people
taking
the stage
By Amy Park
Kate Hood is so keen to see more
people with disability working
in the performing arts industry
that she’s established her own
disability-led theatre company,
Raspberry Ripple Productions.
The Sydney-based actor, writer,
and director has performed in
everything from the classics
through to musicals for major
theatre companies, and in
commercial TV production during
the 1980s and 90s, including a stint
on the popular drama Prisoner.
In 2002, Kate was diagnosed with
Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia, a
neurological disease, impacting
on her ability to walk, and leading
to her becoming a full-time “There are not many characters “In an ideal world, I would see
wheelchair user. on stage or on screen who have a people with a disability represented
disability, and when there is such in all workplaces, but given my
The change, Kate said, initially had a character, all too often they are knowledge is in this industry, I’m
her feeling like she had lost her played by an actor who is able- doing what I can to make sure
sense of identity. bodied,” she said. we’re represented in the arts.”
“Learning to live with a disability “We see able-bodied actors Determined to continue her career
has taught me what it feels like not portray a character with a disability in the arts, Kate reinvented herself;
to belong,” she told Link. “It has far more often than we see working as a voice-over artist, an
also taught me about loss; loss of someone with a disability cast in a award-winning narrator of audio
identity, work, friendship, love, and show. books, and recently landing the
role of Maxine Cowper in TV soap
self-esteem.”
“If it is not okay for a white actor
Neighbours.
Kate’s passion and creativity to portray a black character and needed a new focus for an industry ‘black-up’, then why do we allow “I would like to see the inclusion
that no longer seemed to have a able-bodied actors to ‘crip-up? of characters with disability in
place for her, and where she said
more stories; I work in an industry
she felt invisible.
18
people
linkonline.com.au