With support from the California Arts Council, Rogue Artists Ensemble will support disabled artist and audience access for Schlitzie: Alive and Inside the Decaying Sideshow, an immersive play that illuminates preconceived notions about the golden age of American sideshow and its community of performers, many of whom were disabled. Schlitzie will be one of the first accessibility-minded immersive productions created in Los Angeles, opening the door to a living history through the lens of disability awareness and inclusivity. Funding will support accessibility needs, ASL translation, transportation costs and ticket giveaways to disabled community members, breaking down the access limitations that are typical of most immersive theater.
Rogue creates original works of theater incorporating mask, puppetry and modern technology. We believe in collaboration as an approach for creating work and frequently partner and work closely with guest artists, diverse communities and other arts organizations to realize projects.
We have a strong commitment to community outreach and educational programs including school workshops and classes for adults, many of which are provided for free. Our all-ages shows have toured throughout California to small community events and schools, in addition to larger venues including The Geffen Playhouse, The Pasadena Playhouse, Segerstrom Performing Arts Center, Rio Hondo College, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and the National Puppetry Festival in Minneapolis. Rogue has received accolades from critics in LA and a UNIMA Citation of Excellence, the highest honor within the puppetry community. We have also received Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle and LA Stage Alliance Awards.
We believe that storytelling is a powerful platform for social inclusion and cultural exchange. All Rogue projects are built in collaboration and conversation with our audiences across the greater community of L.A. These interactions inspire us to create responsively, with inclusion at the core of our work. We strive to include a multitude of voices and perspectives in the planning and implementation of each project’s development, as well as through the company’s administrative operations. Theater is a living art form that requires inherent intellectual and emotional exchange between audience and performers, and our values are put into practice through listening, responding, and refining. The art we create emerges in dialogue with audience feedback.

