Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts

Backstage Experts “3 Things Actors Should Know About Race on Stage” by Harvey Young

Sindy Gordon — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:09:50 +0000

On occasion, someone—usually a friend in the arts—will tell me, “I don’t see race.” It’s a well-meaning comment expressing, perhaps, a commitment to seeing people as individuals and not as stereotypes.

Of course, it is almost impossible not to “see race” in the performing arts. The centrality of vision in theater structures almost every aspect of the production process. For example, headshots exist to enable a good, long look at a person before any hiring commitments are made.

Read “three things that everyone should know about theater and race” at Backstage.com

“Still More of Our Parts” opens today!!

Sindy Gordon — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:29:36 +0000

“The last time Theater Breaking Through Barriers presented an evening of short plays about life with disabilities, Anita Gates, in her review for The New York Times, called it “a largely entertaining and worthwhile mini-evening.” If consistency is any indication, we should expect more of the same during this year’s festival: nearly all of that evening’s playwrights are back for more, including Neil LaBute, Samuel D. Hunter (“The Whale”) and Bekah Brunstetter. And this time they brought a Tony Award winner, Tonya Pinkins (“Jelly’s Last Jam”). tbtb.org. ” — The New York Times

June 13 – 28, 2013
At The Clurman Theatre on Theatre Row
410 West 42nd Street NYC

JUNE 13 – 28, 2013 • 14 PERFORMANCES ONLY
No Saturdays, enjoy summer • Sun at 3 • Mon Tues & Wed at 7 • Thurs & Fri at 8

DIRECTORS
Christopher Burris, Roberto Cambeiro, Karen Case Cook, Christina Roussos, Russell Treyz**, Nicholas Viselli

ACTORS
Mary Theresa Archbold*, Russell Barnes III*, Christine Bruno*, Samantha Debicki, Shannon DeVido, David Harrell*, Lawrence Merritt*,Ann Marie Morelli*, Jamie Petrone, Tonya Pinkins*, Shawn Randall*, Jonathan Todd Ross*

Dramaturg – Julius Novick
Set Design – Nicholas Lazzaro
Costume Design – Kristine Koury
Sound Design – Sam Crawford
Assistant Costume Design – Maria Ozmen
State Managers – Michael Awusie, Emily Goforth

Tickets $18 through Telecharge.com or call 212-239-6200

nytheatre.com “THE PENALTY” Q&A preview with Artistic Director, Actor & Producer Gregg Mozgala

Sindy Gordon — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 17:49:57 +0000

What is your show about?
Inspired by the 1920 Lon Chaney silent film of the same name, The Penalty is the story of a legless criminal who has sworn revenge on the doctor who wrongfully amputated his legs as a child.

When did you know you wanted to work in the theater, and why?
The late playwright, John Belluso once said, ‘that to be disabled, was to always be on stage.’ As a person with a disability (I was born with spastic cerebral palsy), I am constantly dealing with people’s gazes in my every day life and managing that negotiation between seeing and being seen. For me, the awareness of how that could translate to acting was in 7th grade when for the first assignment in my Speech & Drama class, I chose to perform Mark Antony’s, “Friends, Romans, Countrymen…” speech from Julius Caesar. Suddenly, people were looking at me differently and I realized that through performance I could to some extent control my audience. That was how I entered this world but my reasons for staying have since evolved.

Go to nytheatre.com for the complete interview.

Go to DixonPlace.org for more information and to purchase tickets.

Special Preview Night! Thursday, June 13th at 7:30pm $10 (general admission)

FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS,
JUNE 14 & 15, 21 & 22, 28 & 29 at 7:30pm

2013 Katherine Schneider Journalism Award for Excellence in Reporting on Disability

Sindy Gordon — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 17:41:32 +0000

A new national journalism awards program recognizes excellence in reporting on disability issues and people with disabilities.

The Katherine Schneider Journalism Award for Excellence in Reporting on Disability is the first national journalism contest devoted exclusively to disability coverage. It is administered by the National Center for Disability and Journalism, headquartered at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, under a grant from Katherine Schneider, a retired clinical psychologist who also supports the Schneider Family Book Award. That award is administered by the American Library Association and honors the best children’s book each year that captures the disability experience for children and adolescents.

Entries for the new journalism award are being accepted until Aug. 1, 2013. Entries must be published or aired between July 1, 2012, and June 30, 2013. Entries will be accepted from print publications, radio or television outlets and online-only publications.

For more information go to: http://ncdj.org/contest/

Push Girls, Ironside & My Gimpy Life

Sindy Gordon — Fri, 31 May 2013 16:40:24 +0000

Images of people with disabilities are finally starting to appear on regularly scheduled television shows. First, The Sundance Channel launched “Push Girls.” This docudrama is about four ladies who are wheelchair-users that live in LA–portrayed by actresses with authentic disabilities. Then there is NBC’s “Ironside,” which is about a disabled police officer. Yet, Blair Underwood, a non-disabled Actor has been cast to portray this wheelchair-using character.

Aside of the controversy surrounding the latter, this is progress and I commend The Sundance Channel and NBC for making an effort to appeal to an audience that has been overlooked for far too long. Hopefully, this trend will progress and the next cable TV show featuring a main character with a disability will be one that I will enjoy watching because it is realistic, funny and have characters I can relate to like, “My Gimpy Life.”

Read the entire article by Jane Hash at HuffingtonPost.com

NBC KICKS OFF 2013 SEARCH FOR THE NATION’S FUNNIEST COMICS

Sindy Gordon — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:11:01 +0000

This open call is for comics of diverse backgrounds who are serious about being funny. Comics must have five minutes of polished material.

In its tenth consecutive year, NBC is proud to present another groundbreaking year of Stand-Up NBC. Through this initiative comedians of diverse backgrounds have been launched to new career milestones. Each year NBC selects 3-5 cities across the country and holds both auditions and live showcases of the top diverse talent from that area. At the end of the search a handful of comedians are brought back to Los Angeles to showcase for key industry players at NBCUniversal and industry-wide. Many of the comics from last year’s Best of Stand-Up NBC showcase signed with top Hollywood agents and met with the entertainment industry’s leading casting directors and executives.

Select Stand-Up NBC finalists have the opportunity to perform at the NACA (National Association of Campus Activities) National Convention for major college bookers and an invitation to join the NBC Standup for Diversity College Tour.

This year’s search will take us to five major U.S. cities. Top comics have a chance to be brought to Los Angeles to showcase in the Best of Stand-Up NBC show, sign a holding deal with NBC, perform at the NACA (National Association of Campus Activities) National Convention, join the company of the Stand-Up NBC Nationwide College Tour, and much more!!

Prospective participants and audiences can check for cities, dates & details online at www.standupnbc.com or www.diversecitynbc.com.

Hollywood’s Disabled Actors Protest NBC’s ‘Ironside’ Casting

Sindy Gordon — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:07:40 +0000

When the ’60s procedural “Ironside” is revived on NBC this fall, the setting will move from San Francisco to New York and the lead character will be African-American. But one thing hasn’t changed: The actor playing Ironside can still walk from his wheelchair when the director yells cut.

The colorblind casting is ironic to some disabled actors — who say having a walking actor play a paraplegic is as offensive as blackface.

“This would be like being in the ’50s and having a white guy do blackface, at this point,” said “Sons of Anarchy” star Kurt Yaeger (left), an actor and pro BMX rider who lost his left leg after a motorcycle accident. ”You need to start having disabled people playing disabled characters. Period.”

Read the article at TheWrap.com

New selection process for Kennedy Center Honors is announced

Sindy Gordon — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:41:31 +0000

The Kennedy Center announced Thursday revisions to the selection process for the annual Kennedy Center Honors after a seven-month internal review of how artists are chosen for the annual awards ceremony.

The Kennedy Center hopes to bring greater transparency to a selection process that has been largely opaque in past years. Last year, some national Hispanic advocacy groups criticized the Honors’ selection process after noting that only two of the 186 honorees since 1978 were Hispanic.

Read the entire article at The Washington Post

Join Washington National Opera for M&M’S® Opera in the Outfield at Nationals Park!

Sindy Gordon — Thu, 09 May 2013 18:22:53 +0000

This is a “First” !!! The live broadcast will be shown on the jumbotron that usually serves as a scoreboard during a game. The Captioning will be showing right up there on the jumbotron!!!!!! You’ll be able to see it from any seat in the stadium or in the outfield (where many people sit to watch the show). Gates at the Nationals Stadium will open at 5 p.m. for pre-broadcast activities which will also be captioned. And … it is all FREE… so bring the whole FAMILY!!!!

Celebrate the fifth year of free live opera broadcasts at the ballpark with Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II’s American masterpiece Show Boat on Saturday, May 18 at 7 p.m. Gates open at 5 p.m.

Arrive early to Nationals Park to enjoy entertainment and activities including:

Dance demonstrations by Gottaswing
A meet and greet with M&M’S^® Ms. Brown
Photo opportunities for kids of all ages with the living statue of Babe Ruth (back by popular demand!)
A special costume trunk where kids can play dress up using a wide variety of costumes and accessories
Face painting by theatrical makeup artists
A screening of the Warner Bros. cartoon “What’s Opera, Doc?,” starring Bugs Bunny and his nemesis Elmer Fudd
Chances to win prizes, including tickets to Kennedy Center performances
And more!

M&M’S^® Opera in the Outfield will take place rain or shine!

Registration

Register in advance for M&M’S^® Opera in the Outfield for a chance to win a Night at the Kennedy Center!* The winner will receive two Orchestra seats to the opening night performance of The Force of Destiny on October 12, 2013, two free drinks from the Kennedy Center lobby bars, and admission for two to the post-performance Opening Night Celebration for The Force of Destiny. Registration closes May 14, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. EDT, so register today for your chance to win!*

Register for M&M’S^® Opera in the Outfield

For more information on the giveaway, please visit the M&M’S^® Opera in the Outfield Registration Giveaway Official Rules page. By entering the giveaway you agree that you have reviewed the full contest rules and agree to be bound by all terms and conditions.

Have a group of 10 or more? Call our Group Sales office at (202) 416-8400 to arrange for a reserved seating section at the stadium! Limited complimentary bus parking may be available for larger sized groups.

M&M’S^® Opera in the Outfield is free and open to the public; registration is not required for admission. Seating in the stands will be available for walk-ins at the event. See below for information on outfield seating.

Special picnic baskets are available through pre-sale for M&M’S^® Opera in the Outfield. To place your order, please complete this form and return by Friday, May 10, 2013.

Seating in the Outfield

Due to the popularity of M&M’S^® Opera in the Outfield, patrons wishing to sit in the outfield will be required to pick up a wristband when they enter Nationals Park. The wristbands will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and will be distributed at a table to the left of Center Field Plaza when the gates open at 5 p.m.

Wristbands are free and the only way to gain access to outfield seating
Wristbands will be distributed at a table to the left of Center Field Plaza near the Family Picnic Area (at sections 141-143). There will be signs to guide you to the table and to the field entrances.
Distribution of wristbands will begin promptly at 5 p.m. when the park gates open.
Seating is limited, so the wristbands will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis. You must be present to receive a wristband; one (1) wristband per person.
Once all of the available wristbands have been claimed, an announcement will be made over the stadium sound system and field access will be closed to those without a wristband.

Free seating will be available in the stands throughout the evening. Only outfield seating requires a wristband.

Accessibility

Accessible seating is available throughout the park. Fan Ambassadors will be located throughout the Center Field Entrance ready to assist those needing a wheelchair.

Assistive listening devices (ALDs) may be signed out free of charge from Guest Services located at the Center Field Gate. A valid driver’s license will be held until the device is returned.

This event will be captioned.

For additional information about accessibility or to request an accommodation, please visit the Nationals’ website or contact the Kennedy Center’s Accessibility Office at 202-416-8727 (voice) or access@kennedy-center.org.

Regal is having nearly 6,000 screens equipped this month with closed-captioning glasses developed by Sony.

Sindy Gordon — Wed, 08 May 2013 16:50:38 +0000

By Richard Verrier, Los Angeles Times

Raymond Smith Jr. has been trying for nearly two decades to make the movie industry listen to the needs of the deaf and hard of hearing.

This month, the senior executive at Regal Entertainment Group will come closer to his goal.

His company, the nation’s largest theater chain, will have nearly 6,000 theater screens equipped with closed-captioning glasses that could transform the theatrical experience for millions of deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons who have shunned going to the cinema because previous aids were too clunky or embarrassing to use.

Go to the LA Times to read the entire article.