Upon delving into the history of disability, institutionalization and ableism in the United States, Ph.D. candidate Alexis Riley felt a strong urge to memorialize the thousands of individuals whose remains are unclaimed and unmarked in State Hospital cemeteries across the nation. kin • song: ode to disability ancestors was born out of this research. Riley and her collaborators have formed what she calls an “embodied memorial,” utilizing movement, song, puppetry and lyrical text to honor the ghosts of our disability ancestors through performance. We recently spoke with Riley to get a deeper understanding of the origins and themes that course through this important digital performance ritual.
Watch the full interview with Ph.D. in Theatre (Performance as Public Practice) candidate Alexis Riley, creator and director of Texas Theatre and Dance’s inaugural Studio Series production – kin • song: ode to disability ancestors, part of our 2021/2022 Season.
kin • song: ode to disability ancestors
Streaming December 2-4, 2021
On-demand December 6-12, 2021
Virtual Performance
Written by Sydney Pattillo