The Interacting Origin Story

The story of Interacting began in 2004 with a collaboration between Paula Crimmens and Stuart Spackman. Stuart asked Paula to direct a play that he had written called Captain Cutless and the Pirate Girls, which was then staged at Te Atatū Community Centre. 

 

At the time, both Paula and Stuart were at the forefront of a growing movement that used creative arts as a way to foster greater community inclusion. Paula held a Master’s degree in Creative Arts Therapy and had already authored two books on the subject. Stuart, an avid supporter of the arts, had just founded Kotuku Trust (now A Supported Life) and was leading creative programs that engaged marginalised communities.

 

Two years later, they produced a sequel called The Deadly House Party, which was performed at Glen Eden Playhouse with full costumes, lighting and a support crew. The experience was so positive and empowering that Paula was inspired to expand her work and in 2006 she formed Interacting Disability Theatre Trust.

 

The primary mission of Interacting was to empower individuals with disabilities through drama and the arts. The company’s first theatrical production, Into the Naughty Corner, featured six actors devising scenes based on their personal experiences growing up with a disability. It was performed in schools and at the inaugural Auckland Fringe Festival. 

 

The following year, Interacting collaborated with the Cerebral Palsy Society and Focus 2000 to create A World in Focus, a multimedia production combining music, poetry, dance, and storytelling from ten performers with physical disabilities. Interacting also partnered with Mt Tabor to celebrate its 30th anniversary with a dedicated production. At the second Auckland Fringe, they staged two shows: Journeys, another Focus 2000 collaboration, and My Head’s in a Whirl, a Shakespeare-inspired performance blending Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 

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It was around this time that Interacting began staging weekly drama classes in Mt Albert, Manurewa, Corbans Estate Arts Centre, and the North Shore. 

 

In 2009, a Interacting delegation including Stuart, Paula and some community member attended Australia’s Awakenings disability arts festival. This became the inspiration for the creation of InterACT Disability Arts Festival, a 3 day extravaganza showcasing talent from the Interacting community, special schools, and international artists. InterAct has been an annual event since 2011 and is now New Zealand’s largest disability arts festival drawing more than 3000 attendees each year.

 

In 2019, Paula also launched Acting to Advocate, a small ensemble group presenting applied theatre to promote disability rights and leadership. Their audiences include disability service users and their staff, parent groups and school students who are in transition to community services. 

 

From its humble beginnings in 2004 to the present day, Interacting Disability Arts Trust has continued to empower individuals and create a platform for the voice of people we call disabled.