RespectAbility Entertainment Professionals Lab 2024
Ava Xiao-Lin Rigelhaupt
Ava Xiao-Lin Rigelhaupt (she/her) is a writer, consultant, actress, and advocate for diversity, autism, and disability representation in entertainment. As a Chinese, Jewish, transracial, autistic adoptee, Rigelhaupt shares her intersectional lived experiences through consulting with Hollywood studios, theatres, and arts organizations, public speaking (ie: SXSW, Sundance/Slamdance, Disney, Actors’ Equity), and publishing articles. Rigelhaupt is a writer for the PBS KIDS series Carl the Collector, PBS’ first show centering a neurodiverse character. It will premiere in the fall!
Additionally, Rigelhaupt is the Autistic Creative Consultant for How to Dance in Ohio, a neurodiverse coming-of-age Broadway musical that follows seven autistic young adults (authentically cast) and their psychologist at a social skills center in Ohio, as they form connections and prepare for a dance. It premiered December 10, 2023. One of Rigelhaupt’s short film scripts also placed in the LA Chinese Film Festival Screenwriting Competition.
Previous work also includes writing and consulting on 9 Story Media series such as Blue’s Clues & You, developing sensory friendly performances with professional theatres, and creating a neurodiversity training course with the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Rigelhaupt first connected with RespectAbility in 2020 through their Summer Entertainment Lab for Professionals with Disabilities and later became a National Leadership Fellow, where she consulted on film and TV projects such as Disney’s The Ghost and Molly McGee and Apple TV+’s Cha Cha Real Smooth.
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After an extensive search and interview process, 5 individuals were invited to participate in an intensive session for disabled comedy writers, taking place June 20-28, with additional virtual sessions taking place in partnership with the virtual cohort, May – September 2024. Participants include people with a variety of disabilities ranging in age from the 20s through the 40s. This intensive elevates disabled creatives, focusing on building community, networking, and career advancement. This intensive is in collaboration with ABC Entertainment.
