From Auditions to Advocacy: Jenna Bainbridge’s Insights on Accessibility, Self-Expression, and Diversity in Theater

Jenna's Website: https://www.jennabainbridge.com/

Jenna on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bainbridgejenna/

Episode Highlights

🔸 A Blank Slate for Auditions
Jenna shares her unique approach to auditions, using a nondescript wheelchair to present herself as a "blank slate" for casting directors, allowing her talent to shine first and foremost.

🔸 Fashion Forward Mobility
She’s on the hunt for a vibrant new wheelchair! Jenna gets candid about how wheelchairs can be more than just functional, discussing exciting customization options like light-up wheels and personalized patches that make powerful statements—both fashion and functional.

🔸 Overcoming Barriers in Theater
Jenna recounts her journey facing discrimination in both sports and theater due to her disability. With the unwavering support of her parents and sheer determination, she found her place in theater companies that celebrated disability and diversity, leading her to a historic role on Broadway.

🔸 A Voice for Change
Her consulting business, Consultability, champions the mantra that access needs are human needs. Jenna is pioneering a shift in the theater world by advocating for more inclusive and accessible environments for everyone.

🔸 Representation Matters
From her major break at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival to performing on Broadway, Jenna underscores the importance of casting actors with disabilities in diverse roles—more than checkbox diversity but genuine inclusion based on talent and capability.

🔸 The Power of Community Support
Erik and Jenna reflect on the crucial role of community and support systems in their respective journeys, highlighting how encouragement and advocacy from loved ones and mentors open doors and create lasting impacts.