Sunbury locals are invited to mark International Day of People with Disability this year with the launch of a powerful new theatre work that puts lived experience front and centre.
Stories from the Waiting Room: Lived Experiences of Disability Rights, presented by the community arts initiative My Story, will debut on Wednesday, 3 December, at the Hume Global Learning Centre in Sunbury. The free event aims to bring the community together to hear directly from people with disability and to reflect on how personal storytelling can shift attitudes and inspire change.
The morning begins at 10.30am with morning tea, followed by the My Story performance and Q&A from 11am to 12.30pm in the centre’s conference room. Organisers say the production blends theatrical storytelling with real-life accounts that highlight both the challenges and the strength within Victoria’s disability community.
Co-designed and performed by a cast of disabled artists, My Story “challenges stereotypes and conventional practices in disability support by putting lived experience on the stage”, according to Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health, which leads the project. The performance has been funded through the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission Grants Program.
In line with the event’s focus on access and inclusion, the show will feature embedded Auslan, descriptive language and a relaxed performance environment. Audio description will also be available on request.
Organisers hope the launch will reinforce the importance of elevating disabled voices and help build a deeper understanding across the community. They say the production’s intimate narratives offer a rare and honest window into the realities behind disability rights, advocacy, and navigating support systems.
Attendance is free – register here – and community members, supporters, and allies are warmly encouraged to take part.