Acclaimed Theater Director Ping Chong seeks participants from the
disability community to share their stories in interview-based theater
production

New work commissioned by VSA arts to be developed in NYC and premiered at
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in June 2008

Ping Chong & Company, in collaboration with VSA arts, is seeking
participants of all ages and
backgrounds from the disability community, or connected to the
disability community, for an interviewbased
theatrical production exploring first-hand experiences of the disability
community. We are seeking 5
people based in the New York City area willing to share their personal
stories on stage in a public setting.
Potential candidates will be selected through an interview process.
Selected participants will perform from
a script based on their interviews. All performers will be telling their
own stories and participating in the
stories of other participants. No previous on-stage experience is
required, but comfort with speaking
publicly is necessary. No memorization required. Candidates with a
background in the creative arts
(visual, literary, musical, multi-media, performing arts, etc.) are
especially encouraged to apply.
The interview, rehearsal, and performance spaces are wheelchair
accessible. If you require other
accommodations (e.g., ASL interpretation) or have questions regarding
accessibility, please contact us at
least 1 week in advance of your interview date.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The production will be developed in and rehearsed in New York City and
will premiere in Washington, D.C.
Participation will require a multi-week commitment (primarily evenings)
in New York in May and June
2008, and the ability to travel to Washington, D.C. for technical
rehearsals and performances June 24—
29, 2008. Rehearsals and public workshops will be held at LaGuardia
Performing Arts Center in Long
Island City, NY. Interviews will take place January—March, 2008 and will
be held in Long Island City and
Manhattan. Evening rehearsals will take place during May and June,
approximately 3 weeks total.
All participants will be paid. Deadline for inquiries: February 1, 2008.

BACKGROUND
Ping Chong is a world-renowned theatre director, choreographer, and
visual installation artist. He founded
Ping Chong & Company in 1975, which has since created over 50
productions that have been presented at
major venues around the world. This production is part of Ping Chong’s
ongoing series of oral-history
theater works known as the Undesirable Elements project, exploring
issues of race, culture, identity, and
“otherness” in America. Each production is made in a specific community,
with local participants testifying
to their real lives and experiences. Their stories are interwoven into a
script, which is performed by the
participants themselves, not actors. Since 1992, Ping Chong & Company
has made over 30 works in this
series, in communities around the United States and abroad. The series
is designed to help communities
confront and overcome cultural insularity by encouraging dialogue and
giving voice to individuals whose
stories frequently go unheard. For more background, please visit
www.undesirableelements.org

VSA arts is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1974 by
Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith to
create a society where people with disabilities learn through,
participate in, and enjoy the arts. VSA arts
provides educators, parents, and artists with resources and the tools to
support arts programming in
schools and communities. VSA arts showcases the accomplishments of
artists with disabilities and
promotes increased access to the arts for people with disabilities. Each
year millions of people participate
in VSA arts programs through a nationwide network of affiliates and in
more than 60 countries around the
world. VSA arts is an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the
Performing Arts. For more information
visit www.vsarts.org

For inquiries or to request application materials contact:
Sara Zatz
Ping Chong & Company
47 Great Jones Street, New York, NY 10012
212-529-1557, info@...