Dr. Aimee Levesque

Allow me to introduce Dr. Aimee Levesque who runs the Inclusive Theatre of WNY. As a mom, she created this theatre to give EVERYONE an opportunity to perform <3

You can find more about her at @inclusivetheaterofwny

What made you start or brought you where you are today ? Tell us your Story. What makes you a Buffalo Boss Babe?

In November of 2015, Inclusive Theater of WNY (ITOWNY) was born. I am a professor and writer in terms of my day-to-day work, but the greatest role I have ever had is that of being mom to my daughter Jessica, and she is why ITOWNY came to be. As a child, Jessica always wanted to be an actor, but opportunities were always limited for her. Why? Because she has autism. Whenever she had the rare opportunity of auditioning for a play, she would be relegated to the background, where she could participate only by snapping her fingers or dancing as part of an ensemble. She was never given the opportunity to audition for roles that had lines, which baffled me because her rote memory skills are incredible. Jessica can remember lines like no one I have ever met. Not only that, but she also remembers other actors in the plays’ lines. So why wasn’t she given theater opportunities? It just didn’t make sense to me. I soon discovered that we weren’t the only people encountering this lack of opportunity. I noticed that there was a great need for more inclusivity across the Arts. Actors with disabilities existed within the theater arena, but they were not being integrated into the acting community. I also noticed the disparities that existed for people from a wide variety of diverse backgrounds and cultures, and it made sense to me to unify these groups; to come together and create art. These artists need the same opportunities for artistic expression and growth that other folks are given—they need to be challenged, they need opportunities to perform, and they need a safe space to do so. By creating these opportunities, it was my hope that we would learn not only about our differences and how special they make us, but also learn about the things that tie us together – our humanity. So, I decided to do something about it. I am not the type of person who waits for opportunity to happen; I am a firm believer that if an opportunity doesn’t exist, it’s your job to create it and so ITOWNY came to be.

Who are your favorite people to follow ?

I follow a wide range of artists from across the globe; people do some pretty amazing things. I also learn so much from writers, agents of change, as well as strong women who lift each other up.

What are your favorite things to do in the area ? Buffalo and greater WNY

I love all things Buffalo! I especially enjoy attending WNY literary events, theater performances, concerts, and festivals. I also spend a lot of time photographing places and things that I find interesting; Buffalo’s history is so rich, and I love discovering all the treasures that she holds – old and new!

Tell us about your favorite collaboration or dream collaborations ?*

My favorite collaborations are all of them; collaboration allows voices to be heard, provides a space for growth and learning, and gives opportunity for people to explore who they are in a safe environment. Theater is innately a collaborative experience, which I think is why many of us get involved with it and I am open to all collaborative opportunities that allow us to learn from and grow with each other.

If you could have coffee with anyone in the world who would it be?

My younger self. I’d give her a great big hug. I wouldn’t necessarily tell her to do anything different except for maybe telling her not to care about what other people think about her and that everything will turn out just fine.

What are your hopes, dreams, goals. Big or small?

As for ITOWNY, I hope it continues to grow. ITOWNY is so special and is such a tremendous asset to our community. I am so excited to see where our journey takes us.

Tell us about your family?

My daughter Jessica and I live in Buffalo with our two cats, Waffles and Binx. We love horror movies, conventions, Bruce Campbell, and pizza. My parents and sister also live in WNY and my brother and his family live in North Carolina. Most of my extended family is also in the WNY area. I also believe that your chosen family is so very important; we are so grateful to have many friends in our lives that we love and enjoy spending time with. You know who you are xo.

FEEL GOOD FAVORITES

Restaurant in Buffalo:

All of them! Seriously, though support local restaurants!

Color:

Red

Super Power:

Being Awesome!

Animal :

Unicorn

Season of the year:

Fall! Hooray for spooky season!

Favorite thing about Buffalo / WNY:

How “small” it feels and how supportive and loving the WNY community is!