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Looking to cast a young actor with Cerebral Palsy. Where should I start? Are there practical considerations I need to understand?

11 years, 11 months ago - Will MacNeil

I want to handle this very carefully. It will probably be quite a while before my project is ready to shoot. So I think it would probably be wise to start by speaking to some organisations, hopefully local to London and the Southeast.

Thanks for your wisdom!

-Will

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11 years, 11 months ago - Darren Bender

Check out a short by Chris Dundon called Bro. The actor he used had cerebral palsy (I am fairly sure) and its a great film.
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11 years, 11 months ago - Will MacNeil

Thanks to everyone who answered. It's a great help.

11 years, 10 months ago - Jason Lee-Dear

Hi Will,

I know an experienced actor and assistant director with cerebral palsy but he is 52 years old

11 years, 11 months ago - kiki kendrick

I have worked Paul Henshall, he was born with Cerebral Palsy. Paul is a wonderful actor and an absolute pleasure to work with. He is also a doctor. He might be able to help. Email me and I will give you his email address. kiki@liberatedtheatre.com

11 years, 11 months ago - Anthony Olway

The Orpheus Arts Centre in Godstone, Surrey, may or may not be worth a look. Its a performing arts school for young people with various disabilities including cerebral palsy. The issue is that many people also have mental disabilities, so it depends on whether your character just has the physical disability side of it or not. And also how severe is the characters disability?

I've found that often if they have severe physical disability but are not mentally disabled, they are still overprotected or segregated to a certain degree by schools and concerned parents. So to find a young person who has a 'normal' experience and interest and yet also be a good actor could be a challenge. It might be worth avoiding 'special' needs centres all together, and just going straight to drama departments at all inclusive colleges, universities.

11 years, 11 months ago - henrietta lynch

Hi - you could try contacting Disability Essex - http://www.disabilityessex.org/

11 years, 11 months ago - Ioana Constantinescu

Try Acttoo Theatre co. I've done a lot of work with them. They work with actors with disabilities. Their director, Jade Hardrade-Grosz is brilliant at devising work with and directing, people who are disabled. Email jade@acttoo.com. They moved to Tooting a while ago so email may have changed. Let me know. Ioana.

11 years, 11 months ago - Mark Stevenson

spare Tyre Theatre (based in London) have contacts with actors with Cerebral Palsy (as do Graeae)
http://www.sparetyre.org/

11 years, 11 months ago - Stephen Potts

Try SCOPE, a well-regarded charity orignally for children with CP and their families. Thier website will tell you about local branches.

Stephen Potts

11 years, 11 months ago - Joy Wilkinson

These guys might be helpful. http://www.graeae.org/