# data[].attributes.body
My name is Julia Yelvington and I am a second year Theater and Dance BA student at The University of Texas at Austin with an emphasis in scenery. I have five years of experience in construction and scenic painting. I am familiar with the basics in carpentry, painting, and Vectorworks. I hope to expand my knowledge further in these areas to ultimately become a professional working for a traveling theater company. My experience comes primarily from working on highschool theater productions and pursuing art independently. My technical team for high school was relatively small which resulted in me stepping up and leading projects. This at first was a frustrating obstacle but I learned to assess the skills I had at my disposal and planned accordingly for an efficient execution. Safety, practicality, efficiency, and budget are constraints that I keep in mind when working on a show.

My passion for scenic design comes from the satisfaction I feel when I solve a design problem with out of the box thinking. The best solutions often come from unconventional thinking. I also greatly enjoy the collaborative process of working in the theater. The process of working with other people to realize an artistic vision is what fuels me. I encourage an abstract perspective on society, and as an artist, it is my responsibility to hold a mirror up to society, while simultaneously shedding light on the unrepresented. Through my art today as a scenic designer, I pay special attention to accommodations and accessibility in the theater space.

My personality is revealed not only through my art, but also through my actions. I aim to do good by everyone while releasing positive energy into the world. A valuable technician is receptive, flexible, resourceful, and most importantly creative. I strive to exemplify these qualities through my work as well as incorporate them into my social and personal life.

# data[].attributes.headline
Why Accessibility is Important in Theatre

# data[].attributes.subject
Why Accessibility is Important in Theatre

# data[].attributes.body
We exist in a world filled with disability yet theaters continue to deny disabled people an equal place at the table. Assistive technology is more advanced than ever and there are some basic services theaters should be expected to provide. The world can only benefit from a bigger representation of disability. Too many theaters value their product over their process and that is only hurting actors and limiting the experience for the audience. Theater is supposed to be a reflection of the world around us and a full cast of able-bodied neurotypical actors does not reflect that. Through the design project in Rusty’s class, I was able to express the importance of accessibility in theater. A few of my peers and I designed an interactive maze installation that brought elements of inaccessibility to the viewer’s attention. The purpose of the installation was well received by the class, as they too see accessibility as an issue on campus. The interactive installation would allow for able-bodied participants to briefly experience a common physical barrier people with mobility aids experience on a daily basis, in an effort to raise awareness of the inaccessible entry points on UT campus. It is important to note this installation is not an emulation of the disabled experience, which can never be fully understood unless you live it yourself. The purpose of the installation was well received by the class, as they too see accessibility as an issue on campus. It was difficult to smoothly combine multiple ideas, but we collectively landed on an idea we were confident in. Presenting to the class and receiving constructive criticism was very beneficial to bringing new concerns to our attention and understanding how the audience interpreted the experience. I enjoyed creating drafts and outlines based on my fellow collaborator’s ideas. It felt especially good when all the pieces of the puzzle started coming together and we could build off an agreed on topic.

# data[].attributes.body
PHAMALy (Physically Handicapped Amateur Actors League), is a Colorado based theater company that has been providing cutting edge services for both disabled actors and audiences for over two decades. It is crucial that systems of accessibility are implemented into the standard of theatre. Access, inclusion, and representation are impactful for disabled audience members and actors.

# data[].attributes.body
My high school experience with collaboration was very limited. I worked with my technical director on projects however I did not collaborate with the other students in my class. The Covid-19 pandemic turned my collaboration down to zero and I worked independently for a while because I didn’t understand how to go about working with others safely in such extenuating circumstances. Performance as a Public Practice was the class that helped me open my eyes to all the different ways in which people can collaborate. Trust, honesty, and vulnerability are the foundation of the collaborative space. As soon as the rehearsal space becomes unsafe or inaccessible collaboration becomes compromised. Each member of the collaborative space must also uphold certain values. Giving credit, being respectful, allowing space for others to share, and checking in on an artist's well-being are all examples of these values.Over this semester I had a lot of memorable moments collaborating with people. There would be multiple times where I dreaded coming to class but after successfully collaborating with my peers I was reminded of the buzz that creating art with people gives me. Creating by yourself can lead to tunnel vision and artist’s block. It is helpful and rewarding to bounce ideas off of your peers. It can be frustrating to try to include everyone’s ideas especially if it is one you are not so excited about yourself. It is important to set your boundaries but it is also okay to push and challenge yourself. For example during the dance session, I felt extremely anxious about devising and performing original dance pieces. It became easier once I saw that as a class we were all struggling together and would therefore get through it together. We gained confidence as a group as we supported and cheered each other on. During this semester I mainly collaborated over a topic I wasn't familiar with, typically with people who were also not familiar with the topic. At times I did feel intimidated if someone expressed that they had a background in whatever it was we were studying because I was afraid they would expect more from me as a collaborator.

# data[].attributes.body
For Rusty's design project, I created some renderings based off of my partner's vision that I am proud of.

# data[].attributes.body
I decided to pursue scenic design early on in my high school career however lots of uncertainties came with being an artist. The industry is competitive and I would not be guaranteed consistent employment. However, I am glad I overcame these anxieties and have taken advantage of the opportunities UT has presented me. This semester I started to understand why networking is so important in theater. You make your own opportunities and having a good reputation attached to your name is crucial for that. This semester I got to help load out Disney’s The Lion King from the Bass Concert Hall. It was exciting and impactful to be a part of it because these were the top of the top practitioners. There’s not a whole room to move up once you're a technician for a traveling show as large as that one.  Seeing it happen in front of me gave me motivation to work harder at my craft.  Through that opportunity I am receiving more labor requests from Stage Alliance which is a great opportunity to work on professional shows. I plan on staying in Austin over the summer to continue working at TPA and for Stage Alliance to save up money and gain experience. Rusty’s design project inspired me to invest time in creating original designs. Having tangible potential to submit an original idea to the New Cohen Works Festival and have it actually produced for thousands of people to see is daunting but exciting. I now know that it is part of my degree plan to take part in the festival so I will slowly be working on producing something I am proud of. I have also met a lot of new potential future collaborators through this class. Take The Wheel is in need of technicians for their student produced work. This would be an excellent opportunity to practice being a technical director for a show.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a picture of me working on loading out the set for The Lion King. I remember I was in awe with the high tech and efficient systems. Here I am unscrewing the floor, which had an elaborate system of tracks and hydraulics underneath.