Bitter Gertrude: I invited actor and playwright Cameron McNary to write a guest blog about being a theatremaker who’s on the Autism Spectrum. I wish I had read this piece 20 years ago. Every theatremaker should read this piece! I learned so much I wish I could apply retroactively to my work.
3 comments:
As a disclaimer, I am not autistic, but I'm passionate about diversifying theater. It's a major stereotype that autistic people are disabled to the point where they simply cannot do things that neurotypical people can. That is insanely harmful and ridiculously untrue. Their mind works differently, and for some that means some things like grasping tone and eye contact take more effort, but they have plenty of strengths as well just like literally anyone has strengths and weaknesses. This stereotype has caused a total lack of representation of autistic people on stage, with autistic actors being confined to roles of autistic characters, or denied from the stage as a whole. I have experience of seeing trans people being portrayed by cis people over and over, and I can't help but think seeing autistic characters played and written by neurotypical people is similarly uncomfortable or worse. We as a community need to erase the stigma behind neurodivergent people on stage, because we're missing out on some great talent.
I think this is a beautifully written piece. I do not have Autism Spectrum Disorder. However, I have worked with several children on the spectrum including my adopted brother of 4 years. I am very passionate when it comes to diversity and inclusivity in the arts. I am equally as passionate about the representation of people from all walks of life on film and on stage. I think the way that McNary wrote about the way he realized Henry Higgins was on the spectrum was beautiful. Describing the way it made him feel to be “more than a little seen,” just goes to show the impact it can have on someone’s life to simply see someone that looks like or lives like they do. What stuck with me most is McNary’s mention of Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory. Many people think of characters like Sheldon or like the Good Doctor when thinking of characters on the Autism Spectrum. However, it’s important to realize that if these characters aren’t written with a good deep dive into the research and firsthand accounts of what it’s like to be a person living with Autism. It’s almost like casting a white person to play a Latinx role, or like casting an East Asian actor to play a Southeast Asian role. Many audience members may not be able to tell the difference, but those Latinx audience members and those Southeast Asian audience members will definitely know the difference. It makes a difference to see someone who is accurately you on the stage. - Vanessa Mills
Reading this article made me feel really good. As Vanessa has said, it is a very beautifully written piece, very easy and engaging to read. I agree very much with the author's preview text in that everyone should read this piece. Autistic people have little enough representation as it is, and what little exists often paints an image of autistic people being unable to do things neurotypical people can or infantilizes them, very recently notable: the film Music by Sia, which I am sure many of us have heard plenty about. Autism, like McNary says, is not one size fits all, but if I can learn how one autistic person acts and what they need from me, then I've learned that. And maybe it will be applicable in the greater course of my career.
It was really heartwarming when McNary felt seen in Pygmalion's Henry Higgins. I know what it's like to see a character in media that finally, finally resonates with me and feels authentic. I am glad that McNary was able to find that too.
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