my awareness of
when might be appropriate to probe a topic further, and when to back away. I do not
think the oral historian should appear as an interesting character in the oral history.
Perhaps the voice of the interviewer could be removed completely. I’d like to experiment
with this idea. My first peer interview went relatively well although there was some
unfortunate background noise. I think I may have played it a little safe with the
questions, that is to say the interview may have blossomed a bit more had I asked some
slightly more open ended questions dealing with emotional and sensory aspects of the
subject’s childhood. Basically, I could have been more specific. And I could always
stand to be more present. Those two generally tend go hand in hand I’ve found.
Written Piece: Planning for full length interview subject, date, and themes
Who will you interview and why?
I will be interview Cathy James from Outside Voices Theater Company.
Why are you doing this project/ interested in this organization and population?
(Other than that it is a class assignment!)
This opportunity is not only an opportunity to learn more about the role of intellectually
disabled individuals’ relationship with theater, but also the process behind empowering
disabled individuals in a narrative sense. On a personal level, by experience of
performing for intellectually disabled individuals through my high school’s theater
program also drew me to this assignment, as I would like to learn more about how to
engage with and support the company’s initiatives as a member of the public.
When will you interview them? (You must have a date and time planned)
I will be interviewing Cathy on Thursday, February 18 th ar 10:15 AM.
Where will you interview them? (Remember you need a quiet, private environment
for this first interview)
We will be meeting in The New School’s Johnson Kaplan building
Describe some background research you have conducted to prepare for the
interview:
I have viewed the video of one of Outside Voices’ performances as shared by Cathy. I
have also read the articles about the roles of individuals with learning disabilities in a
narrative context by Nicki Pombier Berger. Beyond the information that was provided to
me in class, I have looked through information about the company online, including their
social media profiles and relevant news articles about their recent performances.
What will you ask in the interview?
What inspired the founding of the company?
What makes the goals of this company important to you?
What are some things that you have accomplished from this work?
How do you feel about the current treatment of disabled individuals in the arts?
What is the relationship of the company like with the community?
How does this company wish to expand and grow in the future?
Transcriptions: 10 minutes of transcript of oral history interviews (1/3)
[SOUND FILE LafferJamesCRSOH2-18-16.mp3 00:00:09]
EVAN LAFFER: I’m Evan Laffer and I am interviewing Cathy James at 10:25 AM,
February 18, 2016, at The New School in New York City.
CATHY JAMES: Hi, my name is Cathy, um, I’m 46, I was born in England, and, um, I
have spent about half my life in the United States, not that you would know it by my
accent. Um, currently I am an arts facilitator for adults with developmental disabilities.
Um, and I love what I do.
EL: Uh, can you tell me a little bit about how that came about or how you got involved in
that work?
CJ: Um, it’s a winding journey. I—okay—so, I studied theater in college, at university in
England, and I thought I wanted to be an actor, but as soon as I got involved in that in
college I realized I kinda—there was a lot about it I didn’t like, and then I began to get
involved in theater outside the mainstream, so I did a long term project in the prison
system in England, and that was where my life kind of changed and I began to see art
as a kind of means for exploring new stories. Um, so—this was before the internet—and
I studied prison theater, and I felt like that was just this experience where I had found
what I wanted to do with my life, and um—so there was this just in New Hampshire
called John Bergman who was running this project—this was in about, I guess ’92—and
wan running this project called The Geese Theatre project, which was one of the first
prison theater projects in the world, and I wrote him a letter like, “I would like to come
stay with you” and, um, he wrote back and said, “okay.” [laughs]
EL: How did you hear about him?
CJ: When I studied, he was one of the people we kind of looked at in the university
course, and again this was before the internet, so I was just like, “Great, I’m gonna”—I
found his address, I don’t know how, wrote him a letter and just said, “You don’t know
me, but I’m really interested in your work.” And he was immensely generous and just
kind of opened his house and let me trail around after him for a couple of months. So I
worked in a really interesting jail in San Francisco, and then came back to New
Hampshire and worked a lot in these programs that were these really interest 24 hour
wrap around prison services for people with--long term violent offenders and long term
violent sex offenders. Um, and so I worked with him on those projects for a while, then
came to New York and just sort of fell in love with New York. Fell in love with a boy. Uh,
went back to England when my visa ran out, and just sort of applied for every job in
New York, and then I ended up getting one in a group home supporting adults with
developmental disabilities, and so I came over. So that sort of supplied with the visa that
I wanted to come back to New York. I wasn’t really connected to the work at all, but I
became connected to the work.
EL: What work was that?
CJ: So this was a 15-bed group home for adults with developmental disabilities, and
they were actually all dual-diagnosed, which means they were diagnosed with a
developmental disability and a mental health concern. Um, and it was a hideous place,
it was 15 beds, everyone was squashed together on the 15th floor. I look back on that
work with… horror, and a need to atone. Like I look back on that and I just… god.
EL: A need to atone?
CJ: Yeah, it was a horrible place that just treated people—it was a punishing place. It
kind of punished people for things that were so outside of their control. Um, I learned a
lot, I… I just look back at that time and I feel really complicit in horrible things. Um, and it
kind of—it contributed to me having a bit of a breakdown in a way, feeling just like
everything in my life was really out of whack, like my relationships, my work. I just
ended up really depressed and, um, so I ended up just suddenly deciding, “Okay, I’m
going to go back to England.” My dad was ill, so I ended up going back to England for 6
months. But in the meantime I did this housesitting thing in New Mexico, and fell in love
with Albuquerque.
EL: You got a good look at the United States over—how many years was this over that
you just traveled?
CJ: So, I did 6 years in New York, about 5, 6 years in New York and loved it. Then a
month in New Mexico, and just found the change of pace really beautiful. I loved it,
again I just felt like in that moment in my life I wanted to be there, and again met a boy
—ended up getting married, went back to England, decided to get married, moved back
to Albuquerque, New Mexico for about 5 years, and it was there that I really began to
find a way to connect the arts with people with developmental disabilities. So, uh, my
marriage didn’t work out, but what I learned there was really life changing. So when I go
to New Mexico, I had to get a work permit and that took a while, so I was just kind of
looking and applying to different places, looking for work, and I was in a thrift store
looking at a wooden frame, and in that wooden frame was a newspaper article for this
arts center for people with disabilities, and I was like “Ah, I wonder if that still exists? I’ll
write them a letter.” Again, pre-Internet. So I wrote them a letter and just said, you know,
“My background is theater, I’ve worked with people with disabilities, uh, do you have a
job for me?” And at the time, they were just a visual arts center, and they were funded
through this national organization called—at the time it was called—Very Special Arts.
Gag, gag. [laughs]
EL: That’s not really something people say in 2016, do they?
CJ: They do, they do, but it’s heinous. I used to ban the work “special” from my classes.
Um, so I interviewed there and they gave me a 1-day-a-week job, but I remember in the
interview, they said, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” and I said “In five years
time, I’ll give you a theater company, and I think you could have a performing arts center
here that is of equal merit to the visual arts,” which was really, really strong. They had
amazing teachers, they had a gallery, I mean it was really an amazing place. So I ended
up getting more and more work there, and low and behold, three years later we had a
theater company there of actors with developmental disabilities called Equilibrium
Theater Company, um, and then there was a dance company that had already been
established before I got there, and we developed a performing arts center there and I
became the performing arts center director, and sort of oversaw the creation and
development of this performing arts center for people developmental disabilities. Um,
and it’s still running, we had video classes, poetry classes, Shakespeare classes. We
had a dance company, theater company. We had performing poetry groups. So by the
time we had left it had grown from this tiny niche thing to this fully-fledged, um, thriving
arts center. Again, I love what I was doing, I look back on that and it was just a place of
great growth for me, but it was still very segregated.
Transcriptions: 10 minutes of transcript of oral history interviews (2/3)
[00:00:00]
EVAN LAFFER: Well, let’s just start with giving your name.
CATHERINE MCKEEN: Hello, my name is Catherine Mckeen. I am—I go to the theater
group, and I have been coming for now, about 5—5 years.
EL: Where are you from?
CM: New York City
EL: Born and raised, New York City?
CM: Yes, I was born in babies hospital New York City, my family is from Ireland.
EL: Where is that?
CM: Ireland is—
EL: —Oh, Ireland! I misheard you.
CM: Ireland, Ireland.
EL: Are they—are you fullblooded Irish?
CM: Some of my family is from Scotland.
EL: Scotland? Oh, okay. Um, so do you want to tell me a bit about yourself and what
you like to do?
CM: I like to do water aerobics, I like to dance, I like to exercise, and I like dogs.
EL: Do you have a dog?
CM: No, I want to get one so bad.
EL: You’ve never had a dog?
CM: No EL: So it must be tough to—
CM: But I work with dogs, I have a job with dogs.
EL: Oh, where do you work? CM: Spot Canine Club on 620 West 42 Street and 12th
Avenue.
EL: What do you do there?
CM: I socialize with the dogs, feed them, clean up after them, and play with them, and I
pet them and brush them.
EL: Petting dogs sounds like a good job.
CM: It is.
EL: Part of it is, anyway. The cleaning up doesn’t sound so fun.
CM: No, especially when they vomit, ew.
EL: Yeah, gross. Do you want to tell me a little bit about where you grew up?
CM: I grew up in New York City in Inwood.
EL: Inwood? CM: Inwood, that’s where my apartment was, where I grew up.
EL: Can you tell me a little bit about Inwood?
CM: Inwood is a beautiful place. It’s a park, it’s near Fort Tryon park. I lived at 218
Street at Inwood Park, that’s 600 West 218 Street.
EL: Who did you live with?
CM: My mom and my dad.
EL: And, uh, can you tell me a bit about your mom and dad?
CM: My mom, my mom’s a therapist and my father is a lawyer. I don’t know what else to
say, they’re just very busy people, and hard workers.
EL: Where did you go to school?
CM: I went to a special ed school, The Summit School.
EL: What did you think of it?
CM: Eh, it was pretty boring.
EL: Yeah. Why?
CM: Because I couldn’t learn much. [02:56:00]
CM: At the school it was hard keeping up with the classes.
EL: What was hard about it?
CM: Multiplication was hard, and I was in special ed because I had disability, a learning
disability.
EL: Which one? What disability?
CM: A learning disability
EL: A learning kind
CM: Yeah, a learning kind, having trouble reading too, books. A certain kind.
EL: Did you get diagnosed with it?
CM: When I was a baby.
EL: When you were a baby.
CM: They told me I was ‘MR,’ mentally retarded, they called me as a baby because I
didn’t get enough oxygen and I had seizures.
EL: They don’t use that term anymore, I don’t think.
CM: No, but I was born with seizures as a baby.
EL: Do you—I don’t suppose you remember that because you were a baby.
CM: No
EL: But you didn’t have them when you were older?
CM: I haven’t had one in a long time.
EL: Good, that seems—
CM: Because i’m on medication for it, it’s helping.
EL: Good
CM: What else do you want me to say? [laughs]
EL: I guess we could talk a little bit about the play and about being here at Outside
Voices.
CM: Sure, sure. I love the play because of Cathy James, if it wasn’t for Cathy James the
play wouldn’t be going on.
EL: What do you mean?
CM: This play would not be going on without her, because she’s the one who helped get
me involved with the play and acting.
EL: Do you remember when you first met Cathy?
CM: Yes, through JobPath.
EL: What’s that? Oh, JobPath?
CM: Yes, that’s the name of the company i’m a part of.
EL: Oh, okay
CM: Yeah
EL: What was it like when you met Cathy?
CM: The first time I met Cathy she was very lovely and sweet. I met her in a poetry
group, that was the first time before I came to theater group.
EL: Had you done anything like that before? The poetry? Or was that one of the first—
CM: That was the first time I did it. [05:00:00]
Transcriptions: 10 minutes of transcript of oral history interviews (3/3)
[00:00:00]
EVAN LAFFER: Alright, could you please introduce yourself?
HARVEY PACT: My name is Mr. Harvey Pact.
EL: And Harvey, how long have you been involved with Outside voices?
HP: Ever since they got started back in 2011.
EL: Um, can you tell me a little bit about your experience here?
HP: Well, we are a very interesting theater company. You know, we gave a couple of
performances just four years ago, we gave a performance called You Got The Part. And
then more recently, some time last year, we gave another performance. Let me think,
what’s the name of it? It’s like, If I Were Whole. Now we are rehearsing to put on that
performance again, but we added a sexuality scene to it, so um, we’re still in the
process of rehearsing. Hopefully, we will be able to put on a performance in a couple or
perhaps a few months from now, down the road.
EL: What’s the play about?
HP: What, If I Were Whole? We try to educate society about disability issues. We want
them to learn that people with disabilities are human—are just as human, like everybody
else is. That we should not be treated as special or different.
EL: Uh, and you all wrote the piece? Or you all worked together to make it, right?
HP: Well we did work together, because the person that runs the theater company, she
writes the scripts.
EL: Cathy
HP: Yes, Mrs. Cathy James
EL: Can you tell me a little bit about Cathy?
HP: Oh yeah, she’s very much into theater. You know, she really likes to do this kind of
work. She also conducts a writing group every week. These are certain things that she
really likes to do, and I am also a part of that. There is also a poetry group, we write
different stories, we make up some stories.
[03:17:00]
EL: Cathy mentioned that—if you could talk about Sam.
HP: Yes. Her name is Samantha, she’s my adopted daughter. You see, I along with my
late wife, were pursuing adoption. And of course we had overcome a lot of hurdles,
there was a lot of opposition against it. It took a lot of effort, you know, it was a very long
process to follow. Until one day a baby girl with down syndrome got placed into our
home, and two years later her adoption was finalized. We named her—when she got
placed into our home, we decided to name her Samantha Jean Pact. Now, both my late
wife and myself, we have both had a disability, you know, so that was a very big thing,
people with disabilities being able to raise a child.
EL: Being able to adopt.
HP: Yes, being able to adopt.
EL: Had that happened before?
HP: Not that i’m aware of. Look, the world is a big place and I can only be in one place
at a time, because I don’t know, some people with disabilities might have adopted a
child before we did, and I can imagine that many people with disabilities have adopted a
child afterwards as well, and also during the same time like we did.
Release forms signed by interviewees
INSERT HERE
SECTION 2: WHO IS THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED? PROJECT
PARTNER INFORMATION
Email to Caits/Liza “Looking Ahead”
What information have you learned about your site that will help you enter the
community with sensitivity and ethics? Recap and synthesize in your own words.
From my interview with Cathy I learned much about her fierce commitment to helping
promote the self advocacy and personal empowerment of people with intellectual
disabilities. I think that the openness with which Cathy approaches the creative process
with the actors involved has informed my expectations for how I can be useful in this
community and what kind of attitude i should have. The way Cathy runs the rehearsal
process It is very gentle, she allows for individuals to do whatever they need to do in
order to feel comfortable during the length of the rehearsals which can go for several
hours. For example, one man plays video game while listening because it helps him to
absorb information, another has to step outside every several minutes. I intend to
similarly accommodating to the actors when interviewing and engaging them so that I
can blend as seamlessly as possible with the theater group’s usual way of operating.
You are responsible for visiting your site at least once to connect with community
(no interview during visit, and your site visit/first interview with the staff member
does not count) and twice to capture two interviews. Have you scheduled a
consistent day to visit your site? If so, which days? If not, please offer the
options you do have below, and then reach out to your site contact.
I am working right now to coordinate my schedule with Cathy to plan my first visit to the
theater and will keep you updated on which date(s) are decided upon.
What are you looking for in a narrator? How are you planning to approach
potential narrators? What will be your overarching framework for the dialogue
you wish to engage?
I am looking for narrators who are willing to speak candidly about themselves, their
personal likes and dislikes, goals, concerns etc. as well as their experiences with
disability with a focus on the influence of Outside Voices on their emotional and social
life.
Tell us about your experience in Methods what excited you? What overwhelmed
you? What are you ready for? What are you feeling unclear about?
What excited me was learning about Cathy’s work. Interviewing her sparked my interest
very much. I was overwhelmed somewhat by juggling so many assignments within a
relatively small span of time. I’m ready to find out more about the individuals who make
up Outside Voices. I’m not totally clear about what Cathy’s expectations are of me at the
moment.
Is there anything Caits should know about you that will help me support you in
this process?
Caits has been very helpful already in giving support to zac and I because of her
closeness to this area of work, and I will certainly keep her informed of my progress.
She seems to have a wealth of knowledge that could help me make the most out of this
opportunity.
Community Interview Toolkit Worksheet
Name: Evan Laffer
What problems/complications/complexities do you imagine your
population/interviewee might be facing? (IE: having to do with being an
immigrant, vet, homeless, etc.)
People with intellectual/physical disabilities face many complex difficulties. Beyond
physical challenges inherent to a person’s respective disability/disabilities, there are
social and political challenges: being viewed as incapable/childlike and other unfair
discrimination and lack of necessary utilities such as wheelchair accessible
bathrooms/stairs/and so on
What research do you need to undertake to be prepared in your dialogue? What
facts have you already learned through research? (Feel free to add in bullet
points, not full sentences.)
getting up to date on current and accepted terminology learning about various kinds of
disabilities and treatments paying attention to the current state of disability
treatment/care
What sensitive questions are you interested in asking your interviewee(s)? How
are you thinking about approaching these subjects?
asking about times a person felt discriminated against for their disability Could be
sensitive for obvious reasons. I don’t intend to push anyone to talk about anything they
aren’t ready to talk about with someone they’ve essentially just met (me) but if they are
willing to discuss it i’d like to because i think these kinds of conversations can be very
helpful to inform the general public about the effects of certain words and actions
What does your population NEED to survive, thrive and grow, even if you can’t provide
it? Visibility is probably the main thing. These people should have outlets for their voices
to be heard so they can address a public that is largely uneducated about disability-related issues. If I can provide a way to help do this, I will have been successful.
If you were to attempt to provide it, what steps would you take to ensure the
project was collaborative, steeped in reality and cocreated?
I’d make sure first of all that everyone involved approved of the project, trying to be as
honest and open to suggestions by the community as possible.
What does your population/interviewee need to know about you and your
motivations, interests and connections to the subject/project?
They need to know that I am interested in them and want to be of service. That this is
not about me.
SECTION 3: PROJECT PROPOSAL
Project Brainstorm Worksheet
My idea is basically to produce a short nonfiction audio piece about Outside Voices
using excerpts from the interviews and possibly audio from their performances. Id like to
give it to Outside Voices as a gift and hopefully gain permission to share it with the
public as a way to spread awareness of their work because I think what they are doing
is important.
Flushing Out Project Idea Worksheet
Name: Evan Laffer
What medium are you working in? Describe the project you hope to achieve.
sound/spoken word, radio production
i hope to make a small informative nonfiction piece about Outside Voices.
What is the centering theme you’re hoping to illustrate in your creative project?
What are the secondary themes/issues/conversations you’re highlighting?
The importance of respectful and dignified treatment of people with disabilities- making
clear that these individuals like everyone else are fully formed people with hopes
desires fears etc.
Who is the audience for your piece and what reaction are you hoping to provoke?
people who do not think much about the day to day treatment and experiences of
people with disabilities
What within yourself does this project connect to, what “selfish” motivation does
it serve?
I was one of those people who didn't consider the issues facing this community and I
think learning a bit more about it has opened my eyes to the value and importance of
this community.
What might an interactive component look like? Are audience members viewers
or participants?
I think listening is an interactive experience.
If the project feels way to big to take on in a month’s time, is there a way to do the
project in stages or steps? Is there a piece that IS doable in that timeframe, and
how can you envision it growing?
I think i can.
What supplies, tools or collaborators will you need to make this project come to
life? Are they attainable?
consent from the people Ive interviewed, permission to use audio of their performances,
my computer
Rough Draft Project Proposal: Outside Voices Audio Documentary
I. Abstract
I look to create a short, documentary audio feature about Outside Voices Theater
Group, a theater group in New York City for people with intellectual and physical
disabilities. Using interviews with the group’s director Cathy James and with actors in
the group, this feature will highlight the group’s work, its process, and its importance as
both a creative outlet for the actors and as a supportive community which promotes self
advocacy. I will compose original music to use in the piece and will edit it to be both
entertaining and informational. The key message I hope will be conveyed is that unlike
so many other disability care programs, Outside Voices is built upon the understanding
that disability should not define an individual in our society and that this community is
deserving of the same opportunities and respect expected by to those who do not suffer
from disabilities.
II. Introduction
I, Evan Laffer, am a musician and actor with experience in audio production. My band,
Dub Thompson, has toured nationally and is currently working in a followup to our first
album, released on the Independent record label Dead Oceans in 2014. Academically, I
am currently a Junior at The New School For Drama. I am amongst the first class of
students admitted into the school’s newlymade BFA program, and have played
significant roles in three of the school’s productions since enrolling for the 20132014
school year.
III. Statement of Need
When I first spoke to Cathy James, her insights about the treatment of people with
intellectual disabilities were very moving to me. She spoke of deep systemic flaws in the
disability care field details of which were very disturbing to me. But what was doubly
shocking was my realization of how little Information I knew about any of these issues. I
know that I’m certainly not alone and that the nationwide discussion of disability rights
and treatment holds nowhere near as prominent a place in society as it should be in
2016. I think that one of the best ways to promote a realistic and respectful
understanding of people and disability is through the promotion of projects like Outside
Voices.
IV. Project Description
A short audio documentary made using the audio from the interviews I conducted, and
original production values (accompaniment, editing, etc) It will be roughly 1015 minutes
in length and will be completed using software on my computerrequiring no additional
production fees.
V. Methods
As of March 22, 2016, I have completed all of my recorded interviews with the members
of Outside Voices. I will create an outline of the narrative with a rough edit of the audio
clips I would like to use, as well as develop a loose skeleton of the radio documentary’s
narrative by April 20, 2016. Once this is completed, I will begin recording my narration
track of the doc, as well as assembling my selected audio clips. I look to have the final
piece uploaded to an online file hosting site by May 3, 2016, when I will present the
project to the class.
VI. Evaluation
The best way I know to measure the effectiveness of the project will be to simply get
feedback from listeners. Using a questionnaire handed out after my presentation of the
piece, I can distribute a questionnaire about what individuals took away from the piece
to gauge whether my intentions behind the documentary were represented in an
effective way.
VII. Budget
In order to complete this project, I will need access to a computer capable of running
audio editing programs. A standard Macbook Pro has a processor capable of running
the programs, and can be purchased for $1,299. I will then need audio production
software to create and edit the piece. Adobe Audition is a suitable program, and can be
purchased for $160. This brings the total budget of the project to $1,459.
SECTION 5: URBAN BUSH WOMEN
Urban Bush Women Alternate Assignment Essay
“What If I Were Whole” by Outside Voices Theater Group presented the thoughts
aspirations and challenges of its diverse cast, all of whom are disabled. I found this
performance to be successful mainly because of its ability to simultaneously
communicate both the very personal and the shared experiences it’s cast of disabled
people. The play is made largely of spoken anecdotes about the struggles of daily life
with a disability, the rest being expressive representations of these experiences,
thoughts and feelings. The inclusion of several masked antagonistic characters who
repeatedly belittle and otherwise mistreat the cast members during these skit-like
diversions was quite effective, and gave to these stories and the frustration they
evoked, a sense of palpability and more importantly, relatability.
In Dorothy Atkinson’s text “Narratives and people with learning disabilities,” the
professor brings to light the importance of one’s personal narrative being represented in
a true, unedited form, including— especially—marginalized individuals such as those
with intellectual disabilities. “Where their own histories remain untold, people may be
objectified, seen as members of a homogeneous group, and have identities imposed by
others (Sutcliffe and Simons 1993; Gillman et al. 1997) The play contained many
instances of this type of storytelling, but one sequence in particular struck me as the
most poignant. A woman onstage recounts an experience she had of trying out to be a
cheerleader in high school. The other girls laughed and made fun of her. a masked
character onstage bellows in a mocking tone “disabled people can’t be cheerleaders!”.
Then, the entire cast walks onstage, and the woman on stage begins a classic
cheerleader call and response chant: “give me an F!” Give me a U!” “Give Me a C!” and
so on. The entire cast shouts a spirited “Fuck you!”. This deeply honest and relatable
moment brought the characters into a more relatable space by introducing the audience
to their own senses of wit and humor. Similar to comedian Stella Young’s TEDTalk “I'm
not your inspiration, thank you very much,” the biting wit of the scene took away the
normal emotion-baiting tactics portrayals of disabled individuals are often subjected to
under the hands of those that do not directly identify with their personal narratives. The
power of humor helps to show that these are fully rounded and complete human beings
who demand and deserve respect like anyone else.
SECTION 6: ACTUAL PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Final Project Proposal: Outside Voices Audio Documentary
I. Abstract
I look to create a short, documentary audio feature about Outside Voices Theater
Group, a theater group in New York City for people with intellectual and physical
disabilities. Using interviews with the group’s director Cathy James and with actors in
the group, this feature will highlight the group’s work, its process, and its importance as
both a creative outlet for the actors and as a supportive community which promotes self
advocacy. I will compose original music to use in the piece and will edit it to be both
entertaining and informational. The key message I hope will be conveyed is that unlike
so many other disability care programs, Outside Voices is built upon the understanding
that disability should not define an individual in our society and that this community is
deserving of the same opportunities and respect expected by to those who do not suffer
from disabilities.
II. Introduction
I, Evan Laffer, am a musician and actor with experience in audio production. My band,
Dub Thompson, has toured nationally and is currently working in a followup to our first
album, released on the Independent record label Dead Oceans in 2014. Academically, I
am currently a Junior at The New School For Drama. I am amongst the first class of
students admitted into the school’s newly-made BFA program, and have played
significant roles in three of the school’s productions since enrolling for the 20132014
school year.
III. Statement of Need
When I first spoke to Cathy James, her insights about the treatment of people with
intellectual disabilities were very moving to me. She spoke of deep systemic flaws in the
disability care field details of which were very disturbing to me. But what was doubly
shocking was my realization of how little Information I knew about any of these issues. I
know that I’m certainly not alone and that the nationwide discussion of disability rights
and treatment holds nowhere near as prominent a place in society as it should be in
2016. I think that one of the best ways to promote a realistic and respectful
understanding of people and disability is through the promotion of projects like Outside
Voices.
IV. Project Description
A short audio documentary made using the audio from the interviews I conducted, and
original production values (accompaniment, editing, etc) It will be roughly 1015 minutes
in length and will be completed using software on my computer, requiring no additional
production fees
V. Methods
As of March 22, 2016, I have completed all of my recorded interviews with the members
of Outside Voices. I will create an outline of the narrative with a rough edit of the audio
clips I would like to use, as well as develop a loose skeleton of the radio documentary’s
narrative by April 20, 2016. Once this is completed, I will begin recording my narration
track of the doc, as well as assembling my selected audio clips. I look to have the final
piece uploaded to an online file hosting site by May 3, 2016, when I will present the
project to the class.
VI. Evaluation
The best way I know to measure the effectiveness of the project will be to simply get
feedback from listeners. Using a questionnaire handed out after my presentation of the
piece, I can distribute a questionnaire about what individuals took away from the piece
to gauge whether my intentions behind the documentary were represented in an
effective way.
VII. Budget
In order to complete this project, I will need access to a computer capable of running
audio editing programs. A standard Macbook Pro has a processor capable of running
the programs, and can be purchased for $1,299. I will then need audio production
software to create and edit the piece. Adobe Audition is a suitable program, and can be
purchased for $160. This brings the total budget of the project to $1,459.
Project Timeline
As for the work timeline for my project; seeing as my ideal project length is roughly 1015 minutes I expect to be able to get about 5 minutes of that runtime completed by the
close of next week and the remaining portions by the end of the following week. It has
occurred to me that perhaps an episodic approach could be taken if I have enough
material to work with- maybe 2 or three 5 minute "parts" to the project. Just a thought. In
any case I plan to get a rough version of the first portion completed this coming week
which i will send to you for feedback. I have not yet contacted my site because frankly
I'd rather show you a sample of my project and get your feedback before formally
approaching Cathy and the Outside Voices company with my concept. I hope that is
okay with you.
Project Rubric — THE ONE YOU GRADE YOURSELF ON
INSERT HERE
APPENDIX
CRS Projects: Oral History
5/3/16
CRS PROJECTS: ORAL HISTORY
PROJECT PORTFOLIO
Cover Letter
During my time in CRS Projects: Oral History, I set out to interview members of the
Outside Voices Theater Company, a theater collective for intellectually disabled
individuals. My time working on this project has taught me a lot about the roles of
intellectually disabled people in crafting their own narratives, as well as my own abilities
as a purveyor of oral history.
Going into the project, I was not really sure what to expect of Outside Voices and its
members, having never been exposed to any sort of program like this. This kept my
initial ideation of what the finished project would be loose, and I relied on the interviews
I conducted with the members of Outside Voices, as well as its founder Cathy James, to
guide my project in the appropriate artistic direction.
In the end, I decided to create a podcast-like audio piece that presented the knowledge
I gained from my subjects in a clear, educational way. I learned that Outside Voices is a
very unique, revolutionary theater program, and felt that the best way to highlight that
was to present the narratives of my subjects in an untainted, straightforward way.
I feel that this project will positively shape my feelings about oral history in the future, as
it taught me a lot about the importance of giving all individuals a platform to share their
narratives in the way they feel is correct.
SECTION 1: METHODS
Class Reading 1: “Gripes about Humans of New York”
The problem I see with Humans of New York has to do with the inherent limitations of its
form. The experience of scrolling through the photos and reading their attached
captions feels not unlike reading the lyrics to songs i’ve never heard. It’s like peoplewatching minus the modest thrill of true randomness and mystery, plus a false sense of
finality. The captions tell stories, fragments of stories or musings but never enough to
really communicate the specificity of the individual. And of course the photos can’t do
this either. If a picture is worth a thousand words, it feels weird to be looking at a picture
paired with about a hundred. This way, the picture is cheapened, and the words are
never enough to express three dimensionality of character. This brings me to the name
chosen by creator Brandon Stanton. Humans of New York. Why not People of New
York? It is unfortunately, and yet aptly named. It’s hard to put a finger on the
disconcerting use of the word “Humans” here. It’s off putting much in the same way as
when someone insists on referring to women as “females”. It feels impersonal, robotic,
and ironically, not very human.
Class Reading 2: Social Practice
Social practice in its many forms seem to be an increasingly relevant presence in the
world. Particularly social practice projects which utilize the internet as a primary platform
for organization and proliferation. Black Lives Matter is a prime example of such a thing.
The first time I and many others heard about Black Lives Matter was on twitter in the
form of a hashtag, and one need only spend a few minutes researching online to
discover the countless manifestations of the movement and its impact on culture and
the social/political climate. The impact of this movement on national (and international)
conversations of racial justice is immense and ever-changing. I think it’s fair to say that
this particular phenomena is something of a turning point for social practice as we
understand it- the internet is a tremendous boon to the visibility of social practice. Black
Lives Matter is of course only one of many movements attempting to address society’s
ills. It’s not as if movements like this have not happened in the past, issues of Child
Labor, Women’s Suffrage, Civil Rights all happened without the aid of our modern
technology, but what i find most interesting about what’s going on now is the potential
for movements to spring so spontaneously into existence, the power wielded by people
to launch a message into national and global awareness in ways more difficult to ignore
than ever before. It’s a very exciting time and I’m hopeful for the positive changes that
will continue to be brought about.
Written Piece: Define Oral History
As an artist there is much to be learned from the practice of oral history. By listening to
the stories of individuals from all walks of life one becomes privy to modes of
experience which otherwise might be wholly inaccessible. As an actor of course this can
be highly valuable as our stock in trade is the lives of others in all their depth and
specificity. I think that the aspect of oral history which strikes me personally as the most
is that embedded in the experiences of individuals as shared in their own words, there
are clues and information about the state of our culture, politics, and the world at large.
The formality of oral history interests me as well because it is unique among interview
forms both conventional and unconventional. It seems to demand a certain heightened
awareness of the interviewee; a carefulness meant to extract the purest stuff possible
from the subject, rather than to entertain a television, radio or internet audience. That’s
not to say that it is intentionally boring, far from it. My goal is to hone my skills as an
interviewer to avoid being boring while simultaneously sharpening my awareness of
when might be appropriate to probe a topic further, and when to back away. I do not
think the oral historian should appear as an interesting character in the oral history.
Perhaps the voice of the interviewer could be removed completely. I’d like to experiment
with this idea. My first peer interview went relatively well although there was some
unfortunate background noise. I think I may have played it a little safe with the
questions, that is to say the interview may have blossomed a bit more had I asked some
slightly more open ended questions dealing with emotional and sensory aspects of the
subject’s childhood. Basically, I could have been more specific. And I could always
stand to be more present. Those two generally tend go hand in hand I’ve found.
Written Piece: Planning for full length interview subject, date, and themes
Who will you interview and why?
I will be interview Cathy James from Outside Voices Theater Company.
Why are you doing this project/ interested in this organization and population?
(Other than that it is a class assignment!)
This opportunity is not only an opportunity to learn more about the role of intellectually
disabled individuals’ relationship with theater, but also the process behind empowering
disabled individuals in a narrative sense. On a personal level, by experience of
performing for intellectually disabled individuals through my high school’s theater
program also drew me to this assignment, as I would like to learn more about how to
engage with and support the company’s initiatives as a member of the public.
When will you interview them? (You must have a date and time planned)
I will be interviewing Cathy on Thursday, February 18 th ar 10:15 AM.
Where will you interview them? (Remember you need a quiet, private environment
for this first interview)
We will be meeting in The New School’s Johnson Kaplan building
Describe some background research you have conducted to prepare for the
interview:
I have viewed the video of one of Outside Voices’ performances as shared by Cathy. I
have also read the articles about the roles of individuals with learning disabilities in a
narrative context by Nicki Pombier Berger. Beyond the information that was provided to
me in class, I have looked through information about the company online, including their
social media profiles and relevant news articles about their recent performances.
What will you ask in the interview?
What inspired the founding of the company?
What makes the goals of this company important to you?
What are some things that you have accomplished from this work?
How do you feel about the current treatment of disabled individuals in the arts?
What is the relationship of the company like with the community?
How does this company wish to expand and grow in the future?
Transcriptions: 10 minutes of transcript of oral history interviews (1/3)
[SOUND FILE LafferJamesCRSOH2-18-16.mp3 00:00:09]
EVAN LAFFER: I’m Evan Laffer and I am interviewing Cathy James at 10:25 AM,
February 18, 2016, at The New School in New York City.
CATHY JAMES: Hi, my name is Cathy, um, I’m 46, I was born in England, and, um, I
have spent about half my life in the United States, not that you would know it by my
accent. Um, currently I am an arts facilitator for adults with developmental disabilities.
Um, and I love what I do.
EL: Uh, can you tell me a little bit about how that came about or how you got involved in
that work?
CJ: Um, it’s a winding journey. I—okay—so, I studied theater in college, at university in
England, and I thought I wanted to be an actor, but as soon as I got involved in that in
college I realized I kinda—there was a lot about it I didn’t like, and then I began to get
involved in theater outside the mainstream, so I did a long term project in the prison
system in England, and that was where my life kind of changed and I began to see art
as a kind of means for exploring new stories. Um, so—this was before the internet—and
I studied prison theater, and I felt like that was just this experience where I had found
what I wanted to do with my life, and um—so there was this just in New Hampshire
called John Bergman who was running this project—this was in about, I guess ’92—and
wan running this project called The Geese Theatre project, which was one of the first
prison theater projects in the world, and I wrote him a letter like, “I would like to come
stay with you” and, um, he wrote back and said, “okay.” [laughs]
EL: How did you hear about him?
CJ: When I studied, he was one of the people we kind of looked at in the university
course, and again this was before the internet, so I was just like, “Great, I’m gonna”—I
found his address, I don’t know how, wrote him a letter and just said, “You don’t know
me, but I’m really interested in your work.” And he was immensely generous and just
kind of opened his house and let me trail around after him for a couple of months. So I
worked in a really interesting jail in San Francisco, and then came back to New
Hampshire and worked a lot in these programs that were these really interest 24 hour
wrap around prison services for people with--long term violent offenders and long term
violent sex offenders. Um, and so I worked with him on those projects for a while, then
came to New York and just sort of fell in love with New York. Fell in love with a boy. Uh,
went back to England when my visa ran out, and just sort of applied for every job in
New York, and then I ended up getting one in a group home supporting adults with
developmental disabilities, and so I came over. So that sort of supplied with the visa that
I wanted to come back to New York. I wasn’t really connected to the work at all, but I
became connected to the work.
EL: What work was that?
CJ: So this was a 15-bed group home for adults with developmental disabilities, and
they were actually all dual-diagnosed, which means they were diagnosed with a
developmental disability and a mental health concern. Um, and it was a hideous place,
it was 15 beds, everyone was squashed together on the 15th floor. I look back on that
work with… horror, and a need to atone. Like I look back on that and I just… god.
EL: A need to atone?
CJ: Yeah, it was a horrible place that just treated people—it was a punishing place. It
kind of punished people for things that were so outside of their control. Um, I learned a
lot, I… I just look back at that time and I feel really complicit in horrible things. Um, and it
kind of—it contributed to me having a bit of a breakdown in a way, feeling just like
everything in my life was really out of whack, like my relationships, my work. I just
ended up really depressed and, um, so I ended up just suddenly deciding, “Okay, I’m
going to go back to England.” My dad was ill, so I ended up going back to England for 6
months. But in the meantime I did this housesitting thing in New Mexico, and fell in love
with Albuquerque.
EL: You got a good look at the United States over—how many years was this over that
you just traveled?
CJ: So, I did 6 years in New York, about 5, 6 years in New York and loved it. Then a
month in New Mexico, and just found the change of pace really beautiful. I loved it,
again I just felt like in that moment in my life I wanted to be there, and again met a boy
—ended up getting married, went back to England, decided to get married, moved back
to Albuquerque, New Mexico for about 5 years, and it was there that I really began to
find a way to connect the arts with people with developmental disabilities. So, uh, my
marriage didn’t work out, but what I learned there was really life changing. So when I go
to New Mexico, I had to get a work permit and that took a while, so I was just kind of
looking and applying to different places, looking for work, and I was in a thrift store
looking at a wooden frame, and in that wooden frame was a newspaper article for this
arts center for people with disabilities, and I was like “Ah, I wonder if that still exists? I’ll
write them a letter.” Again, pre-Internet. So I wrote them a letter and just said, you know,
“My background is theater, I’ve worked with people with disabilities, uh, do you have a
job for me?” And at the time, they were just a visual arts center, and they were funded
through this national organization called—at the time it was called—Very Special Arts.
Gag, gag. [laughs]
EL: That’s not really something people say in 2016, do they?
CJ: They do, they do, but it’s heinous. I used to ban the work “special” from my classes.
Um, so I interviewed there and they gave me a 1-day-a-week job, but I remember in the
interview, they said, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” and I said “In five years
time, I’ll give you a theater company, and I think you could have a performing arts center
here that is of equal merit to the visual arts,” which was really, really strong. They had
amazing teachers, they had a gallery, I mean it was really an amazing place. So I ended
up getting more and more work there, and low and behold, three years later we had a
theater company there of actors with developmental disabilities called Equilibrium
Theater Company, um, and then there was a dance company that had already been
established before I got there, and we developed a performing arts center there and I
became the performing arts center director, and sort of oversaw the creation and
development of this performing arts center for people developmental disabilities. Um,
and it’s still running, we had video classes, poetry classes, Shakespeare classes. We
had a dance company, theater company. We had performing poetry groups. So by the
time we had left it had grown from this tiny niche thing to this fully-fledged, um, thriving
arts center. Again, I love what I was doing, I look back on that and it was just a place of
great growth for me, but it was still very segregated.
Transcriptions: 10 minutes of transcript of oral history interviews (2/3)
[00:00:00]
EVAN LAFFER: Well, let’s just start with giving your name.
CATHERINE MCKEEN: Hello, my name is Catherine Mckeen. I am—I go to the theater
group, and I have been coming for now, about 5—5 years.
EL: Where are you from?
CM: New York City
EL: Born and raised, New York City?
CM: Yes, I was born in babies hospital New York City, my family is from Ireland.
EL: Where is that?
CM: Ireland is—
EL: —Oh, Ireland! I misheard you.
CM: Ireland, Ireland.
EL: Are they—are you fullblooded Irish?
CM: Some of my family is from Scotland.
EL: Scotland? Oh, okay. Um, so do you want to tell me a bit about yourself and what
you like to do?
CM: I like to do water aerobics, I like to dance, I like to exercise, and I like dogs.
EL: Do you have a dog?
CM: No, I want to get one so bad.
EL: You’ve never had a dog?
CM: No EL: So it must be tough to—
CM: But I work with dogs, I have a job with dogs.
EL: Oh, where do you work? CM: Spot Canine Club on 620 West 42 Street and 12th
Avenue.
EL: What do you do there?
CM: I socialize with the dogs, feed them, clean up after them, and play with them, and I
pet them and brush them.
EL: Petting dogs sounds like a good job.
CM: It is.
EL: Part of it is, anyway. The cleaning up doesn’t sound so fun.
CM: No, especially when they vomit, ew.
EL: Yeah, gross. Do you want to tell me a little bit about where you grew up?
CM: I grew up in New York City in Inwood.
EL: Inwood? CM: Inwood, that’s where my apartment was, where I grew up.
EL: Can you tell me a little bit about Inwood?
CM: Inwood is a beautiful place. It’s a park, it’s near Fort Tryon park. I lived at 218
Street at Inwood Park, that’s 600 West 218 Street.
EL: Who did you live with?
CM: My mom and my dad.
EL: And, uh, can you tell me a bit about your mom and dad?
CM: My mom, my mom’s a therapist and my father is a lawyer. I don’t know what else to
say, they’re just very busy people, and hard workers.
EL: Where did you go to school?
CM: I went to a special ed school, The Summit School.
EL: What did you think of it?
CM: Eh, it was pretty boring.
EL: Yeah. Why?
CM: Because I couldn’t learn much. [02:56:00]
CM: At the school it was hard keeping up with the classes.
EL: What was hard about it?
CM: Multiplication was hard, and I was in special ed because I had disability, a learning
disability.
EL: Which one? What disability?
CM: A learning disability
EL: A learning kind
CM: Yeah, a learning kind, having trouble reading too, books. A certain kind.
EL: Did you get diagnosed with it?
CM: When I was a baby.
EL: When you were a baby.
CM: They told me I was ‘MR,’ mentally retarded, they called me as a baby because I
didn’t get enough oxygen and I had seizures.
EL: They don’t use that term anymore, I don’t think.
CM: No, but I was born with seizures as a baby.
EL: Do you—I don’t suppose you remember that because you were a baby.
CM: No
EL: But you didn’t have them when you were older?
CM: I haven’t had one in a long time.
EL: Good, that seems—
CM: Because i’m on medication for it, it’s helping.
EL: Good
CM: What else do you want me to say? [laughs]
EL: I guess we could talk a little bit about the play and about being here at Outside
Voices.
CM: Sure, sure. I love the play because of Cathy James, if it wasn’t for Cathy James the
play wouldn’t be going on.
EL: What do you mean?
CM: This play would not be going on without her, because she’s the one who helped get
me involved with the play and acting.
EL: Do you remember when you first met Cathy?
CM: Yes, through JobPath.
EL: What’s that? Oh, JobPath?
CM: Yes, that’s the name of the company i’m a part of.
EL: Oh, okay
CM: Yeah
EL: What was it like when you met Cathy?
CM: The first time I met Cathy she was very lovely and sweet. I met her in a poetry
group, that was the first time before I came to theater group.
EL: Had you done anything like that before? The poetry? Or was that one of the first—
CM: That was the first time I did it. [05:00:00]
Transcriptions: 10 minutes of transcript of oral history interviews (3/3)
[00:00:00]
EVAN LAFFER: Alright, could you please introduce yourself?
HARVEY PACT: My name is Mr. Harvey Pact.
EL: And Harvey, how long have you been involved with Outside voices?
HP: Ever since they got started back in 2011.
EL: Um, can you tell me a little bit about your experience here?
HP: Well, we are a very interesting theater company. You know, we gave a couple of
performances just four years ago, we gave a performance called You Got The Part. And
then more recently, some time last year, we gave another performance. Let me think,
what’s the name of it? It’s like, If I Were Whole. Now we are rehearsing to put on that
performance again, but we added a sexuality scene to it, so um, we’re still in the
process of rehearsing. Hopefully, we will be able to put on a performance in a couple or
perhaps a few months from now, down the road.
EL: What’s the play about?
HP: What, If I Were Whole? We try to educate society about disability issues. We want
them to learn that people with disabilities are human—are just as human, like everybody
else is. That we should not be treated as special or different.
EL: Uh, and you all wrote the piece? Or you all worked together to make it, right?
HP: Well we did work together, because the person that runs the theater company, she
writes the scripts.
EL: Cathy
HP: Yes, Mrs. Cathy James
EL: Can you tell me a little bit about Cathy?
HP: Oh yeah, she’s very much into theater. You know, she really likes to do this kind of
work. She also conducts a writing group every week. These are certain things that she
really likes to do, and I am also a part of that. There is also a poetry group, we write
different stories, we make up some stories.
[03:17:00]
EL: Cathy mentioned that—if you could talk about Sam.
HP: Yes. Her name is Samantha, she’s my adopted daughter. You see, I along with my
late wife, were pursuing adoption. And of course we had overcome a lot of hurdles,
there was a lot of opposition against it. It took a lot of effort, you know, it was a very long
process to follow. Until one day a baby girl with down syndrome got placed into our
home, and two years later her adoption was finalized. We named her—when she got
placed into our home, we decided to name her Samantha Jean Pact. Now, both my late
wife and myself, we have both had a disability, you know, so that was a very big thing,
people with disabilities being able to raise a child.
EL: Being able to adopt.
HP: Yes, being able to adopt.
EL: Had that happened before?
HP: Not that i’m aware of. Look, the world is a big place and I can only be in one place
at a time, because I don’t know, some people with disabilities might have adopted a
child before we did, and I can imagine that many people with disabilities have adopted a
child afterwards as well, and also during the same time like we did.
Release forms signed by interviewees
INSERT HERE
SECTION 2: WHO IS THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED? PROJECT
PARTNER INFORMATION
Email to Caits/Liza “Looking Ahead”
What information have you learned about your site that will help you enter the
community with sensitivity and ethics? Recap and synthesize in your own words.
From my interview with Cathy I learned much about her fierce commitment to helping
promote the self advocacy and personal empowerment of people with intellectual
disabilities. I think that the openness with which Cathy approaches the creative process
with the actors involved has informed my expectations for how I can be useful in this
community and what kind of attitude i should have. The way Cathy runs the rehearsal
process It is very gentle, she allows for individuals to do whatever they need to do in
order to feel comfortable during the length of the rehearsals which can go for several
hours. For example, one man plays video game while listening because it helps him to
absorb information, another has to step outside every several minutes. I intend to
similarly accommodating to the actors when interviewing and engaging them so that I
can blend as seamlessly as possible with the theater group’s usual way of operating.
You are responsible for visiting your site at least once to connect with community
(no interview during visit, and your site visit/first interview with the staff member
does not count) and twice to capture two interviews. Have you scheduled a
consistent day to visit your site? If so, which days? If not, please offer the
options you do have below, and then reach out to your site contact.
I am working right now to coordinate my schedule with Cathy to plan my first visit to the
theater and will keep you updated on which date(s) are decided upon.
What are you looking for in a narrator? How are you planning to approach
potential narrators? What will be your overarching framework for the dialogue
you wish to engage?
I am looking for narrators who are willing to speak candidly about themselves, their
personal likes and dislikes, goals, concerns etc. as well as their experiences with
disability with a focus on the influence of Outside Voices on their emotional and social
life.
Tell us about your experience in Methods what excited you? What overwhelmed
you? What are you ready for? What are you feeling unclear about?
What excited me was learning about Cathy’s work. Interviewing her sparked my interest
very much. I was overwhelmed somewhat by juggling so many assignments within a
relatively small span of time. I’m ready to find out more about the individuals who make
up Outside Voices. I’m not totally clear about what Cathy’s expectations are of me at the
moment.
Is there anything Caits should know about you that will help me support you in
this process?
Caits has been very helpful already in giving support to zac and I because of her
closeness to this area of work, and I will certainly keep her informed of my progress.
She seems to have a wealth of knowledge that could help me make the most out of this
opportunity.
Community Interview Toolkit Worksheet
Name: Evan Laffer
What problems/complications/complexities do you imagine your
population/interviewee might be facing? (IE: having to do with being an
immigrant, vet, homeless, etc.)
People with intellectual/physical disabilities face many complex difficulties. Beyond
physical challenges inherent to a person’s respective disability/disabilities, there are
social and political challenges: being viewed as incapable/childlike and other unfair
discrimination and lack of necessary utilities such as wheelchair accessible
bathrooms/stairs/and so on
What research do you need to undertake to be prepared in your dialogue? What
facts have you already learned through research? (Feel free to add in bullet
points, not full sentences.)
getting up to date on current and accepted terminology learning about various kinds of
disabilities and treatments paying attention to the current state of disability
treatment/care
What sensitive questions are you interested in asking your interviewee(s)? How
are you thinking about approaching these subjects?
asking about times a person felt discriminated against for their disability Could be
sensitive for obvious reasons. I don’t intend to push anyone to talk about anything they
aren’t ready to talk about with someone they’ve essentially just met (me) but if they are
willing to discuss it i’d like to because i think these kinds of conversations can be very
helpful to inform the general public about the effects of certain words and actions
What does your population NEED to survive, thrive and grow, even if you can’t provide
it? Visibility is probably the main thing. These people should have outlets for their voices
to be heard so they can address a public that is largely uneducated about disability-related issues. If I can provide a way to help do this, I will have been successful.
If you were to attempt to provide it, what steps would you take to ensure the
project was collaborative, steeped in reality and cocreated?
I’d make sure first of all that everyone involved approved of the project, trying to be as
honest and open to suggestions by the community as possible.
What does your population/interviewee need to know about you and your
motivations, interests and connections to the subject/project?
They need to know that I am interested in them and want to be of service. That this is
not about me.
SECTION 3: PROJECT PROPOSAL
Project Brainstorm Worksheet
My idea is basically to produce a short nonfiction audio piece about Outside Voices
using excerpts from the interviews and possibly audio from their performances. Id like to
give it to Outside Voices as a gift and hopefully gain permission to share it with the
public as a way to spread awareness of their work because I think what they are doing
is important.
Flushing Out Project Idea Worksheet
Name: Evan Laffer
What medium are you working in? Describe the project you hope to achieve.
sound/spoken word, radio production
i hope to make a small informative nonfiction piece about Outside Voices.
What is the centering theme you’re hoping to illustrate in your creative project?
What are the secondary themes/issues/conversations you’re highlighting?
The importance of respectful and dignified treatment of people with disabilities- making
clear that these individuals like everyone else are fully formed people with hopes
desires fears etc.
Who is the audience for your piece and what reaction are you hoping to provoke?
people who do not think much about the day to day treatment and experiences of
people with disabilities
What within yourself does this project connect to, what “selfish” motivation does
it serve?
I was one of those people who didn't consider the issues facing this community and I
think learning a bit more about it has opened my eyes to the value and importance of
this community.
What might an interactive component look like? Are audience members viewers
or participants?
I think listening is an interactive experience.
If the project feels way to big to take on in a month’s time, is there a way to do the
project in stages or steps? Is there a piece that IS doable in that timeframe, and
how can you envision it growing?
I think i can.
What supplies, tools or collaborators will you need to make this project come to
life? Are they attainable?
consent from the people Ive interviewed, permission to use audio of their performances,
my computer
Rough Draft Project Proposal: Outside Voices Audio Documentary
I. Abstract
I look to create a short, documentary audio feature about Outside Voices Theater
Group, a theater group in New York City for people with intellectual and physical
disabilities. Using interviews with the group’s director Cathy James and with actors in
the group, this feature will highlight the group’s work, its process, and its importance as
both a creative outlet for the actors and as a supportive community which promotes self
advocacy. I will compose original music to use in the piece and will edit it to be both
entertaining and informational. The key message I hope will be conveyed is that unlike
so many other disability care programs, Outside Voices is built upon the understanding
that disability should not define an individual in our society and that this community is
deserving of the same opportunities and respect expected by to those who do not suffer
from disabilities.
II. Introduction
I, Evan Laffer, am a musician and actor with experience in audio production. My band,
Dub Thompson, has toured nationally and is currently working in a followup to our first
album, released on the Independent record label Dead Oceans in 2014. Academically, I
am currently a Junior at The New School For Drama. I am amongst the first class of
students admitted into the school’s newlymade BFA program, and have played
significant roles in three of the school’s productions since enrolling for the 20132014
school year.
III. Statement of Need
When I first spoke to Cathy James, her insights about the treatment of people with
intellectual disabilities were very moving to me. She spoke of deep systemic flaws in the
disability care field details of which were very disturbing to me. But what was doubly
shocking was my realization of how little Information I knew about any of these issues. I
know that I’m certainly not alone and that the nationwide discussion of disability rights
and treatment holds nowhere near as prominent a place in society as it should be in
2016. I think that one of the best ways to promote a realistic and respectful
understanding of people and disability is through the promotion of projects like Outside
Voices.
IV. Project Description
A short audio documentary made using the audio from the interviews I conducted, and
original production values (accompaniment, editing, etc) It will be roughly 1015 minutes
in length and will be completed using software on my computerrequiring no additional
production fees.
V. Methods
As of March 22, 2016, I have completed all of my recorded interviews with the members
of Outside Voices. I will create an outline of the narrative with a rough edit of the audio
clips I would like to use, as well as develop a loose skeleton of the radio documentary’s
narrative by April 20, 2016. Once this is completed, I will begin recording my narration
track of the doc, as well as assembling my selected audio clips. I look to have the final
piece uploaded to an online file hosting site by May 3, 2016, when I will present the
project to the class.
VI. Evaluation
The best way I know to measure the effectiveness of the project will be to simply get
feedback from listeners. Using a questionnaire handed out after my presentation of the
piece, I can distribute a questionnaire about what individuals took away from the piece
to gauge whether my intentions behind the documentary were represented in an
effective way.
VII. Budget
In order to complete this project, I will need access to a computer capable of running
audio editing programs. A standard Macbook Pro has a processor capable of running
the programs, and can be purchased for $1,299. I will then need audio production
software to create and edit the piece. Adobe Audition is a suitable program, and can be
purchased for $160. This brings the total budget of the project to $1,459.
SECTION 5: URBAN BUSH WOMEN
Urban Bush Women Alternate Assignment Essay
“What If I Were Whole” by Outside Voices Theater Group presented the thoughts
aspirations and challenges of its diverse cast, all of whom are disabled. I found this
performance to be successful mainly because of its ability to simultaneously
communicate both the very personal and the shared experiences it’s cast of disabled
people. The play is made largely of spoken anecdotes about the struggles of daily life
with a disability, the rest being expressive representations of these experiences,
thoughts and feelings. The inclusion of several masked antagonistic characters who
repeatedly belittle and otherwise mistreat the cast members during these skit-like
diversions was quite effective, and gave to these stories and the frustration they
evoked, a sense of palpability and more importantly, relatability.
In Dorothy Atkinson’s text “Narratives and people with learning disabilities,” the
professor brings to light the importance of one’s personal narrative being represented in
a true, unedited form, including— especially—marginalized individuals such as those
with intellectual disabilities. “Where their own histories remain untold, people may be
objectified, seen as members of a homogeneous group, and have identities imposed by
others (Sutcliffe and Simons 1993; Gillman et al. 1997) The play contained many
instances of this type of storytelling, but one sequence in particular struck me as the
most poignant. A woman onstage recounts an experience she had of trying out to be a
cheerleader in high school. The other girls laughed and made fun of her. a masked
character onstage bellows in a mocking tone “disabled people can’t be cheerleaders!”.
Then, the entire cast walks onstage, and the woman on stage begins a classic
cheerleader call and response chant: “give me an F!” Give me a U!” “Give Me a C!” and
so on. The entire cast shouts a spirited “Fuck you!”. This deeply honest and relatable
moment brought the characters into a more relatable space by introducing the audience
to their own senses of wit and humor. Similar to comedian Stella Young’s TEDTalk “I'm
not your inspiration, thank you very much,” the biting wit of the scene took away the
normal emotion-baiting tactics portrayals of disabled individuals are often subjected to
under the hands of those that do not directly identify with their personal narratives. The
power of humor helps to show that these are fully rounded and complete human beings
who demand and deserve respect like anyone else.
SECTION 6: ACTUAL PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Final Project Proposal: Outside Voices Audio Documentary
I. Abstract
I look to create a short, documentary audio feature about Outside Voices Theater
Group, a theater group in New York City for people with intellectual and physical
disabilities. Using interviews with the group’s director Cathy James and with actors in
the group, this feature will highlight the group’s work, its process, and its importance as
both a creative outlet for the actors and as a supportive community which promotes self
advocacy. I will compose original music to use in the piece and will edit it to be both
entertaining and informational. The key message I hope will be conveyed is that unlike
so many other disability care programs, Outside Voices is built upon the understanding
that disability should not define an individual in our society and that this community is
deserving of the same opportunities and respect expected by to those who do not suffer
from disabilities.
II. Introduction
I, Evan Laffer, am a musician and actor with experience in audio production. My band,
Dub Thompson, has toured nationally and is currently working in a followup to our first
album, released on the Independent record label Dead Oceans in 2014. Academically, I
am currently a Junior at The New School For Drama. I am amongst the first class of
students admitted into the school’s newly-made BFA program, and have played
significant roles in three of the school’s productions since enrolling for the 20132014
school year.
III. Statement of Need
When I first spoke to Cathy James, her insights about the treatment of people with
intellectual disabilities were very moving to me. She spoke of deep systemic flaws in the
disability care field details of which were very disturbing to me. But what was doubly
shocking was my realization of how little Information I knew about any of these issues. I
know that I’m certainly not alone and that the nationwide discussion of disability rights
and treatment holds nowhere near as prominent a place in society as it should be in
2016. I think that one of the best ways to promote a realistic and respectful
understanding of people and disability is through the promotion of projects like Outside
Voices.
IV. Project Description
A short audio documentary made using the audio from the interviews I conducted, and
original production values (accompaniment, editing, etc) It will be roughly 1015 minutes
in length and will be completed using software on my computer, requiring no additional
production fees
V. Methods
As of March 22, 2016, I have completed all of my recorded interviews with the members
of Outside Voices. I will create an outline of the narrative with a rough edit of the audio
clips I would like to use, as well as develop a loose skeleton of the radio documentary’s
narrative by April 20, 2016. Once this is completed, I will begin recording my narration
track of the doc, as well as assembling my selected audio clips. I look to have the final
piece uploaded to an online file hosting site by May 3, 2016, when I will present the
project to the class.
VI. Evaluation
The best way I know to measure the effectiveness of the project will be to simply get
feedback from listeners. Using a questionnaire handed out after my presentation of the
piece, I can distribute a questionnaire about what individuals took away from the piece
to gauge whether my intentions behind the documentary were represented in an
effective way.
VII. Budget
In order to complete this project, I will need access to a computer capable of running
audio editing programs. A standard Macbook Pro has a processor capable of running
the programs, and can be purchased for $1,299. I will then need audio production
software to create and edit the piece. Adobe Audition is a suitable program, and can be
purchased for $160. This brings the total budget of the project to $1,459.
Project Timeline
As for the work timeline for my project; seeing as my ideal project length is roughly 1015 minutes I expect to be able to get about 5 minutes of that runtime completed by the
close of next week and the remaining portions by the end of the following week. It has
occurred to me that perhaps an episodic approach could be taken if I have enough
material to work with- maybe 2 or three 5 minute "parts" to the project. Just a thought. In
any case I plan to get a rough version of the first portion completed this coming week
which i will send to you for feedback. I have not yet contacted my site because frankly
I'd rather show you a sample of my project and get your feedback before formally
approaching Cathy and the Outside Voices company with my concept. I hope that is
okay with you.
Project Rubric — THE ONE YOU GRADE YOURSELF ON
INSERT HERE
APPENDIX
