Our Mission
Phamaly Theatre Company's mission is to be a creative home for theatre artists with disabilities; to model a disability-affirmative theatrical process; and to upend conventional narratives by transforming individuals, audiences, and the world.
Our Vision
Phamaly Theatre Company strives to create a world in which disability and the differences within the human condition are celebrated and the theatre experience is accessible and welcoming to all.
About the Company: Then
In 1989, PHAMALy (Physically Handicapped Amateur Musical Actors League) was founded by five students from the Boettcher School in Denver, all living with disabilities, who had grown frustrated with the lack of theatrical opportunities for people living with disabilities. In 1990 PHAMALy produced its first show - Guys and Dolls.
PHAMALy's founders were ahead of their time in building an inclusive organization that directly served disenfranchised individuals with disabilities from all racial, ethnic, gender, and class identities. Throughout its history, Phamaly has maintained its dedication to this principle of inclusion while creating innovative reinventions of established works.
About the Company: Now
Today, the organization has changed its name to Phamaly Theatre Company (PTC), but its dedication to exclusively featuring actors with disabilities continues. At every performance, you will see actors with all nature of disabilities: physical, cognitive, intellectual, and emotional. PTC gives actors a supportive space to explore and develop their craft, empowers artists within their disability identity, educates the community about access and inclusion, and entertains audiences with high-quality, award winning theatre.
Our Values
Community
Phamaly is passionate about creating and supporting all members of its community – on stage and off.
Authenticity
Phamaly celebrates the unconventional and uplifts human uniqueness.
Disability-affirmative
Phamaly has pride in the disability identity and believes in a non-hierarchical view of disability.
Artistic Excellence
Phamaly believes diverse voices and experiences are essential to the creative process and the most effective artistic endeavors stem from a people-first approach.
Innovation
Phamaly is fiercely committed to deconstructing barriers so theatre artists with disabilities can work freely and productively and do their best work.
Adaptation
Phamaly believes in disability as a creative asset and artistic aesthetic that can transform conventional stories and unlock creative potential.
Humor
Phamaly is bold, courageous, and irreverent, creating a safe space to allow for laughter, vulnerability, and fearlessness.
Our Commitment to Justice, Equity, and Access
Phamaly acknowledges the presence and pervasive history of racism, ableism, sexism, ethnocentrism, gender bias, ageism, and economic inequity that filters through the arts and greater society. We strive to actively dismantle these and other forms of inequity and inequality in every aspect of our work. We believe the inclusion of all community members makes our art stronger.
Phamaly's mission-driven focus is to engage people with disabilities. In addition, we commit to intentionally creating a safe and welcoming space for people of all social identities, including the Deaf community, people of color, Native American and Indigenous and First Nations, women, non-binary and gender non-confirming, and LGBTQIA2+.
We believe that everyone deserves comprehensive access to transformative artistic experiences, and it is the responsibility of everyone who engages with the arts - appreciators, supporters, participants, creators - to make this a reality.
