"Teenage Dick" @ Artists Rep

Oh, what a title! For months, my brother-in-law would make pederasty jokes every time he saw a postcard for "Teenage Dick." So, when two failures of transportation made me miss Opening Night, I took solace in the fact that at least my brother-in-law would shut up if I missed it.  I then read a review posted on Artist Rep's Facebook, which reminded me that the two leads had disabilities, and not just any disability--my own. Now I had to make sure I saw it. I have never been more glad to have made the effort!  I'll make the obligatory point about "representation" being important, and the further point about the all-too-rare casting of disabled actors to play disabled characters. (Especially when Bryan Cranston smells Oscar.) Yes, seeing oneself represented is every bit as gratifying as they say, and yes it is nice to see actors with disabilities on stage. Which made me wonder why this was not mentioned in the promotional materials, I doubt I would have known at all,  had that review not jogged my memory of it being mentioned in passing at the Season Announcement Party. Next time there's a show involving disability, (please let there be a next time) emphasize it more. I saw myself a lot in Richard, and not just in the obvious way, but also in the way that the cunning nerd never gets his due, either. (I've often said that evil genius is a symptom of cerebral palsy,  no one believes me.)

Please, please, see this show. It is momentous. I will do my part to spread the word among advocacy organizations and such. "We" need to flood into shows like this, so there will be more.