EXSTROPHY
EXSTROPHY
Friday, April 10, 2026 | Running Time: 45 min| Dramedy
CW// Contains flash & strobe lighting | scenes depicting horror/nightmares,
medical interrogation, topic of chronic medical conditions |stage-adapted portrayal of bladder exstrophy
Presented by St. Patrick Catholic Secondary School
Inspired by the true story of a St. Pats student, sixteen-year-old Clara lives with a rare neurogenic medical condition that shapes every part of her daily life. Despite the limits placed on her body, Clara is a gifted dancer who dreams of competing at the highest level. When an unexpected audition presents itself, Clara makes a secret and risky choice to go after her dream. Will she push past the boundaries of her condition—or discover the cost of going too far?
Last year, while brainstorming play ideas, my friend Julia said jokingly, “You should write a play about me.” I had initially shut her down, but soon realized we had a story worth telling. Julia and I are similar. We share a love of the arts – competitive dance and musical theatre respectively – and both live with chronic health conditions. Art has become our way of navigating health challenges, and a medium to share our experiences. I began to wonder: Why aren't there any stories told from the patient perspective? And why are patients always victims of their own bodies?
Mainstream media antagonizes health conditions, framing them as battles to be won. Patient experiences are reduced to drama, doctors are glorified, and the person within the condition is ignored. ‘Exstrophy’ explores the more nuanced and uncomfortable story of living with a hidden disability and the stigma around bodily functions. It challenges the bias that presents differences as burdensome and limiting.
The writing process required a delicate balance of medical accuracy, authenticity, and entertainment. Dialogue constantly swings between dense medical jargon and unrealistic representation. Only by collaborating across lived experiences – disabled and able-bodied – did our writing team realize this vision. Inspired by Julia, the juxtaposition of athletic dance performed through a ‘broken’ body became the heart of ‘Exstrophy’. Our story embraces coexisting with medical challenges, rather than defeating them. While we all have our limitations, we can choose how to live alongside them – and learn to thrive.
-By Chloe Fleisher (Grade 12)
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