New Jersey teen shares the stage with her service dog
Erin Bischoff is happy to share the spotlight with her service dog, Gage.
The 17-year-old from Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, recently tried out for her high school's production of The Wizard of Oz, and was thrilled when she learned she would be playing the lead. "I was not expecting Dorothy," she told CBS News. "I was expecting more of a Glinda, a more secondary character." Gage is starring alongside her as Toto, with a twist; since he's a golden retriever, Gage won't be able to fit in a basket.
Bischoff has a genetic condition called osteogenesis imperfecta, meaning her bones can break easily. She has had 103 bone fractures and 10 surgeries, and uses a wheelchair. Bischoff says a lot of people focus on her chair, and she's hoping that her performance changes that. "My main thing is I really want them just to see me as anyone else who's on the stage," she said. "And that overall, disability should be embraced." Catherine Garcia
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Critics’ choice: Watering holes for gourmandsFeature An endless selection of Mexican spirits, a Dublin-inspired bar, and an upscale Baltimore pub
-
Argentinian beef is at the center of American farmers’ woesThe Explainer ‘It feels like a slap in the face to rural America,’ said one farmer
-
‘Businesses that lose money and are uncompetitive won’t survive’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
