CO/LAB Theater Group Marks 10th Anniversary With Virtual Festival and Benefit

CO/LAB Theater Group, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to offering individuals with developmental disabilities a creative and social outlet through theater arts, celebrates its 10th anniversary with a virtual festival with both pre-recorded and live events June 17-June 20. The festival will culminate with a live virtual benefit on June 21 at 7pm hosted by journalist Liz Plank and Book of Mormon actor and activist Dimitri Moise. The event is produced in association with Broadway Unlocked, with the digital venue powered by All Together Now.

The festival, which is called Beyond the Horizon, will feature four consecutive evenings of original content created by a neurodiverse ensemble of actors, teaching artists, and supporting artists. Included in the festival is an SNL-inspired evening of comedy, a live play reading of work written by the playwriting class, and the premiere of PLOOTO: A Space Oddity, a new musical inspired by the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, with a guest appearance by disability rights activist Judy Heumann.

"This festival is the first of its kind for CO/LAB," said CO/LAB's Director of Programs and Operations Abby Schreer. "Creating in this virtual space provided an opportunity for us to present such varied work and showcase all of our actors from the semester over one weekend. Our ensembles blew us away with their innovation and dedication and we can't wait to share their work!"

The June 21 benefit will honor co-founders and teaching artists Laura Borgwardt and Arielle Lever, and NYC arts service organization ART/NY, which has been a longtime partner of CO/LAB's work.

Click here for more information and tickets to Beyond the Horizon.