SPECIAL NOTICE FOR THOSE WHO ARE DEAF OR HEARING IMPAIRED

Access to The Dragon Tree

In the absence of funding to make The Dragon Tree fully accessible to those with disabilities, the following considerations have been made for those who are deaf or hearing impaired.

To help with access to the lyrical contect of the live performance, Rachel Stelmach from Disability Arts Cymru will kindly be attending the Launch of The Dragon Tree at NBGW on 26th January and also at St.David's on February 16th.

She is preparing a text screen so that the lyrics will come up as they are being sung.

Sadly you will not be able to see my link speak between songs nor hear the story line of the film.

However, there is a book that accompanies the film and I would like to offer those who are deaf the opportunity to borrow copies of this on the day to acquaint themselves with the story line, should they wish.

In addition, I can reserve seats for you close to the sound, if this is helpful for your needs.

Please let me know in advance by emailing cherylbeermusic@gmail.com

Audience Inclusion

 

 

Had a great meeting with the Area Disability Arts Officer for Disability Arts Cymru, Rachel Stelmach.

 

I asked her for advice regarding audience inclusion.

 

People keep asking me 'who is your production aimed at' I reply 'a family audience' and then they ask me why I have gone to creative lengths in making the production accessible, at least on some level, to people who are deaf or have a visual impairment. They ask ... so is it a disability production. As a woman with a disability, that tickles me. No, Fusion Inspire is not funded as a 'disability' production but in my view ... All productions should consider access issues.

 

Funny isn't it, we all get it that the arts should be in buildings that people will be able to access in a wheelchair. So why should it be a surprise if I try to make integral to the performance, aspects that ensure someone with visual impairment or deafness can access my work?

 

In short, the production is for EVERYONE! and I want to consider some options that enable everyone to get some joy from it on some level!

 

I asked Rachel for the most cost effective ways of ensuring inclusion for those audience members who are deaf or with visual impairment and we have come up with these:

 

For those with a visual impairment:

I am already looking into aroma therapy to envoke coastline acqua smells, but Rachel suggested access to a recording that describes what is happening on the films. I will record them spoken word in the studio, save them as MP3's. These can be offered to people and downloaded on line in advance of the showings. I'll also take a few walkmans incase people come and have forgotten to order/download them.

 

For those who are deaf

I was already looking into having a qualified sign language /performer for those who use sign language as a form of communication but I just can't afford it ... Rachel suggested a powerpoint that runs alongside the Films with the lyrics. She has a package that brings up letters like an old type writer. I love that idea. I was thinking that the old map that Dafydd finds washed up on the beach of West Wales could be the background for it, but at the weekend I went on a 9 hour Dolphin Survey recording signature whistles and echo location. On the way back to dry land, I got some wicked pictures of the sunset, so I'm thinking it may be a good idea to use these instead.

 

 

 

 

So, you see, there are very easy ways to make the creative content accessible without any compromise to the overall effect of the production and without costing lots of money! Why don't you look at ways of developing audience inclusion too!

 

Here's a link to Disability Arts Cymru

 

http://www.dacymru.com/

 

 

 

 

Mermaid Scales: My first 'Behind the Scenes' Fusion Inspire film

HERE IS MY FIRST BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK AT THE WRITING & COMPOSITION PROCESS OF MY NEW PRODUCTION: 

  

the dragon tree

Sailor Speak, Mermaid Scales & Guinivere Seasalt are the first 3 tracks of my Fusion Inspire production: the dragon tree.

They are a combined concept composition, based on the sign language of my lyrics by Maggie Hampton.

The lyrics from the first 3 songs are based on the old tales from the West Coast of Wales and introduce the audience to a new folk story, one written for yesterday, today & tomorrow ...

I will be making a series of films throughout the process of writing, filming, composing & producing 'the dragon tree' to give you an insight into the layers, the thoughts and reasoning, the creative journey I have taken for each piece.

Recording the Rhythm of Sign Language

The lovely Rachel Hargrave came round yesterday and recorded the percussion section of Mermaid Tales which will be the opening song in my production. It is her interpretation fo Maggie Hampton's signing of my lyrics .. it's very exciting hearing Rachel's interpretation. I thought I would want to put piano with it but funnily enough it works perfectly with an instrumental piece on ukulele I have written whilst in New Quay called 'Seagull' & have been working on this week. And it needs a bass line too ...

Here are some pictures of Rachel doing her wonderful thang in my studio :)

It was so exciting hearing all the layers come together

And as she laid down the tracks I could feel the waves, the boat ...

When she left I write a sea shanty to go at the start so that it leads to the build up of the Mermaid's Wrath!

Can't wait to put all the pieces together with the filmscape at Morfa Isaf later this year! Rachel will come with ehr drumming group, and any others of you that would like to join us, and the drummers will be sat in the rocks, at one with the rocks ... while the dancers are the sea ....