By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Center Stage Theater Camp has been an annual event that allows Hays-area residents who have developmental disabilities to be seen.
They also have some fun in the process.
This year, in addition to comedic skits and song, some of the actors will take on a more serious subject—disability rights.
The camp was founded by Annie Wasinger of Hays seven years ago when she was in high school. Wasinger graduated from Wichita State University in May and is now employed with the Disability Rights Center of Kansas in Topeka. She returned to Hays this week to lead the camp.
The performance will include an homage to two pivotal moments in disability rights history.
This year is the 60th anniversary of the publication of "Christmas in Purgatory." Advocates went undercover in institutions and photographed the atrocities there. They published a photo essay that helped spark the disability rights movement and the deinstitutionalization of people who have intellectual disabilities, Wasinger said.
"It really made a call to action to the general public to consider, 'What are we doing here? Are we really going to allow citizens of the United States to live in these conditions?" Wasinger said.
The second anniversary is the 1975 passage of the Developmental Disabilities Act, which includes a bill of rights.
The act created a protection advocacy system in each state, and they are charged with investigating any acts of neglect or abuse in any facility or area where a person with a disability participates, Wasinger said.
The opportunity to be seen and heard has a great effect on the campers, Wasigner said.
"Even reading that third script today, Ryan Hoag started tearing up," Wasinger said.
"To know that just 60 years ago someone had to sneak themselves and a camera belt into an institution and then publish 100s of photos to show the world that there was something wrong," Wasinger said, "that there was something to be seen and there were people being treated in appalling conditions, for no other reason than our national policy was out of sight out of mind."
Wasinger said there is no greater gift human beings can give each other than to see each other.
"The thesis for camp for me is to place those people you would look away from in the spotlight and let them show you who they are on their terms," she said.
The Disability Rights Center is sponsoring the show this year and offering packets of information to attendees on disability rights and the history of the movement.
Wasinger was inspired to start the camp because she grew up alongside a young man with disability, Joel, whom she considers her brother. He has participated in the camp each year.
This year, 35 people are participating in the camp. In addition to preparing for a free show at 7 p.m. Saturday at Celebration Community Church, the campers play theater-themed games, including improv and learning stage directions.
The Saturday performance is open to the public.
Camp is not all serious. The participants spend plenty of time laughing and socializing.
Camper Jimmy said he gets to be silly at camp, be with his friends and drink a pop.
Camper Dallas said he gets nervous about being on stage in front of people, but he likes seeing his friends and singing.
Both Jimmy and Dallas said they liked Annie, and she is a good teacher.
"She is nice to us," Jimmy said.
Some of the campers have participated in all seven years of the camp, and Wasinger said some of the more seasoned performers have begun taking leadership roles in the group.
Volunteers assist the campers, but fellow campers also help each other, she said.
"It's really cool to see the people who have stuck it out for five or seven years to see how talented they have become," Wasinger said. "The goal is always integration. I want people to have the skills to audition for a community theater show or audition for something online."
Wasinger wrote all three sections of the performance, including the two comedic skits that will lead off the show. The first involves a comedic interaction with carolers who show up at the house of a family who is trying to celebrate Christmas quietly. Chaos ensues.
The second scene is titled "Too Many Santas," during which too many mall Santas show up on the scene.
Other sponsors include Gone Logo, Kiwanis of Hays, Celebration Community Church, DSNWK and Wendy Stein.