One-woman show, Jan. 16-18, explores raising a disabled child
Janel Shoun-Smith |
Public invited to free dress rehearsal on Thursday, Jan. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Clarinda Ross, an Atlanta-based award-winning actress of the stage and screen, will bring her one-woman play, “Spit Like A Big Girl,” with its eye-opening focus on the struggles and joys of raising a disabled child, to Lipscomb’s Shamblin Theatre, Jan.16-18. The public is also invited to attend a free dress rehearsal on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
Inspired by Lipscomb’s successful IDEAL program, which brings a handful of intellectually and developmentally disabled students to campus each year to earn an academic certificate, the seniors in the university’s family science program chose to bring “Spit Like A Big Girl” to campus this month to further heighten awareness of the capabilities of the disabled, said John Conger, director of the family science program.
The performance, showing Jan. 16-17 at 7:30 p.m. and Jan. 18 at 2 p.m. in Shamblin Theatre, is funded by the Caroline Cross Chair in Family and Consumer Sciences. Tickets cost $5 in advance and $10 at the door. To purchase advance tickets click here or call the Lipscomb Box Office at 615.966.7075.
“Spit Like a Big Girl” is Ross’ personal perspective on growing up Southern, the death of her father and raising her mentally disabled daughter. The play premiered at the Rubicon Theatre in Ventura, Calif. in 2009.
When Ross’ first daughter Clara was born, she was told Clara would live only a short time, but grow up she did. Ross’ play highlights the difficulties of raising a disabled child in a time when public services and health care were not as available as today, said Conger.
“The title comes from a seemingly typical journal entry when Ross was teaching her daughter, Clara, to brush her teeth and spit into the sink. But, of course, it resonates throughout the entire play and defines Clarinda,” wrote Nate Lee, in a review of the play in the Easy Reader News in California. “Again, from her heritage, she embodies big-girl ‘spit,’ meaning tenacity, character, gumption – the red-haired, Southern variety.
“In several entertaining yet poignant scenes, Ross portrays the ‘spit’ it takes to get through to medical receptionists as well as the doctors they protect, challenging them to do their jobs and help Clara,” Lee wrote.
“In particular, Ross’s story of taking Clara to the dentist – even the most seemingly advanced dentistry for such children, at UCLA – is so well told, it’s horrifying. Those who hear it would never again complain about their own experiences in the chair.”
Ross performed her first play, "From My Grandmother's Grandmother Unto Me," at Lipscomb in 1987, and said she is excited to now bring this work to campus as well.
"Everybody has a time their life where they have to deal with the medical system, or some challenge," she said. "It happened to me very young but I had a good education and the spit and gumption to handle it."
Her daughter Clara is now 26 and living in a group home operated by the United Cerebral Palsy of Los Angeles. "Clara is now the best she can be. She is living a productive life," Ross said.
Ross graduated from Appalachian State University with a bachelor’s in theater and furthered her studies at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta and at the conservatory program of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. She has worked at many major regional theaters including The Alliance Theatre in Atlanta and spent several years as a leading lady with the Atlanta Shakespeare Company.
Her feature film credits include “Blue Sky” with Jessica Lange and Tommy Lee Jones; “Fluke” with Matthew Modine and Eric Stoltz; and “The Sky Is Falling” and “View From The Top” with Gwyneth Paltrow. Her television appearances include: “Judging Amy,” “E.R.,” “In The Heat of The Night,” “I’ll Fly Away,” “United States of Tara,” “Medium” and several movies of the week.
Misty Parsley, director of Lipscomb’s IDEAL program, said this is a great time to host such an eye-opening work on campus.
“We have had students with disabilities on campus for years, but with the IDEAL program, it has brought a whole new awareness of the capabilities of people with disabilities,” she said. “Our students across all departments are getting an opportunity to relate to students with disabilities. We now have 20 departments on campus cooperating with us in some way. It’s been a really unique opportunity.”