named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Maddie’s Herd
Grassroots patient advocacy organization founded by company member Madison Shaw, focused on empowering pediatric patients and raising awareness and funds for Primary Immunodeficiency diseases.
SEE System
Web-based platform using documentary video to improve diagnosis and treatment of rare and difficult-to-diagnose disorders; used by CDC to train healthcare providers in autism recognition.
What If?
Original theatrical production created by the Fearless Theater Company featuring cast and crew with and without disabilities, focusing on awareness of rare diseases and disorders.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Youth Theater Arts Education 2 activities
- Build youth communication and creative skillsDevelops writing, communication, and media production skills among youth participants through structured theater and media workshops that emphasize collaboration and personal storytelling.
- Deliver Artist-In-Residence programs in NYC schoolsPartners with New York City schools to deliver Artist-In-Residence programs that engage students in theater and media production, including writing and performing original scenes and creating documentaries on personal and community experiences such as the aftermath of 9/11.
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Art Programs for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities 2 activities
- Provide free theater and media workshops for youth with disabilitiesOffers free, ongoing workshops in theater, film, TV, and radio for children and youth with disabilities ages 8–18, using improvisation and collaboration with professional artists to develop creative skills and produce original work.
- Provide performance opportunities for youth with disabilitiesProvides platforms and performance opportunities specifically for youth with disabilities through live shows, theatrical productions, and media broadcasts, fostering inclusion and artistic expression.
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Disability Rights Advocacy & Self-Advocacy Empowerment 1 activity
- Advocate for disability rights and accessibilityEngages in advocacy and public education to raise awareness about discrimination, accessibility, and social prejudices through media projects, public service announcements, and featuring advocates in programming who promote causes such as sickle cell disease and familial dysautonomia.
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Community-Engaged Theater Production 1 activity
- Create original theatrical and media works with youthCreates original theatrical, film, television, and radio productions in collaboration with youth, often centered on lived experiences of people with disabilities, performed at venues such as Lincoln Center, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Vineyard Theater, and WNYU-FM. Projects include plays, docudramas like "What If?", web series such as "The Hope Scenarios," and radio programs like "Satchmo’s Gang" and "The Wendy & Gabby Show."
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Presents family-oriented theater and media programmingPresents theatrical and media content designed for family audiences, including performances and documentaries that explore social issues, trauma, and disability experiences.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$0
Contributions & grants$0—
Program service revenue$0—
Investment income$0—
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$3K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$8K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$-17K
5 years on record · 2020–2024
relationships · 44
Who they work with
- Angelman Project Partner — Collaborated with the Angelman Project to document and follow up with participants, using its historical footage and network.
- Atlantic Acting School Partner — Partner organization that produced “A Person Thing” in which Epiphany Samuels performed.
- CUNY’s College Now Partner — Funded and supported Fearless Theater Company workshops with high school and special education students in Brooklyn, Far Rockaway, and Manhattan.
- Daniel’s Music Foundation Partner — Participant Samantha Myers takes voice lessons at Daniel’s Music Foundation, indicating an ongoing connection between the individual and organization supported through Fearless Theater participation.
- Dysautonomia Center at NYU Langone Hospital Center Partner — Partnered with the Fearless Theater Company to incorporate scientific research on familial dysautonomia into the web series, including natural history studies and photographic documentation of disease progression.
- Dysautonomia Center at New York University’s Langone Hospital Center Partner — Medical experts from the Dysautonomia Center at NYU Langone Hospital Center participate in the Hope Scenarios web series as subject matter experts.
- Familial Dysautonomia Foundation Partner — Faye Ginsburg, President of the Familial Dysautonomia Foundation, is featured as an expert participant in the Hope Scenarios web series.
- Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts Partner — Collaborates on arts education and performance opportunities for students.
- Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts Partner — Collaborates on educational and performance programs.
- Immune Deficiency Foundation Partner — Maddie Shaw serves on the teen council of the Immune Deficiency Foundation.
- Lehman College Partner — Involved through Cassandra Dobson, a nursing professor featured in season two advocating for improved care and funding for sickle cell disease.
- Lincoln Center Partner — Collaborates on performances at The Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center.
- Lincoln Center Partner — Venue for performances of The Celebration Series plays written and directed by Louise Tiranoff for The Fearless Theater Company.
- Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Partner — Presented “Claire’s Broom Detective Agency” in 1993 and hosted subsequent Fearless Theater performances and radio collaborations.
- Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. Partner — Hosts performances at venues such as the Walter Reade Theater.
- Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. Partner — Partners with the organization to support theater and arts programming for youth.
- Lower East Side Girls Club Partner — Participant Samantha Myers works at the Lower East Side Girls Club, indicating organizational affiliation linked to program participant activity.
- Make-A-Wish Foundation Partner — Samantha Myers served as an ambassador for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, indicating a partnership through individual involvement and advocacy.
- Make-a-Wish Connecticut Partner — Maddie Shaw serves as a spokesperson for Make-a-Wish Connecticut.
- NYU Tisch School of the Arts Partner — Collaborates with students from NYU Tisch School of the Arts in productions such as “What if?”
- National Organization of Rare Disorders Partner — Maddie Shaw serves as a spokesperson for the National Organization of Rare Disorders (NORD).
- New York University Partner — Collaborated with NYU programs, staff, and students to support The Fearless Theater Company, including providing a temporary home for the troupe and producing the radio series Satchmo’s Gang.
- New York University Partner — NYU-affiliated professionals including faculty and medical staff are featured as experts in the Hope Scenarios web series.
- New York University Partner — Performs and collaborates at the Black Box Theater at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
- New York University Tisch School of the Arts Partner — Collaborated with the Fearless Theater Company on a five-week workshop to produce the web series "The Hope Scenarios: Focusing the Lens on Rare Diseases."
- New York University’s Radio Department Partner — Collaborated with Fearless Theater and Lincoln Center to produce the youth radio show “The Wendy & Gabby Show.”
- New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts Partner — Collaborates on programs and workshops for young artists with and without disabilities.
- New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts Partner — Collaborates on workshops and performances, including use of the Black Box Theater.
- Passport To The Performing Arts Partner — Co-developed “The Wendy & Gabby Show” radio program with Fearless Theater and NYU’s Radio Department.
- Queens Sickle Cell Advocacy Network Partner — Represented by founder Gloria Rochester in season two of the web series, collaborating to highlight advocacy efforts for sickle cell disease awareness and treatment funding.
+ 14 more
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Art Activism to Raise Awareness of Rare Diseasesmethodology: art_activismBy using theater as a form of art activism centered on rare diseases like Sickle Cell Disease and familial dysautonomia, the organization increases public awareness and advocacy, because narrative media integrating scientific research and personal experience makes invisible conditions visible and socially legible.
- Disability-Centered Storytelling to Challenge Stigma and Promote Inclusionmethodology: disability-centered_storytellingBy producing original media and theater authored by and focused on people with disabilities, the organization advances inclusion and reduces stigma, because authentic representation disrupts stereotypes and makes lived experiences visible, reshaping societal perceptions.
- Inclusive Collaborative Art as a Platform for Social Integrationmethodology: inclusive_collaborative_artBy integrating individuals with and without disabilities into shared theater and media production across disciplines, the organization promotes social inclusion, because collaborative artistic practice builds mutual understanding and normalizes diversity in creative spaces.
- Youth-Led, Improvisation-Based Theater for Empowerment and Representationmethodology: youth_driven_improvisationBy centering youth-driven improvisation and personal lived experiences in collaborative theater creation with professional artists, the organization produces original works that empower young people with and without disabilities, because authentic self-expression fosters agency, visibility, and challenges dominant narratives about disability and youth.