On Saturday, April 1st, Mixed Blood Theatre Company of Minneapolis put on the first performance in their series called “12 x 12.” This series is 12 artists collaborating with 12 different neighborhoods throughout the Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro to create performances that represent the neighborhoods and its people.

The “12×12” series culminates with a celebration where all 12 groups get together to perform at Mixed Blood Theatre in August. Starting with the performance on April 1st there will be a new 12×12 performance (taking place in the featured neighborhood) every two weeks until August.

The performance on April 1st took place at Powderhorn Recreation Center and featured performers with disabilities talking about their experiences living with disabilities. Why focus one of the twelve neighborhoods on disability?

“[This performance is] A collaboration with and about folks with varying disabilities from across the Metro Area, it is estimated that at least 12% of the state’s population experience disability. 32 years after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, this community immerses itself in the values of the Disability Rights and Disability Justice movements—embracing the rallying cry of, ‘Nothing About Us Without Us.’”- From the 12×12 Disability Page

Our own HLAA-TC Director-At-Large and Social Media Specialist, Laura Hagemann, participated as one of the performers. Laura’s experience:

“I am not an actor or performer by any stretch of the imagination. So why did I participate in this? I wanted the experience of telling my story about disability so I get better at being an engaging storyteller. I want to be an engaging storyteller because I am actively writing my memoir. I would have never done something like this before my severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) because I was shy, nervous and anxious. After the TBI I am none of those things. It’s an amazing change that I am taking full advantage of by participating in things pre-TBI Laura never would have done. The other performers were like me and not actors. Over the course of several weeks we met primarily via Zoom to create this 15-20 minute performance. The group was led by Alison Bergblom Johnson who is an artist and is also disabled. She recruited members of the disability community online (primarily) and helped us create this piece that answered the question: What is our NOW? We ended up structuring it like a day and the performers worked in pairs standing on either side of a mirror. We mimed daily activities (brushing teeth, talking to pets) while talking outloud to ourselves in the mirror talking about our experiences with disability. Each person had a different disability (although there was another woman with a brain injury as well). I spoke specifically about my Traumatic Brain Injury and how it has resulted in hearing loss. I hope that by sharing my story that I drew attention to the issues of brain injury and hearing loss.” -Laura Hagemann

To learn more about the 12×12 series and reserve tickets for upcoming shows (you can attend either in person or virtually), visit this website: https://mixedblood.com/12-x-12/

12 x 12 Performance Schedule:

• • April 1st Disability x Alison Bergblom Johnson in Powderhorn at Powderhorn Recreation Center
  • April 15th Subversive Sirens (Synchronized Swimmers) in Phillips at the Phillips Aquatic Center
  • April 29th Rachel Noon x Maplewood at the Maplewood Mall
  • May 6th Ernest Briggs x Westside at Parque de Castillo in St. Paul 
  • May 20th Reinaldo Moya x Northeast, Location TBD
  • June 11th  Yia Vang x Brooklyn Center at Brooklyn Center Community Center- Constitution Hall
  • TBD Hawona Sullivan Janzen x Rondo, Location TBD
  • June 24th Trans/non-binary (performed in Loring Park x Bryce Burton, Loring Park
  • July 1st Katie Ka Vang x Little Mekong, Location TBD
  • July 29th Joe Davis x North Minneapolis at The Capri
  • August 5th Cedar-Riverside x Ifrah Mansour at Currie Park
  • August 18th Brownbody x Woodbury at Ojibway Park (Woodbury Days)
  • August 19th and 20th All 12 Groups at Mixed Blood Theatre, Minneapolis 

Next HLAA-TC Meeting is Saturday, April 15th (9:30am-12:00pm) and Shari Eberts will be speaking about “How to Live Skillfully with Hearing Loss.” To request a Zoom meeting link, email secretary@hlaatc.org

Next HLAA-TC Book Club is on Tuesday, April 25th (7:00pm until 8:30/9:00 pm). The book is “True Biz” by Sara Novic (a novel). For a book club meeting link, email social@hlaatc.org