Barrier-Free program sparks community interest,
attracts more volunteers
Barrier-Free participants meet for two hours on Wednesdays to rehearse. This year's production is superhero-themed, so all the volunteer actors have their own superhero pose.
PHOTO BY: DESIREE WILLIAMS
Barrier-Free is a young program at Muncie Civic Theatre, and it has doubled its participation in its second year with help from nearly 50 volunteer actors and assistants.
It is a therapeutic arts program where people with disabilities team up with other volunteers to create and perform an original play. Barrier-Free is designed to make art accessible for everyone regardless of race, gender or ability.
“I really want to incorporate the message with the program that it’s an inclusive program,” said Tracena Marie, therapeutic arts and education director at Muncie Civic Theatre.
Marie studied drama therapy at Kansas State University where she met Laura Williamson, current executive director at the theatre. Williamson encouraged Marie to join the theatre when she moved to Muncie three years ago with her husband.
When Marie joined, she brought with her the idea for a barrier-free program after learning the theatre method from her mentor.
“I think the only way we become stronger as a community is to reach out to others,” Marie said.
Barrier-Free meets every Wednesday for two hours from September until May. In September, participants work together to create an idea for the production and write the script. They start with creative exercises and improvisation and then begin rehearsals in December. This year, they will do two performances of "The Power Within," a superhero-themed play, in May.
Tracena Marie (right) speaks with a chorus member about the script. Marie, with help from other volunteers, runs the Barrier-Free rehearsals.
PHOTO BY: DESIREE WILLIAMS
Within the program, every actor is a volunteer as well as the chorus members, which is what Marie calls volunteer Ball State University students or community members who are not disabled.
“I feel very fortunate to have the chorus members that I have,” Marie said. “I can tell that when they walk through the doors here, their hearts are in it and there is no place else they’d rather be.”
Marie said the chorus members are crucial to running the show. Riley Gray, a senior psychology major and theatre minor at Ball State, is a chorus member who joined Barrier-Free after working on a similar project at school. Gray also interned at Hillcroft last year and thought that this program would be a great way to combine her love of theatre with her work at Hillcroft.
“We need these volunteers to not only help organize … but also we kind of provide a mentorship program for the clients as well,” Gray said.
Ric Michael is one of those clients and has been acting in the Barrier-Free program for two years. He said it’s a fun program to be involved with and the volunteers help him often.
“Without the volunteers, it would be nothing,” Michael said.
With so much growth, Marie wants to continue giving Ball State students and anyone else interested the opportunity to help out.
“If anything, I’m going to have to hold an audition day because I have that many people interested,” Marie said.
She hopes that the program will continue to grow which will allow them to add a third performance to the production next year.