Our Mission
About Our Name
When you have a disability, you live with a lot of labels. Labels that other people put on you. In some cases, you have labels slapped on you before you’re even born. Most of those labels aren’t particularly helpful.
So we’re ripping off those labels: Unlabeled Theatre Company.
What We Do
The full scope of Unlabeled Theatre Company work includes:
1. Our inclusive theatre performances, featuring theatre artists with cognitive and/or physical disabilities or who are neurodivergent.
2. Daily arts-centered classes designed to increase life skills in community involvement, personal independence, health & wellness, and vocational abilities.
3. Meaningful employment for adults with disabilities across our organization. Intentionally hiring freelance artists with disabilities for photography, graphic design, layout, and artwork. Training our company artists with disabilities to fulfill production roles such as stage manager, light board operator, and prop construction.
4. Developing inclusive theatre programming for high schools and colleges across the United States.
5. Using our (eventual) space as a resource to help other disability-focused organizations. Hosting training sessions, galas, events and classes.
Our Team
We have an experienced team with a deep background in disability, theatre, education, and organizational management (corporate and nonprofit). Together, core theatre and program staff have more than 30+ years of education and disability programming as the team responsible for creating and running ‘Theatre For All’ for a decade. In addition, our team has years in corporate and nonprofit development and communications, as well as profitable independent business experiences. In short, we know how to do this, and we do this well.
Chris spent 15 years in corporate communications and public relations for companies like Target, Honeywell, Padilla, and CaringBridge. He then left the corporate world to create YoYo Donuts, an independent, award-winning donut shop. He ran and grew YoYo Donuts for nearly 15 years, before selling the business in early 2023. His personal interest in disability began two decades ago, when his twin daughters were unexpectedly born as micro-preemies. A lifelong theatre fan, he was thrilled when they were able to experience inclusive theatre as part of Edina High School’s ‘Theatre For All’ program. Realizing that the majority of those inclusive opportunities ended after high school, he founded Unlabeled Theatre Company in early 2023, where he serves as its Executive Director.
Jessica Froehlich holds a BFA in Theatre from MaryMount Manhattan College as well as a Master’s degree in Education from St. Thomas University. She received dance training from an early age, working with Italian ballet masters as well as Broadway veterans. Jess taught theatre, dance and English at Edina High School for 23 years. During that tenure, some of the favorite shows she directed and choreographed include Chicago, A Chorus Line, and Little Shop of Horrors, which all received numerous Spotlight awards from the Hennepin Theatre Trust. She is the co-founder of Theatre For All, the groundbreaking inclusive theatre program at Edina High School, which has become a model for inclusive high school theatre. She retired from EHS in June 2023, and joined Unlabeled Theatre Company as Artistic Director. A lifelong music lover, she is a master tour guide and tour guide trainer at Paisley Park, where she also serves as a Master of Ceremonies for world-class musical events.
Lisa taught special education at Edina High School for 20 years, working with students of all needs levels – from those with multiple/complex disabilities to neurotypical students. She is the other co-founder of Theatre For All. Lisa created ArtWork Studios & ArtWork Kitchen, a vocational training program for students with disabilities. She was the founder and club advisor for Hornet Connections (later renamed Edina Unified,) the first program for students with and without disabilities at Edina High School. Lisa’s dedication to working with the disability community began when she was just ten years old, when she decided she was going to be a special education teacher. (Seriously.) Lisa has been involved with Special Olympics Minnesota for 30 years – including as a coach, unified schools coordinator, team manager, and unified sports/youth leadership partner. She was head coach of the Edina Hornets, the first team with assisted athletes in Special Olympics MN. She established Hornet Connections / Edina Unified, which was one of the original four champion schools in Minnesota. Lisa was honored to be named Special Olympics MN Coach of the Year in 2002. She was also selected to coach the first MN United Unified Soccer team, in partnership with MN United FC. She also coached Team Minnesota, the basketball team for the first Special Olympics National Games.
Our Board
- Peter Espinosa
- Eric Molho