Windsor theatre performer hopes locally-shot original comedy series changes perception of people with disabilities
In the few years since he became completely blind and lost both of his legs in back-to-back amputations, Michael Potter says he is used to people treating him differently — almost to the point of insulting.
But through the creation of a new comedy series set to be filmed in Windsor, Potter hopes to redefine narratives surrounding people with disabilities by challenging societal norms and fostering a more inclusive entertainment industry.
Potter is an actor, co-creator, and executive producer for (up)Staged.
The eight-episode original comedy series is centred around a small independent theatre company which operates a small black box venue, exploring the experiences, challenges, quirks, and relationships of local artists.
up(Staged) is based off of Windsor-based Post Productions and the Shadowbox Theatre located near the corner of Howard Avenue and Shepherd Street East.
According to Potter, the series aims to challenge public perceptions of people with disabilities by featuring a diverse cast which showcases their talents and capabilities.
(Up)Staged is a locally created and produced eight-episode original comedy series. (Sanjay Maru/CTV News Windsor) "We want to show the reality. A lot of disabled people work and can do a lot of things. It's just that people don't notice because we're invisible and the culture has conditioned us to see disabled people as objects of pity or objects of inspiration," said Potter. "Both of those extremes are dehumanizing and insulting."
After one of his legs was amputated in 2010, Potter was diagnosed with end-stage proliferative retinopathy in 2018. His vision was completely gone by May 2022, he said.
During the pandemic, Potter's other leg was amputated after what he described as a "freak series of occurrences."
But, despite these obstacles, Potter has remained active in Windsor's arts and theatre scene.
"I'm the managing director of our theatre company. I direct plays. I produce plays. I act in plays I write — and I'm also multiply-disabled," said Potter.
Fay Lynn, who also serves as an actor, co-creator, and executive producer for (up)Staged, said initial scripts started being written in 2021.
Fay Lynn, actor, co-creator, and executive producer for (up)Staged, seen on May 4, 2024. (Sanjay Maru/CTV News Windsor)She credits the pandemic for sparking the series' inception, as a small group of performers continued staging theatre shows in Windsor while adhering to COVID-19 health guidelines.
"It brought us closer together in a lot of ways. The few people in our theatre bubble that we were working with started telling stories about their theatre days and backstage experiences. So we thought, 'This could be a series. I'd watch that.' So let's just make it happen," said Lynn. "Since then, we've employed just over 50 local artists, including actors, cinematographers, and graphic artists. We're paying people for their work. That's a big move for us because we're trying to really treat this like an industry."
up(Staged) will be shot like a "mockumentary" — a style of filmmaking which depicts fictional events but is shot similarly to a documentary.
"The comedy and the pace is very quick," said Lynn, adding they would like to extend up(Staged) being just one season. "It will be shot mostly at the Shadowbox Theatre...but in this first season, we also go to several local businesses and parks. We're hoping to shoot a lot of the city so that we can really showcase Windsor."
The big obstacle for the production crew is securing the financial capital necessary to bring the series to life.
A Kickstarter campaign is expected to be launched May 10.
"We're asking for quite a bit but we're asking for what we need," said Lynn, adding a plan is in place to get (up)Staged in front of viewers' eyes.
"We have a two-part plan. The first is to release it online and sell it independently for download. It'll be eight episodes for 25 dollars. Eventually, the plan is to pitch it to one of the major streaming platforms."
As for Potter, he has one wish for anyone who watches an episode, beyond simply "having a good laugh and enjoying themselves."
"We hope what people take away from watching (up)Staged is that there is a lot of variety in humanity. We're focusing on artists — and artists are a strange group of people," said Potter. "We meet a lot of interesting people because the arts is a lot more welcoming than most other spaces."
He continued, "So I hope people feel a greater sense of connection to a broader and more diverse range of human beings after they see (up)Staged."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Dangerous brew: Ocean heat and La Nina combo likely mean more Atlantic hurricanes this summer
Get ready for what nearly all the experts think will be one of the busiest Atlantic hurricane seasons on record, thanks to unprecedented ocean heat and a brewing La Nina.
Was this the bug that stung you? Wasp sightings revive murder-hornet concerns; no detections confirmed
As temperatures rise out of a mild El Nino winter, Canada's buggy season is already upon us again, and this year, the bugs are looking especially big.
New bill would let Canadians to pass citizenship rights down to children born abroad
A new government bill tabled in the House of Commons on Thursday would allow Canadians to pass citizenship rights down to their children born outside the country — a move that would add an unknown number of new citizens.
Potential tornado 'surreal' for residents who witnessed damaging storm in southern Ontario
Witnessing a potential tornado was 'surreal' for residents who caught a glimpse of the damaging storm in southern Ontario on Wednesday night.
Hundreds have applied for this 'adventurer' job in Banff National Park
Coined as Banff's 'ultimate summer job,' the Moraine Lake Bus Company says hundreds of people from across the world have applied for its adventurer position.
'We'll need all hands on deck': Details emerge after deadly boat crash near Kingston, Ont.
Police say they have wrapped up their on-scene investigation into a deadly boat crash in eastern Ontario as details of the incident begin to emerge.
'Looking over our shoulders': A killing looms large in a little B.C. town
Something shifted in the pretty little village of Lumby, B.C., after Tatjana Stefanski vanished.
WestJet planning new fare category for travellers willing to forgo carry-on bag
WestJet Airlines plans to launch a new cheaper fare category that would be available to travellers willing to fly without a carry-on bag.
Jennifer Lopez's response to question about Ben Affleck is a reminder of their decades of love in the spotlight
Plenty of people are wondering if Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are having problems in their marriage, but one person had the nerve to ask in a public forum.