ECD Travel Grant recipients discuss their experiences @ the 2017 LMDA Conference

by Andrea Kovich

As an emerging theatre artist who has a disability, the guiding topic “Access, Activism and Art” had a deeply personal meaning since it directly engages with my concerns and interests. My overarching career goal is to be part of the change that I want to see in theatre and in society, both in terms of attitudes about people with disabilities and how they are represented. Attending this conference was more than an opportunity for professional development; I saw it as my own form of activism.

Coming into this conference, I had so many questions about where I belong within this vast profession and where I’m going. Over the course of the four days, I attended many sessions that expanded my thinking and sparked new questions. How do I transform

failure into something positive? How do I think of myself, and reframe my position, into a leader? How can I be more cognizant and sensitive towards indigenous people in my practice? How do I incorporate greenturgy and environmental-consciousness into my work? Needless to say, it was all a little mind-blowing.

This conference represented many firsts for me—first professional theatre conference I attended, first time I really thought about activism in my work, first time I was part of a panel discussion with my colleagues, first time I was in a room full of people who actually knew what a dramaturg does…

Looking back, I definitely experienced firsthand the benefits of attending a professional conference. The profound thoughts, the multiple perspectives in the room, discovering allies and making connections—it was all like a breath of fresh air after the theoretical discussions of graduate school. I left energized and with a better sense of direction for my career, as well as a renewed commitment in my personal mission to further the mainstream visibility of disability theatre.

For the upcoming season, Andrea is working on the development & premiere of a new musical, as well as pursuing other freelance opportunities in her hometown, Seattle, WA.

Originally published in the August 2017 Newsletter