Local TV show profiles disabled

When Frank Borres meets a person with a disability who has accomplished great things, he sometimes has to remind himself not to regard that person as extraordinary.

Borres, who lives in Bridgeport, is the producer of "Able Lives," a Connecticut Public Television series that focuses on the lives of people with a wide range of disabilities, including blindness, hearing impairment, mobility issues and learning disabilities. A number of these people have jobs, families, and are active members of their communities, and have learned not to let their limitations get in their way. Though that sounds impressive, Borres said the purpose of the program is to show that it shouldn't be considered extraordinary.

"When we started this series, we were inspired and surprised by the people we met," Borres said. "But now we're learning that that's the point — that we don't have to be inspired or surprised. These are just people like us."

"Able Lives" is a half-hour series launched last year, as a partnership between CPTV and agencies including the Connecticut Council on Development Disabilities. The series has received critical acclaim, including an award for best public and current affairs programming at the New England Emmy Awards in Boston last month. CPTV also is looking to take the show national.

But Borres said the success of the show is just an added bonus. Its real purpose is to put a spotlight on a group of people traditionally overlooked by the media. "In a wonderful

world there wouldn't need to be a special show [about people with disabilities]," he said. Borres is a film and television producer who has worked on a number of projects through Borres Productions, the TV arm of his multi-media production company American View Productions, which he runs out of his home. Three years ago, he made a documentary for CPTV called "The Challenge," about people with intellectual disabilities. That eventually led to the decision to make a series about people with disabilities, which became "Able Lives."

The "Able Lives" format is that of a "docuzine" — part documentary, part newsmagazine. Borres said this allows the show to feature multiple stories in each episode.

Once the project began, Borres and his staff started looking for people whose lives would make for interesting stories. One challenge they faced in this process was determining exactly what constituted a "disability."

"That was an ongoing conversation," said associate producer and co-writer Sarah Ficca. "Everyone has their own definition of what it means to be disabled."

For instance, she said, would people with mental illness be included in that definition? What about people with hearing impairment, whom Ficca said generally don't consider themselves disabled?

Eventually, the team decided on a relatively broad definition of disability, making room for nearly anyone with a condition that severely impacted multiple areas of his or her life.

Borres also held open auditions to select hosts for the show, and settled on Anthony J. Dennis, of South Windsor, and Therese A. Nadeau of Glastonbury. Nadeau uses a wheelchair, and Dennis has multiple sclerosis.

Dennis was diagnosed with MS in 2004. He said he heard about the auditions not long after returning to work after a six-month medical leave, and felt the show would be a good opportunity to "do something positive with this experience."

He said he likes the idea of a series that draws attention to others with disabilities, and the ways they cope with the hand they've been dealt. "It shows the diversity and variety of the challenges that people face and the talent they show in facing these challenges," Dennis said. "There are amazing people out there, living amazing lives."

As far as finding these people, Ficca said she initially went through agencies such as the Connecticut Council on Development Disabilities and the state Department of Mental Retardation to find contacts. The ideal "Able Lives" story is dramatic and interesting, with a compelling personality at its center, Ficca said.

"The story has to be about an engaging person whom you like," she said.

For instance, the first season included features on people such as Tommy Edison, a visually-impaired traffic reporter for the radio station Star 99.9 WEZN FM, and a couple with three autistic sons.

Many people spotlighted in the series have disabilities that aren't initially obvious. Borres said that's intentional, as people with so-called "hidden disabilities," such as MS, are often denied assistance, or are otherwise discriminated against. The show also provides little details about the exact nature of the disabilities faced by those featured. Borres said that's in keeping with the series' mission, which is to emphasize that these are just regular people leading regular lives.

"We're not going to go through the effort of explaining [the disability]," he said. "We don't need to." A new version of "Able Lives," called "Able Lives, Inc." begins airing 9 p.m. Thursday on CPTV. Running for five episodes, "Able Lives, Inc." still features Dennis and Nadeau as hosts, but whereas "Able Lives" focused on general issues facing people with disabilities, "Able Lives, Inc." focuses on people in the workforce.

For instance, the first episode features a Waterbury public works employee left disabled by an accident, and how he managed to continue working for the city following his injury. Both Ficca and Borres said they're excited by the positive response "Able Lives" has received, particularly the recent Emmy recognition. But Borres emphasized that he isn't involved with the show just to win awards. "We really, really love what we do," he said.

For more information on "Able Lives" and "Able Lives, Inc.," or if you think your story would make a good segment for "Able Lives, Inc.," visit www.ablelives.org.