Rising Sun Theatre

Serving adults with mild and moderate intellectual disabilities, Rising Sun Theatre delivers arts programming that “nurtures the innate creativity and artistic potential” (Rising Sun Theatre, 2023) of its participants. Supporting the Greater Edmonton Area, this organization utilizes drama therapy interventions to develop the artistic capabilities of participants, empowering them to express themselves and share their experiences with the community. Professional theatre facilitators aim to teach dramatic skills through “improvisation, movement, vocal technique, solo performance, thematic exploration, storytelling, clown, and character work” (Rising Sun Theatre, 2023). Through drama therapy interventions, their participants increase their skill in communication and negotiation, self-expression, confidence, self-discipline, creativity, and self-esteem. Rising Sun Theatre integrates community by utilizing partnerships with local disability agencies, arts organizations, government-funding bodies, corporate sponsors, volunteers, and artists; these partnerships work to increase advocacy and reduce stigma towards those affected by intellectual disability.

The recommendations for therapeutic interventions for individuals with an intellectual disability include training for social skills, cognitive skills, promotion of physical activity, facilitating inclusion, and integrating community (Schilling, 2015). Rising Sun Theatre supports therapeutic best practices, as drama therapy incorporates social skill development by improving self-esteem and facilitating social interactions and friendships. Rehearsals at Rising Sun Theatre are physically active, as drama exercises offer opportunities to increase movement and coordination, and cognitively engaging, as participants follow directions, make creative decisions, and hold awareness within rehearsal spaces. Further, some participants utilize community-integrated programs, such as the DATS program through the Edmonton transit system. These practices aim to foster inclusion between participants, facilitators, and the community at large.

As a non-profit organization, Rising Sun Theatre relies on government funding to continue providing services; this is a leisure service delivery constraint, as arts funding fluctuates depending on budgetary needs. Opportunities for further development of TR services include providing leisure education and skill building for activities of daily living; these activities could be incorporated into rehearsals or provided through the partnerships with disability organizations. The author is passionate about the benefits available to this population through TR interventions: theatre offers an inclusive space for individuals to increase connectivity and experience aspects of life that they are often excluded from (Dickinson & Hutchinson, 2019). Further, drama therapy allows participants to develop a sense of solidarity through shared experience, thereby increasing affective, cognitive, and social dimensions of wellness (Mino-Roy et al., 2021). 

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