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Hi all,

We are heading into our spring one act festival, where students can also do monologues.  One student who has participated in our program for a few years is interested in doing a monologue about disability.  She has cerebral palsy, and really wants to, in her words, "put herself out there."  She came to me to ask permission, and of course I said yes because she's awesome and brave.  But I'm having trouble coming up with any monologues for her.  Does anyone know of any monologues about disability, or spoken by characters who are disabled?  If we can't find anything that specific, she said she'd be interested in doing a monologue by a character who was different, and speaking about how those differences impacted and/or isolated them.

Does anyone have any suggestions?  Thanks so much!

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Julie Tipton
Jefferson Hills PA
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Please check out Maysoon Zayid on Ted Talks. I first learned of this fascinating comedian with CP when she appeared as a regular commentator on Keith Obermann's show.  Her tag line is "I've got 99 problems ...... palsey is just one of them". Also, Josh Blue who appeared on Last Comic Standing. You may need to help your student create her own monologue, but these may help provide inspiration.  Break legs!

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Wayne Kischer
West Des Moines IA
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I can't remember the actress' name, but their was a comedian in the 80s who did stand up and some TV who had cerebral palsy and her work often reflected that. I think she may have done a one woman show. Try googling her or looking her up on IMDB. I vaguely recall she was on Facts of Life.

Sent from my iPad

------Original Message------

Hi all,

We are heading into our spring one act festival, where students can also do monologues.  One student who has participated in our program for a few years is interested in doing a monologue about disability.  She has cerebral palsy, and really wants to, in her words, "put herself out there."  She came to me to ask permission, and of course I said yes because she's awesome and brave.  But I'm having trouble coming up with any monologues for her.  Does anyone know of any monologues about disability, or spoken by characters who are disabled?  If we can't find anything that specific, she said she'd be interested in doing a monologue by a character who was different, and speaking about how those differences impacted and/or isolated them.

Does anyone have any suggestions?  Thanks so much!

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Julie Tipton
Jefferson Hills PA
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You might look at "And They Dance Real Slow in Jackson" by Jim Leonard Jr.

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Linda Brown
Theatrical Director/Instructor
Mount St. Mary Catholic High School
Oklahoma City OK
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Check Green Thumb Theatre in Canada... they have a lot of nice work on social issues, and tend to be smaller casts for touring.

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Rick Hardenberg
Director of Theatre Arts
Grand Rapids Christian Schools
Grand Rapids MI
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Maybe Laura from The Glass Menagerie? There's a part when she's talking to her mother about her leg brace and how being crippled was the reason she dropped out of school and why she only ever wanted to stay at home. 

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Ginny Butsch
Community Manager
Educational Theatre Association
Alexandria KY
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There's a monologue called "The Evolution of Wheels" by the playwright, Robin Blasberg, that sounds like it's exactly what you're looking for.

https://newplayexchange.org/users/74098/robin-blasberg

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Hans Offenfrish
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