RespectAbility Entertainment Professionals Lab, Summer 2023
Shannon Rayne
Shannon Rayne is a Vancouver-based writer, educator, and former improv storyteller who got her start telling stories on stage with a troupe of dancers, musicians, and once a clown. Her playful and emotional narratives have inspired a range of creative collaborations, including a baritone opera singer whose career highlight surely was bellowing out her words: “beer fart.”
Her love of collaboration led her to writing for television and sketch comedy. Since completing an MFA in Creative Writing, she’s had several short films screen at the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival, received top honours for two comedy TV pilots at the Austin Film Festival, and was selected for development mentorship by CBC Executives through their AccessCBC program for a half-hour comedy.
Shannon writes heartfelt and comedic stories about women and girls embracing unique paths. She draws inspiration from her own off-kilter path of leaving her anxiety research career to return to grad school after a head injury forced her to embrace change, uncertainty, and her passion for storytelling. When she’s not writing, she teaches creative writing to stuffed unicorns and the wee silly children who own them. Entertaining children (aka teaching kids online) has infused her writing with a playful sense of whimsy that she brings to all her scripts, collaborations, and dance breaks.
Learn More
After an extensive search and interview process, 20 individuals were invited to participate in the Virtual Cohort of RespectAbility’s 2023 Entertainment Lab taking place August 14 – September 21, 2023. This 6-week Lab aims to develop and elevate the talent pipeline of disabled entertainment professionals working behind-the-scenes in television, film, and streaming, while connecting them with industry professionals and creatives. Participants include people with physical, cognitive, sensory, mental health, other disabilities, and multiple disabilities ranging in age from the 20s through the 50s. The Lab is a recipient of The Roddenberry Foundation Impact Award and is made possible with support from The Harnisch Foundation and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Charitable Trust.
