Makenzie Morgan Gomez Launches A Chorus Line Video
Performer changes the narrative for disabled theatre artists
(New York, NY) Dynamically disabled performer Makenzie Morgan Gomez has launched Music and the Mirror (& Mobility Aids) across social media platforms. This reinterpretation of “Music and the Mirror,” adapted from Marvin Hamlisch and Ed Kleban’s Pulitzer-prize-winning musical A Chorus Line, features one-minute segments on Gomez’s Instagram and TikTok. Each new segment between November 23rd – November 28th led up to the iconic dance break that many die-hard theatre fans will recognize.
The full six-minute video launched on Gomez’s YouTube on November 29th.
Gomez learned Michael Bennett & Bob Avian’s original Broadway choreography with the assistance of Cassidy Stoner. Together, Gomez and Stoner adapted each section to the mobility aid that worked best for Gomez’s body while maintaining the artistic integrity and dynamics of the original choreography.
“The disabled dancer representation on social media primarily features wheelchair users, so paving the way for other mobility aid users is incredibly exciting,” says Gomez.
For over a decade, Gomez danced professionally. When the onset of autoimmune disorder symptoms and musculoskeletal chronic pain struck, it became a struggle to walk even a few steps unassisted. Gomez saw this new development as both a threat and a call to action toward her future as a dancer.
With the help of medical specialists and a dynamically disabled online community, Gomez discovered she was not alone and learned how to accommodate her new needs. This year, Gomez went back to auditioning regularly and landed her first Off-Broadway play. With reliable creative adaptations, she has made her way back to performing.
“I am empowered in class and in performances to adapt choreography and roles to the mobility aid that works best for the character, a challenge unique to ambulatory mobility aid users with multiple aids,” said Gomez. “It’s one thing to tell people what I can do. ‘Music and the Mirror’ and my new disability-informed interpretation aim to show it.”
Gomez has high hopes for influencing change in the industry, especially for disabled people of color.
“I want this concept piece to serve as a jumping-off point for future conversations. I hope that casting directors, creative teams, and all fellow performers will be inspired by my video and explore disability-informed artistry moving forward.”
Videography and video editing by Sam Lobel Photography.
Captured at Gibney Dance. Directed and produced by Makenzie Morgan Gomez.
Voice of Zach by Kevin Shiu. Backing track by Broadway Studio Orchestra.
Dress by Halara. Shoes by LaDuca. Press and social media strategy by Mara Jill Herman.
Crutches by SmartCrutch USA and wheelchair by Ki Mobility.
Watch Music and the Mirror (& Mobility Aids) on YouTube.
To continue the dialogue and receive notifications about the full video launch, visit Creative Adaptations and subscribe.
ABOUT MAKENZIE MORGAN GOMEZ
Makenzie Morgan Gomez (she/they) is a Mexican-American, queer, dynamically disabled performer based in Brooklyn, NY. She is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and recently made her Off-Broadway debut starring as Libby in Neil Simon’s I Ought To Be In Pictures at Theatre Row. She used both a cane and manual wheelchair in the show, and critics shared that doing so “seamlessly blends… in without needing to alter the story.” She is represented by MMV Talent.
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