10 Years of CO/LAB
10 seasons. 30 partner organizations. 73 weekly classes. Hundreds of supporters. Countless volunteer hours. But the most important metric in those ten years is that CO/LAB has offered creative opportunities without limits and boundaries to over 1,300 actors with developmental disabilities…and counting!
CO/LAB was founded in 2011 by four Syracuse graduates—Laura Borgwardt, Becky Leifman, Arielle Lever, and Sarah Olbrantz—who participated in a similar program while at Syracuse. Upon moving to NYC, they searched for but could not find a comparable organization, and decided to form their own. CO/LAB has since expanded from one pilot class of 13 actors to a full schedule of theater classes for individuals with developmental disabilities, and we have developed dozens of original musicals and ensemble-created theatrical performances.
Explore the pages below to learn more about how we became the organization we are today.
Season History
Take a peek at our first 10 years, season by season. Watch video highlights from our performances, explore photo galleries, and follow along with our most important milestone moments.
10-Year Participants
Meet some of the Actors, Teaching Artists, and Supporting Artists who have been with us from the very beginning—the CO/LAB all-stars who have spent ten years growing with us, building our ensemble, and welcoming new actors to our CO/LAB family.
Consistent Donors
Meet the people who donated to CO/LAB when we were a fledgling company ten years ago. With their consistent support, they have helped us grow into the organization we are today. Hear about why they started supporting CO/LAB—and why they still do.