Disabled & Dramatic: A Phamaly Theatre Company Podcast

Today's guest is Jessica Swanson (she/her), an actor and featured dancer with Company. In this episode, Jessica reflects on her long journey toward the Phamaly stage, the people who shaped her, her love of dancing, and her views on making rehearsal spaces more inclusive. Please join us for an enthusiastic, upbeat discussion about boldly embracing the stage, no matter who you are. Phamaly Theat...

Today's guest is longtime Phamaly director, actor, writer, historian, and board member Mark Dissette. Mark shares about his 36-year career with the disability-affirmative theatre company, the truths he has realized, and the perseverance of theatre. Please join us in this thoughtful and eye-opening discussion in this latest episode. Phamaly Theatre Company presents  Dance Nation  by Clare Barro...

Today's guest is Phamaly actor Trenton Schindele (any), a frequent face seen in villainous roles on the Denver stage. In this episode, we discuss the psychology of playing villains and outcasts, the ability of theatre to bring one's personality into the open, and how audiences and disabled people connect with the characters who feel like outsiders. Please join us in this thoughtful convers...

Today we're meeting Amy Marie Stewart (she/her), a freshly debuted actor with Phamaly Theatre Company! Amy came to Phamaly's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee with a rich background in opera, vocal coaching, writing, and a love for musical theatre. Amy shares her long journey of self-acceptance and affirmation in receiving her diagnosis of Parkinson's and being &...

Today, we speak with Keenan Gluck (he/him), a rising actor in Phamaly and the Denver theatre scene. Keenan talks about how he found expression and community in theatre, how he maneuvers his power chair to discover characters, and the discoveries he's made as an actor and a person. Join us as we reminisce on past projects and navigate the Denver theatre scene! Join us for Phamaly's Broadway...

Today, we are joined by two of Phamaly's regularly featured actors: Sam Barrasso (she/her) and Romy Lopez (he/him)! These actors share their journeys toward finding their love of theatre at Phamaly. Catch this episode discussing the upcoming production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee , performing at various theatre companies in Denver, and the exploration of stigmas toward people...

Today, we are discussing Phamaly Theatre Company's next batch of shows for the 2025 calendar year! Featuring awkward adolescents, princes, musicals, Shakespeare, and dancing, hear Ben Raanan (he/him) share all of the insider details of how you can get involved in the many opportunities with our nomadic theatre company! Chapters: (00:00) Disclaimer (01:17) Intro / 2024 Reflections (05:20) 2025 Seas...

Today, we are joined by Betty Hart (she/her), one of the co-directors of The Glorious World of Crowns, Kinks, and Curls! Betty is a prolific theatre artist in Colorado and shares her philosophy of directing, her discoveries from working with Phamaly, and her experience in directing the company's first-ever all-Black, all-femme production! Phamaly Theatre Company's production of The Glorious World...

Today, we are joined by Gregg Vigil (he/him), one of the founders of Phamaly and the director of Funny as a Crutch! Gregg shares his journey through the theatre world, his perspective on the founding and legacy of Phamaly, and the comedic influences that he's found working with the disabled cast of Phamaly's first repertory production at the People's Building in Aurora! Phamaly Theatre Company's p...

Today, we are joined by a duo of dancers in the Denver disabled community: Jari Majewski (she/her), choreographer of A Chorus Line, and Candy Dungan (she/they), dancer-athlete and our very own Vicki in A Chorus Line! Both of these women head their own dance groups that focus on disabled dancers and explore innovative choreography. Catch this episode discussing dance in the lens of disability and s...

Today, we are joined by Linda Wirth (she/her), a long-time actor with Phamaly and our very own Lois in A Chorus Line! In this episode, we discuss Linda's journey in overcoming educational and artistic obstacles with blindness, her engagement with younger artists, and her eagerness to hone her craft decades into her performance career. Make sure to catch this epic of an episode and buy your tic...

Today, we are joined by Shanae Adams (they/them), a licensed sex therapist, and our very own Richie Walters in A Chorus Line! In this episode, we discuss their attraction to the performing arts, their philosophy in sex education, and how sexuality and ability can intersect in how we perceive our identity. Make sure to catch this very topical episode and buy your tickets to this summer's A Chor...

Today, we are joined by Corinne Denny (she/her), Managing Director of Phamaly, and Jessie Lausé (they/them), the Puppy Program Coordinator at Canine Partners of the Rockies! In this episode, we discuss service dog etiquette, ways to support Phamaly, puppy kissing booths, and most importantly, Phamaly's BIG PROM NIGHT FUNDRAISER. Make sure to catch this episode before the big party on May 18th!...

Today we are joined by filmmaker, Broadway actor, disability advocate, and the former artistic director of Phamaly Theatre Company, Regan Linton (she/her)! In this episode, Regan shares her experience with navigating disability in the arts, the importance of fostering connections and community with disabled artists, her perspective of working in Broadway after leaving Phamaly, and her retrospectiv...

We are joined by our very own Sherlock and Watson: Mel Schaffer (they/them) and Miranda Ireland (she/her)! In this episode, they share their experience with discovering Phamaly, what the production process has been like compared to previous work, portraying the neurodivergence of Arthur Conan Doyle's classic character, portraying the femininity in this retelling of the characters, and why you...

Local theatre artists Twanna LaTrice Hill (she/her) and Laurice Quinn (she/her) are joining us for our second episode! Both women have had longstanding relationships with the Denver arts community and discuss how disability has affected their connection to the performing arts. They also share their perspectives on how inclusion and diversity have progressed within the Denver theatre scene and insp...

Joining us in our inaugural episode is the one and only Kathleen Traylor (she/her), one of the original five founding members of Phamaly Theatre Company! Kathleen and Graham talk about her background as a disabled performer fighting for inclusion, starting a disability-affirmative company, and the progress she has seen in the past 35 years since Phamaly's beginning. She also shares about how s...

Produced by Phamaly Theatre Company , Denver's premier disability-affirmative theatre company. Twanna Latrice Hill, the director of Phamaly's Indescribable , joins us today to talk about her history in performance, her relationship with Phamaly, and how she approached this unique collaboration on a project as inventive as Indescribable . Be sure to listen and/or read this episode so you ca...

Produced by Phamaly Theatre Company , Denver's premier disability-affirmative theatre company. Kennedy Isaac, our production's little but fierce ingenue, joins us today to talk about her experience working with Phamaly Theatre Company, her approach to playing the defiant and romantic heroine, and her experience in combining her acting career with her social media presence. Be sure to liste...

Produced by Phamaly Theatre Company , Denver's premier disability-affirmative theatre company. Emma Maxfield, our production's shrewd and knavish sprite, joins us today to talk about her experience working in the Denver arts community, her approach to playing the iconic Puck, and her journey to working in her first Phamaly production. Be sure to listen and/or read this episode so you can f...

Produced by Phamaly Theatre Company , Denver's premier disability-affirmative theatre company. Ben Raanan, Phamaly's brilliant Artistic Director, joins us today to talk about what brought him to Phamaly, his approach to combining the performing arts with the world of disability, and why he thinks Shakespeare brings out the humanity in the people who experience it. Be sure to listen and/or...

Produced by Phamaly Theatre Company , Denver's premier disability-affirmative theatre company. Shelly Gaza, our production's director, joins us today to talk about her process of exploring Shakespeare's language, her vision of this production, and what audiences should keep in mind if Phamaly's A Midsummer Night's Dream is their first foray into Shakespeare's canon. What is...

Produced by Phamaly Theatre Company , Denver's premier disability-affirmative theatre company. Alyssa Miller, our production's dramaturg and Shakespearean text coach, joins us today to give us a run-down on all of the historical context for A Midsummer Night's Dream . When did Shakespeare write this play? How is it significant? When does it take place? Who was Shakespeare? Be sure to l...