Process Of The Process

Let me begin this post by saying that it is soooooo refreshing to be working on a live show again!  I have been doing a great deal of photography, film making and descriptive video these days, and have scarcely been involved in anything connected with my true love - THEATRE!   I get a little rush of excitement thinking about it.  I'm excited to go to rehearsals (yes it's true) and it's great to work with theatre people I've never met, and have the pleasure of reacquainting with those I've worked with in the past.

It's also kind of cool to watch the evolution of the cast (who are athletes, not actors) as the director whips them into shape and gets them ready for performance.

We are now into the second week of rehearsals for PUSH!  I must say it is great being included - and welcome to join in on the rehearsal process.  In my own personal experience this rarely happens, if at all.  You usually have to fly by the seat of your pants and do all your prep during dress rehearsal or previews.  In Canada at least, and Toronto in particular in my case, this is due to lack of awareness of the needs of the process, and in general, awareness that this work even exists in the first place.  And sometimes it's just |well, "we have to do this." and accommodation is an intrusion on the "creative " process - and generally a big pain in the ass.

For the most part, when audio description is included in a live event or show - especially in theatre - there is a sort of territorial thing that happens and one is often made to feel as if providing AD and ASL is a big inconvenience to cast and crew.  I don't think this is intentional in most cases, but change is hard - especially in theatre where things have been done a certain way forever.  Although you think it would be just the opposite.

Here I have a unique opportunity to develop the AD script and my own process while the show itself evolves.  Very refreshing.

Although, this still has it's issues.  Mainly as a describer I cannot interfere in the actual development of the performance - ie, timing of the delivery of lines, use of audio visual material etc. Generally, with an existing show or script that does not involve a lot of development this is pretty standard.  The audio describer is an invisible entity hidden away in the booth; unseen, uncredited,  heard by those few with a headset who need to be told what is happening visually on stage.  Thus, the audience, crew and performers are blissfully unaware of the of the poor sod who is trying to insert concise descriptive words into the rapid fire dialogue and action on stage.

In this instance, PUSH! is a staged reading.  The actors sit in a semicircle on stage and read from a script on a stand in front of them.  There is no movement other than a few gestures and facial expressions. There are no set changes.

There is however a HUGE amount of dialogue which conveys six different stories and in order to facilitate the understanding of who is telling what story it is necessary to identify the respective speakers in a succinct manner.

There are also 5 separate video montages.  These are made up of many, many rapid fire clips that only,  last a split second.  In addition to this, there is dialogue from the stage while the video is playing.  So,   often one word descriptions must be fitted in between the performers talking.

As I do this professionally for film and television, I am used to this - except that with live people on stage no two performances are the same.  I don't like to speak over someone, but I also don't like to generalize my description.  What is seen by the general audience MUST be conveyed properly to those who cannot see it.

So when I ask the director if he can modify what the performers are saying, (especially when they aren't conveying any useful info) just a tad, and he says something to the effect of  "Can't you just say something like, "WWII footage and let them imagine what's happening."  I get pissed off.  Not much I can do though, but try to work with  and around it though.  That's the process of the process.  It's hard, and often frustrating.  Especially when there is a perfect opportunity to provide a very high level of access.

Another hurtle here is getting the actual finished visual material in a timely manner.  I need to watch this stuff, identify what exactly it is (this material is very specific, photos of events, specific people etc) and figure out what I can include or omit in the description to best suit the needs of my listeners.

Then there are the performers themselves.  And I have to say they are pretty great.  While they are all athletes, used to being watched by thousands of people from all over the world, they are not actors.  They do not have the experience of stagecraft, or the many years it takes an actor to develop the improvisational, connective and performance skills one usually sees on stage - so that can be a bit daunting. Especially when something like a gesture is different every time it is executed. 

There is also the knowledge - or lack there of of theatre edicate.  Those of us who have worked in the performing arts all our lives just know this stuff instinctively - but newcomers often have no idea what we are talking about when we use theatre terms, or of the processes that have to happen in order for a show to come together.  Or even just the professional conduct one exhibits while working.  But then, the theatre is world unto itself, isn't it?

The dialogue itself is often delivered very quickly.  To me it seems too quickly.  Theatre is about being in the moment and living and  reliving that moment as the story is told.  It's not a race - although, these guys have owned the podium, so I'm sure they are just naturally inclined to go fast :)  There are times when a pause here and there would greatly aid me in my work.

All in all it's shaping up to be a pretty good show though.  We have added music and live percussionist Luis Orbegoso who is absolutely amazing.  His addition has greatly changed the energy of the show and it has become a living thing.

That's the magic of theatre.  The process is fascinating.

Next week will be the final week of rehearsals and then we move into the theatre.  It will be even more fascinating to watch the show morph and get right up on it's feet.  And as I said, I am thrilled to be a part of it.

So, if you are in the Toronto Area during the ParapanAm games, come see the show!

Details are as follows;

AUGUST 11-14 2015 7:30 PM
AUGUST 12 2:30 PM MICHAEL YOUNG THEATRE
YOUNG CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 50 TANK HOUSE LANE, TORONTO, ON
$30 GENERAL ADMISSION
BUY TICKETS AT TANGLEDARTS.ORG/PUSH

OR CALL 416.866.8666
(if you wish to use the Live Audio Description Service you have to callthe above numer as there is no option for this type of ticket reservation on the website).



    

Not Just A Flash In The Pan

Hello World!

It's been quite some time since my last post, but I assure you, I haven't been idle.
I've worked on a number of projects since last I wrote, and had a whole lot of life happening in between.  Including the birth of my adorable grand daughter Paisley last September.  I've also co-wrote and produced a short film - complete with audio description and captioning - with fellow artist Mark Brose, entitled "29,200"  More on that in future posts.

If you want to check out some of my creative endeavours you can visit my Vimeo channel at: https://vimeo.com/user18826187


Or check out the oodles of photography I've been doing lately: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fitzpix/

In August I'll be starting a great new job and then who knows?

Right now I'm working on a couple of fantastic projects during the TO2015 Parapan Am Games.

Let me tell you about them.


It had been my intention to "get out of Dodge" during all this Pandemonium stuff that's going on in the city right now - maybe go home for a couple of weeks - which would have been really nice, since I had the time.  I'm not really one for all this big cooperate machine that runs these things. However, the Universe had other plans for me it seems.  So I'm here in Toronto embracing the some of the awesomeness that's happening around me - and strictly speaking, there really are some pretty cool things going on locally besides all the other hoopla..


Firstly we have Ring Of Fire (disclaimer - I had nothing to do with this website or any accessibility issues connected with it)

Ring of Fire is a 300-person strong street procession, staged at the Parapan American Games

on Sunday, 9 August 2015 University Avenue from Queens Park to City Hall, Toronto Canada

My role here is to lead an entourage as one of the Sentinels of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation. I am Minaadendamowin (Respect) Sentinel.  Ring of Fire is organized around the Anishinaabe Seven Grandfather Teachings:Wisdom, Courage, Respect, Honesty, Humility, Truth, and Love

The Sentinel is the largest, most elaborately costumed character in the procession. Each teaching is dramatized by one of these large-scale totemic figures.Respect symbolizes the Buffalo; the costume a graphic abstraction of this animal’s horns and is a symbol of survival.

While I am but a simple player in this project (and that is really nice sometimes) I have to say, I'm really honoured to have this role.  I can't wait to see and wear my costume.  I just hope it isn't blisteringly hot that day.

Please check out my fellow sentinels on the website.  They are equally impressive.

Ring of Fire is a procession by Trinidadian artist Marlon Griffith

in collaboration with Picasso PRO, Equal Grounds, Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, Capoeira Angôla, and Spoken Word poets from Jane-Finch, Malvern, and Regent Park.

Ring of Fire is commissioned by the Art Gallery of York University (AGYU)

and produced in partnership with Art Starts, SKETCH, The Malvern S.P.O.T., Success Beyond Limits, COBA and School of Arts, Media, Performance & Design, York University.

Curated by Emelie Chhangur

My second project this summer is PUSH!  a theatrical production presented by Tangled Art + Disability

I had the pleasure of attending the first reading of PUSH yesterday - a show that is part of the TO215 Panamainia presentation running Aug 10 - 14. PUSH! traces the history of Paralympic competition from 1944 to the present day, weaving together six athletes’ individual journeys to paint an exceptionally diverse picture of what it is to be a world-class athlete.

I will be developing the Audio Description for this show.  And I must say, I'm pretty excited about that.  It is so rare in Toronto, let alone Canada to have the opportunity to have this service with a production, let alone be able to develop it in the normal course of rehearsals. (Usually they want you to throw it together a couple of days before the show if at all).  So I really hope people come out.  It does get tiresom doing this for empty seats. (This of course is due to people's low expectation and just not being used to having theatre made properly accessible to them.)

(From the Tangled website) "as part of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games arts and culture festival, PANAMANIA presented by CIBC, Tangled will present a brand new original production featuring Canadian artists from the disability community, including media creator Murray Siple and an original live score to be written and performed by Latin percussionist Luis Orbegoso. PUSH! weaves together six diverse stories of personal struggle and astonishing accomplishments performed by a team of world class Parasport athletes: Sarai Demers, Jenna Lambert, Victoria Nolan, Paul Rosen, Martha Sandoval Gustafson, and Jody Schloss. Developed and directed by New York City’s Ping Chong + Company,"

I felt somewhat nostalgic watching the athletes tell their stories, as I too had once been one of them.  A million years ago, I was very much into track and field.  I was a distance runner.  We would have gone to the Moscow Para Olympics in 1980 - but well, that never happened.  By 1984 life had happened and I never looked back.  Until yesterday.

When I first read the call for PUSH a little part of me wanted to share that story...but a bigger part of me wanted to just leave it behind.  It was such a disappointment.

Rowing, skiing, equestrian, swimming, sledge hockey, shot put and discus - all the cool sports :)

I am especially fascinated with Jody Schloss is a Grade 1 Para-Equestrian - as I am a horse person.  I would love to do competitive dressage but have always been discouraged from doing so by teachers and coaches because of the vision thing.  Even when I enquired about such a thing at CARD, a place that specialized in teaching disabled people to ride horses, I sort of got the brush off.  At the time, it was just too much to deal with, so I just paid for some basic formal English lessons and ride whenever I can - which isn't nearly enough.  How I envy your experience Jody :)


If you plan to attend any event this summer, I recommend this one (and not just because I'm working on it) The passionate energy with which the 6 athletes approach this presentation is infectious. Their stories are engaging and heartfelt - they really mean it.

This show will be audio described as well, which makes it even better. If you wish to use the AD service, don't forget to mention it when you book your tickets - lets show this city - and the theatre community - that investing in AD is worth it!

So, I will post here with my insights and progress on my contribution to the show.  It should prove very interesting.

Come on out and see the Ring Of Fire procession - and come see PUSH - these are not just a "Flash In The Pan" but history being mad, and it will be time well spent!