Jacqueline Tooley is our new Accessibility Manager

Jacqueline Tooley
Administrator & Accessibility Manager
Photo by Clare Hawley

Jacqueline Tooley has been working at Darlinghurst Theatre Company as our amazing Administrator since 2017. This year, she’s come on board as our new Accessibility Manager and wants to ensure that disabled audience members and artists alike will feel welcomed and safe at our theatre to share in the magic of live performance.

We had a chat with Jacqueline to ask her more about herself and her new role:

Let’s start with your career in the arts so far…where did you start your arts career, and where did you work before DTC?

Although I have a degree in communications and theatre studies, I actually started off in classical music, working for a classical recording company in Melbourne before moving to the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. It wasn’t till I moved to London that I actually started working in the wonderful world of theatre! Once I moved back to Sydney I knew I had to continue in theatre and did some marketing work for Gordon Frost Organisation before landing at Darlo. I am also a playwright and filmmaker.

How long have you been at DTC and in what role/s?

I have been at Darlo since 2017, first as Administrator and now as Accessibility Manager.

Can you tell me about your new role and what its focus will be?

I am so excited to be creating this new role with the ferocious support of Darlo! My focus will be on making theatre (specifically Darlo) as accessible as possible to as many members of the community as possible. This pertains to patrons with disability and other access needs, but also artists both on and off our stages.

What does accessibility mean to you?

How much time have you got? Many non-disabled people often think that disabled folk don’t often attend the theatre so there’s no need to put accessible policies in place. The reality is that disabled people often can’t access the venues whether it’s a lack of Auslan interpreted performances or no wheelchair access (just to name a couple in-accessibilities). There’s the age old saying of “if you build it, they will come”. The time for ignoring disabled audiences is over and I hope other theatres and arts venues re-access their own accessibility. Accessibility to me also means the stories being told. It cannot be understated the importance of disabled people seeing disabled stories being told BY disabled artists.

What do you hope to achieve in this role?

My biggest hope is that disabled audience members and artists alike will feel welcomed and safe at our theatre to share the magic of live performance. I also hope that non-disabled people will see that disability is not a terrible scary thing. From a artist perspective, I want to help directors and producers to change their perspective around working with artists with disability and chronic illness. Disabled people have so much to contribute to the arts and I want to help provide a platform for them to do that.

Can you tell us more about your disability and the importance of workplaces meeting access needs?

I have a fluctuating disability – no two days are the same! I have to be flexible and kind to myself when I can’t do something I could do the day before. I have a very open and honest ongoing dialogue with Darlo around my access needs, and they have worked with me to put in place the accommodations that I need to do my job. It’s frustrating that so many employers are not willing to do this or even hire disabled or chronically ill people in the first place. Darlo is a great example of how easy it is to put accessibility in place.

Where do you hope DTC will be in five years’ time when it comes to accessibility?

I want DTC to be the leader in venue accessibility.

Who is someone that inspires you?

I am such a fan of British actress Ruth Madeley. She is challenging the way the industry look at disabled actors and is just sooo cool. I am also inspired by local theatre maker Jamila Main. They are so honest on their Instagram about their experiences as both a performer and audience member with a disability and I think they are just fabulous!