An Inclusive Musical Theatre Production For All

Hello! We're Syrana and Christie, proud mothers of Kathy and Jessica who live with disability. We have known Ingrid since 2017 when our daughters joined her class for teens with disability at Applause Musical Theatre Academy. When Ingrid launched Umbrella, our daughters were keen to start learning with her again, and have flourished, gaining further confidence and skills. We wholeheartedly support this new inclusive musical project and can’t wait to see people of all abilities shine on stage in March 2025!

Umbrella School of Music is setting the stage for a magical one-act Disney musical production (to be unveiled soon!). This production entails a unique model where one person with disability partners with another without disability, portraying the same character in the show.

Together, the buddies share costumes, lines, solos, and parts to create a compelling storytelling experience. This inclusive approach, inspired by the success of the inclusive theatre group “Stars and the Moon” in Melbourne, aims to foster an all-encompassing and equitable community right here in Sydney.

Our Project Aims -

Equal Access: To increase opportunities for people with disability to partake in performing arts activities

Breaking Stigmas: To foster understanding, empathy, respect and a shared appreciation of each person's unique abilities, breaking down barriers and stigmas

Unity in Diversity: To showcase how diverse talents, ways of communicating, and abilities can seamlessly come together to create truly extraordinary theatre

Societal Impact: This experience will foster connections between diverse individuals who learn how work harmoniously together which will "ripple" out into the community creating a more equitable, compassionate society.

At Umbrella School of Music we believe in the transformative power of music and the profound impact it can have on individuals of all ages, abilities and disabilities. Guided by the belief that every voice deserves to be heard, our mission is to dismantle barriers and cultivate a profound sense of compassion and unity in the community. For more information on Ingrid and the story behind this project, click here.

The project will launch with a 2 hour Pilot Workshop on June 23 followed by auditions and then 3 hourly rehearsals held on Sunday afternoons for a period of 7 months (20 weeks) from August 11, 2024 through to March 16, 2025. Production week and 3 shows will delight audiences from March 23-29 at the Zenith Theatre in Chatswood. Fortunately, we have received support via funds from Willoughby City Council to assist us until our pilot workshop but need funds to assist us until the auditions and rehearsals. We are hoping to be successful in getting a grant from Create NSW to support the Production week expenses but this is not guaranteed as it's a very competitive process.

Anything you can donate will go towards:

• Sponsoring any cast members needing financial assistance to pay for the rehearsal and/or production fees

• Reducing the costs of the rehearsal and production fees for all cast members as much as possible

• Helping us pay our Production Directors good wages and assisting their recovery from Covid whilst also supporting their professional development

• Paying our team of support staff including administration, support workers, project manager and coordinator, treasurer and marketing personnel

• Venue hiring for our weekly 3-hour rehearsals over 20 weeks

• Sourcing insurances and HR consulting services to draw up contract for staff and cast members

Any donation, no matter the size, is truly appreciated! As you know a little bit here and there all adds up in the long run. Thanks so much for your support!