Queen Elizabeth's Dwarf Opens at Victory Gardens

QUEEN ELIZABETH¹S DWARF OPENS VICTORY GARDENS ACCESS PROJECT CRIP SLAM
SERIES ON NOVEMBER 23

Kathyrn Jones' One-Woman Show Explores Disability Culture During the Renaissance

­ Queen Elizabeth's Dwarf, a unique solo performance by Chicago actress and little person Kathyrn Jones exploring the personal relationship dwarves and other people with disabilities played in the queen's court and during the Renaissance, is the kick-off presentation for the Victory Gardens Access Project 2008-2009 Crip Slam series.

With Queen Elizabeth's Dwarf, Jones brings to the stage Mistress Thomasina de Paris, one of the actual dwarves in the court of Elizabeth I in Renaissance England, and the character Jones has played for the last five years, entertaining crowds at the Bristol Renaissance Faire in Kenosha,
Wisconsin.

Queen Elizabeth's Dwarf will be presented Sunday, November 23 at 7:30 pm at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago. Tickets are only $10. All Crip Slam performances, readings and special events are accessible to people with mobility, hearing and vision disabilities.  For tickets and information, call the Victory Gardens box office ­ 773.871.3000 (TTY: 773/871-0682) ­ or visit http://www.victorygardens.org

In addition to her appearances at the Bristol Renaissance Faire, Jones has worked as a teaching artist with Pegasus Players. She majored in acting and directing at Beloit College. Following her performance, Jones will be interviewed by Edward Wheatley, Associate Professor and Edward L. Surtz, S.J., Professor of Medieval Literature at Loyola University in Chicago. Professor Wheatley curated the fascinating Crip Slam performance Medieval Cripples in 2007.

Upcoming 2008-09 Crip Slam presentations also include:

What Does the Sun Sound Like?
Sunday, February 15, 2009, 7:30 pm

Written and performed by Chicago Dramatist Arlene Malinowski, What Does the Sun Sound Like? is a comic, touching, personal journey through her totally true tales of a hearing daughter growing up in a deaf family and culture. Employing both deaf and hearing storytelling techniques, What Does The Sun Sound Like?" is presented in conjunction with Victory Gardens' Fresh Squeezed series, and in association with its mainstage production of Love Person, Aditi Brennan Kapil's contemporary love story told in American Sign Language, Sanskrit, English and projected e-mail, May 15 - June 14, 2009.

Two more Crip Slams - on March 8 and May 3, 2009 - are to be announced.

Night of Scenes
Sunday, June 21, 7:30 pm

On June 21, Crip Slam will present our increasingly popular annual Night of Scenes, a reading of excerpts from the work of participants in the artist development workshop.

The Victory Gardens Access Project Artist Development Workshop will conclude its spring session with its increasingly popular annual Night of Scenes, a showcase of scenes written by participating playwrights, with and without disabilities.

About the Access Project

Now in its 16th year, the Victory Gardens Access Project is a nationally recognized model outreach effort designed to involve people with disabilities in all aspects of theater, both on and off the stage. Through the program, Victory Gardens has been Chicago's earliest adopter of assistive services such as providing Sign Language interpreted performances, as well as captioned and audio-described shows, large-print and Braille programs, pre-show Touch Tours of the theater and set, dedicated wheelchair seating, and TTY phone lines.

To receive updates on Crip Slam Sundays events and all Access Project activities, subscribe to the Access Project Newsletter by calling 773.549.5788 ext 2131 (voice), 773.871.0682 (TTY), or sending email to information@victorygardens.org