Bechdel Project and LaGuardia Performing Arts Center Launch Partnership with Premiere Reading of Nikki Brake-Sillá’s INVISI(BILITY)

Bechdel Project will launch a new partnership with LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (LPAC) on August 15 with an in-house reading of INVISI(BILITY) by Nikki Brake-Sillá, directed by Lori Parquet (Suffs). The collaboration will provide crucial support for Bechdel Project artists and programs, including ADA-accessible rehearsal space through its Free Community Space Program.

The new partnership will also extend to future events and initiatives, ensuring artists and activists doing mission-aligned work have free, accessible space for creation.

Brake-Sillá’s INVISI(BILITY), developed through her ROO Residency, explores whether Blackness could legally qualify as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The play follows Gabriela Johnson, a Black attorney with rheumatoid arthritis, as she argues for Blackness to be recognized as a protected disability—sparking a challenge from Marcus, a fellow Black Harvard Law graduate with the ACLU. Inspired by Mary Church Terrell’s 1906 speech describing herself as “a member of a handicapped race,” the piece examines how appearance-based constructs shape experiences of oppression and interrogates how legal systems define and protect marginalized identities.

“We are thrilled to partner with LPAC to continue the development of Nikki’s powerful play,” says Jens Rasmussen, Co-Creative Director of The Bechdel Project. “INVISI(BILITY) is exactly the kind of bold, necessary storytelling that aligns with our mission. It challenges perceptions and sparks critical conversations, which is more important now than ever.”

Maria Aparo, Co-Creative Director of The Bechdel Project, adds, “Because of LPAC, we are now also able to offer ADA-accessible space to our artists and create exciting events like the October 25 My Body, My Voice Day of Performance and Activism, built around an abortion escort play by Courtney Bailey, as part of our Interstate Initiative. It’s nothing short of transformational.”

“We are thrilled to be partnering with our neighborhood organization, Bechdel Project,” says Handan Ozbilgin, Artistic Director of LPAC. “Together, we share a deep passion and commitment to giving voice and a platform to the underrepresented through our residency programs. Our shared mission is rooted in the belief that theater can serve as both a mirror and a catalyst—inviting communities to reflect, respond, and imagine new pathways forward.”

Bechdel Project develops, produces, and promotes plays that amplify the voices and experiences of women and non-binary artists. Through residencies, readings, and full productions, it fosters a vibrant community committed to equitable representation and groundbreaking storytelling in theatre.

LaGuardia Performing Arts Center is a multi-venue performing arts complex located on the campus of LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City, Queens. LPAC presents a diverse range of performances, educational programs, and community events, fostering artistic expression and engagement.