'The Green Room' by the STRIVE Collective

Thursday 29th April 2021 at 7.30pm in #TheGreenRoom_UK  

Sophie Stone of the DH Ensemble talks to Nickie Miles-Wildin   

Interpreted by: Anna Kitson, Sophie Allen   

Nickie Miles-Wildin is Associate Director at Graeae Theatre Company where she leads their new writing programme. Nickie was just appointed as co-Artistic Director and CEO of DaDa Fest, Liverpool. She is also Head of Young People’s Programme at the Royal Exchange Theatre. Previously she was Resident Assistant Director at the Royal Exchange Theatre as part of the Regional Theatre Young Directors Scheme. As an actor Nickie is best known for her role as Miranda in the Paralympics Opening Ceremony London 2012 and also Beryl – her Bingo playing leopard print wearing alter ego. Nickie loves engaging with communities and creating original, unique, accessible work that can promote change.    

You can find all previous episode of #TheGreenRoom_UK at: https://www.strivecollective.org/the-green-room 

Royal Exchange: https://www.royalexchange.co.ukRTYDS: https://www.rtyds.co.uk  

DaDa Fest: https://www.dadafest.co.uk  

Nickie Miles-Wilden and Grace Ng: https://www.dadafest.co.uk/article/nickie-miles-wildin-and-grace-ng-announced-as-new-joint-head-of-liverpool-s-dadafest

Graeae: https://graeae.org

Jamie Baddard: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Beddard 

Rhine Stone Rollers: https://www.timeout.com/london/dance/rhinestone-rollers

Opening Ceremony of the Olympics: https://www.olympic.org/opening-ceremonies

Thursday 22nd April 2021 at 7.30pm in #TheGreenRoom_UK 

Jennifer Bates of the DH Ensemble talks to Rachel Nwokoro  

Interpreted by: Nakisayi Laursen and Tracey Tyer  

Rachel is a multidisciplinary artist - www.rachelshapes.com. She recently won The Stage Debut award for Best Performer in a play for her performance in Arinzé Kene's Little Baby Jesus, directed by JMK award winner Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu at The Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond. Rachel also won the inaugural Disability Champion award at the 2020 Black British Theatre Awards.  

"Rachel Nwokoro delivers Joanne’s speeches with a lyrical flow that could give rapper Lady Leshurr a run for her money. She’s sensational." ***** The Stage.  "Rachel Nwokoro is captivating." ***** The Guardian  You can find all previous episode of #TheGreenRoom_UK at: 

https://www.strivecollective.org/the-green-room

Thursday 15th April 2021 at 7.30pm in #TheGreenRoom_UK

Jo Sargeant of Hot Coals Productions talks to Gemma Harvey   

Interpreted by: Anna Kitson, Natasha Trantom   

In Gemma’s own words: “Well, I’m an actor. But not just an actor, I’m a writer, a theatre maker and a voiceover artist...I’m also a deviser and collaborator specialising in working with learning disabled and autistic artists…oh and I’m a filmmaker too. It was after finishing this incredibly long sentence and pausing for breath, I realised that I should probably find a place to share myself and all of the wonderful creative things I do with the world. So here it is: my oeuvre. Inspired by writer-performers such as Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Michaela Coel and Milly Thomas, I’m hugely passionate about continuing to break the mould for women in theatre and strive to tell female led stories that address important social issues. In 2015, I co-founded Loquitur Theatre, a company focusing on achieving greater gender balance throughout the industry. Passionate about equality and inclusivity, I regularly work as a freelance theatre-maker and collaborator with award winning theatre company, Access All Areas – creating urban, disruptive performance for learning disabled and autistic artists. In 2018 I co-founded The BareFace Collective, a disabled theatre company dedicated to putting artists with disabilities centre stage. With an ever growing to do list, I realise this will most probably have to be written on my tombstone if it’s ever to get finished. When I’m not busy creating theatre, watching theatre, hanging out at gigs and drinking pints in pubs, you’ll find me perfecting my headstand or gorging on some form of nut butter.”   

You can find all previous episode of #TheGreenRoom_UK at: https://www.strivecollective.org/the-green-room  

Biography for Gemma: https://gemmaharvey.uk/aboutAccess 

All Areas: http://www.accessallareastheatre.org  

Jules Robertson (start of Holby City Gemma works with): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78Mm8s7l2Ys  

Access All Areas profile on Jules: http://www.accessallareastheatre.org/jules-robertson

"That" Film :-( …: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-55931544

What is an Intimacy Coordinator?: https://lfs.org.uk/workshops/lfs-workshops/3096/intimacy-coordination

Stephen Joseph Theatre: https://www.sjt.uk.com  

Loquitur Theatre: https://www.loquiturtheatre.co.uk

BFI access costs: https://www.bfi.org.uk/get-funding-support/access-support-bfi-film-fund-film-audience-network-applicants  

Cian Binchy: http://www.accessallareastheatre.org/cian-binchy

‘LOVE’ - the short film: https://gemmaharvey.uk/love  

‘I Hate Susie’: https://www.sky.com/watch/i-hate-suzie

Piece on access in ‘I Hate Susie’: https://limpingchicken.com/2020/08/27/deaf-representation-in-skys-new-dark-drama-i-hate-suzie-sky-atlantic-now-tv-billie-piper-lucy-prebble-daniel-ings/

The Spill Magazine: https://www.thespillmag.com/about   

The Green Room on the South Bank: https://www.grlondon.co.uk

Thursday 8th April 2021 at 7.30pm in #TheGreenRoom_UK  

Erin Siobhan Hutching of The DH Ensemble talks to Laura Haughey and Rachel Turner from New Zealand Deaf and hearing led company Equal Voices Arts.    

BSL-English Interpretation by: Anna Kitson, Kyra Pollitt, Rebekah Spencer. Episode has captions & Audio Description. Some New Zealand Sign Language is used throughout.    

Laura started her theatre career aged 17, touring in the UK and Europe with a Deaf – led dance theatre company, performing on international stages in both British Sign Language and English. She combined her theatre and dance work with a physiotherapy degree and a year of specialised anatomy training to enhance her understanding of the body. Her PhD found the site where the two passions of arts and science were combined in the field of psychophysical performance training. In her work, Laura loves examining how we communicate through the body, and finding new creative possibilities working across languages and cultures. She is interested in how embracing diversity can impact positively on creative approach. Her research interests are in working across languages and cultures, inclusive theatre practice and neuroscience. Laura has taught internationally, in conservatoires, drama schools and universities, and is now based in New Zealand convening the Theatre Studies programme at the University of Waikato. Since arriving in New Zealand, Laura has directed and devised two large scale original theatre productions, working with Deaf and hearing actors. At The End Of My Hands toured across New Zealand in 2016, and Salonica toured internationally to prestigious theatres such as the National Theatre in Belgrade in 2017, then in New Zealand in 2018. Laura has recently been awarded with the inaugural ‘NZSL in Arts’ award, presented at Parliament in May 2018.   

Rachel is a producer for Equal Voices Arts, and is also our NZSL consultant, working closely with the creative team. She is Deaf and a native New Zealand Sign Language user. She organises and helps to manage our many different projects, including our performances, tours and our community workshops.  Rachel keeps us all organised on tours, and makes sure things run smoothly. She has a keen eye for detail and loves playing with the language options that NZSL provides. She works with international Deaf artists to ensure the language choices on stage are in the hands of a first language NZSL user. Rachel is passionate about raising the profile of signed languages on stage, and supporting Deaf performers and Deaf audiences. Outside of her work with Equal Voices Arts, Rachel is a qualified NZSL tutor, and supports young Deaf people in educational contexts. She is the wife of actor Shaun Fahey - https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/111962120/hamilton-couple-carved-a-love-story-out-of-thin-air   

You can find all previous episode of #TheGreenRoom_UK at: https://www.strivecollective.org/the-green-room

Thursday 1st April 2021 at 7.30pm in #TheGreenRoom_UK  

Clare-Louise English of Hot Coals Productions talks to Benjamin Wilson   

Interpreted by: Sophie Allen, Martin Fox-Roberts   

Ben is The Agent for Change at Sheffield Theatres as part of Ramps on the Moon. Ben has worked for a number of years as an actor, writer, director and workshop facilitator. Often having to overcome prejudice and barriers that the industry put in his way due to his visual impairment. As co-founder and associate artist of award-winning theatre company Brick Wall Ensemble, Ben co-wrote and directed original, new works such as Rose By Another Name and The Remarkable Case of You. In 2015 Ben’s one-man show about life as a visually impaired actor, Visible, was met with acclaim. After writing his Master’s Degree Thesis at Birmingham school of Acting around the subject of how the industry can become more accessible to visually impaired and blind artists Ben continued to work as an actor across the industry, attempting to force mainstream theatre companies to make their work more accessible and refusing to let his visual impairment be a barrier to success within the industry.   

You can find all previous episode of #TheGreenRoom_UK at: https://www.strivecollective.org/the-green-room  

Some useful links:  

Ramps on the Moon: https://www.rampsonthemoon.co.uk  

Agents for Change: https://www.rampsonthemoon.co.uk/news/new-agents-for-change/   

Sheffield Theatres: https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk  

Brick Wall Ensemble - https://www.facebook.com/BrickWallEnsemble/  

Clare’s interview with Polly Jerrold: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKT2GNY3BZs&t=1277s  

Amy Leach’s production of ‘Road’ at Leeds Playhouse: https://leedsplayhouse.org.uk/events/road/

Thursday 25th March 2021 at 7.30pm in #TheGreenRoom_UK  

Jennifer Bates of the DH Ensemble talks to Bea Webster and Brooklyn Melvin   

Interpreted by: Erin Hutching, Anna Kitson, Julie Thompson   

Bea Webster is a deaf Scottish-Thai actor and theatre-maker who graduated with a BA Performance in British Sign Language and English from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Recent Theatre Credits: The Winter’s Tale (Royal Shakespeare Company) Peeling (Taking Flight Theatre Company), Mother Courage and Her Children (Red Ladder Theatre Company), Love and Information (Solar Bear/RCS) A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Last Woman Left, Scavengers, Antigone (RCS). Bea wrote, performed and directed House of Ladies for RCS’s On The Verge festival at the Citizens Theatre. She also co-wrote and devised Everything Will Be Perfect, playing drag queen Lyn Chee alongside Jamie Rea as Vikki Ryan. She has published a poem in both BSL and English titled Long Lost Lover, about her birthplace of Thailand. She also performed in BBC Social’s How not to be d*cks to deaf people. She was nominated Best Actress in a Play at The Stage Debut Awards 2019 for her role of Kattrin in Mother Courage and Her Children, and is also one of the Playwrights Studio Scotland’s mentored playwrights for 2020. Bea communicates in both Spoken English and British Sign Language. Bea experienced a lack of access to professional performance training until the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland set up their acting program which is accessible to Deaf BSL users.    

Brooklyn is a deaf actor with BSL and English. Credits include: Oliver Twist (dir. Amy Leach) for Leeds Playhouse/Ramps on the Moon, Last Women Left and Love and Information, RCS. Short films: Y, XYZ with RCS, The Studio (dir. EJ Raymond) and A Love Divided (dir. Ian Bustard). Brooklyn trained at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland graduating from the BSL and English Drama BA. Brooklyn Melvin plays the eponymous ‘Oliver Twist’ at Leeds Playhouse. Adapted by Bryony Lavery, every performance will feature the use of integrated creative sign language, audio description and captioning.   

You can find all previous episode of #TheGreenRoom_UK at: https://www.strivecollective.org/the-green-room 

Some useful links:

Bea’s poem: https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/long-lost-lover/

The Mitchell Library Glasgow: https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/libraries/venues/the-mitchell-library

Solar Bear: https://solarbear.org.uk  

Deaf Youth Theatre: https://solarbear.org.uk/deaf-youth-theatre/  

The Royal Conservatoire School: https://www.rcs.ac.uk/courses/ba-performance/

‘Squeezy Yoghurt’ by Bea performed by Brooklyn: https://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/latest/squeezy-yoghurt

Get your Frubes here (other yoghurt based products available): https://www.frubes.co.uk   

National Theatre of Scotland: https://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com  

‘Is This a Fairytale?’ By Be a Webster: https://positivestories.scot/plays/is-this-a-fairytale/

‘Time Like These’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz-a-fqQX4c  

Sphinx Lab: https://sphinxtheatre.co.uk/sphinx-30/

10th March 2021 at 7.30pm in #TheGreenRoom_UK 

Jo Sargeant of Hot Coals Productions talks to Harri Marshall and Alison Pottinger  

Interpreted by: Anna Kitson, Caroline Ryan and Iain Hodgetts, speech to text reporter: Norma MacHaye  

Harri is a deaf director based in York and has been working in this dirty business that we call show since 2012. She has received training from the Young Vic, RTYDS as well as the Bristol Old Vic and directed a total of 9 shows. Harri has an affinity for contemporary theatre including genres like new writing, adaptation and verbatim. She advocate for D/deaf and disabled creatives and is a self-proclaimed proactive busy body!  

Alison currently work as both a stage manager and BSL/English Interpreter. In addition she teaches at Rose Bruford College. She has joined the collective because she believes that off stage roles are not widely known about, especially among d/Deaf and ethnic minority communities. She has enjoyed a 30 year career off stage and she would like to see others enjoying a similarly rewarding and creative career. Technical Theatre BSL is for d/Deaf people and others working with them – interpreters, directors, stage managers etc. The aim is to promote off stage careers to d/Deaf people and to provide a resource for access to training. The glossary of terms is available here: www.techtheatrebsl.wordpress.com  

You can find all episodes on our website here: https://www.strivecollective.org/the-green-room  

“Lampy” definition - http://lampy.urbanup.com/13480986#.YCaze12pjBI.twitter  

Article on Harri Marshall - https://www.hearinglikeme.com/meet-harri-marshall-a-deaf-director/  

Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme - https://www.rtyds.co.uk Graeae - https://graeae.org 

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art - https://www.rada.ac.uk  

Rose Bruford College - rose bruford colege 

Theatre Royal Stratford East - https://www.stratfordeast.com  

Sherrie Eugene-Hart - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherrie_Eugene-Hart  

Talawa - http://www.talawa.com  

The Kiln (formerly The Tricycle when Alison worked there) - https://kilntheatre.com  

Neil Fox-Roberts - https://martinfoxroberts.com/deaf-actors-and-creatives 

Shape Arts - https://www.shapearts.org.uk 

Jenny Sealy - https://graeae.org/about/who-we-are/ 

‘Vision On’ with Pat Keysell - https://televisionheaven.co.uk/reviews/vision-on 

Baz Productions, producing company now closed - http://www.bazproductions.co.uk/#closing-statement  

The Bunker, venue in London now closed - http://www.bunkertheatre.com  

“SENCO TA” = Special Education Needs Teaching Assistant - https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/special-educational-needs-(sen)-teaching-assistant 

Go Ape ;-) - https://goape.co.uk  

Creative Captioning - https://www.thestage.co.uk/opinion/stephen-lloyd-fringe-theatremakers-who-care-about-being-inclusive-should-turn-to-diy 

‘Park Bench Theatre’ - https://parkbenchtheatre.com  

‘The Difference Engine’ - https://differenceengineaccess.wordpress.com  

Tech Theatre BSL - https://techtheatrebsl.wordpress.com 

Stage Site - https://www.stagesight.org/about/ 

‘Act for Change’ - https://www.act-for-change.com  

Danny lee Wynter - https://www.unitedagents.co.uk/danny-lee-wynter  

BA Theatre and Social Change - https://www.bruford.ac.uk/courses/theatre-and-social-change-ba-hons/

25th February 2021 at 7.30pm in #TheGreenRoom_UK 

Clare-Louise English of Hot Coals Productions talks to Polly Jerrold.  

Polly is a freelance casting director working primarily in theatre and occasionally in film. Before setting up her own company in 2013, she worked at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester for 5 years as the casting associate. She has always worked on a variety of projects (musical theatre, classics, new writing, devised pieces etc) and her work has a strong focus on diversity and inclusion. She has worked throughout the UK with many companies including Sheffield Crucible theatre, Regent's Park Open Air theatre, ETT (English Touring Theatre), Royal & Derngate, Bristol Old Vic, Shakespeare's Globe, York Theatre Royal and Birmingham REP.   Polly also cast the first three Ramps on the Moon productions which focused on better representation of Deaf and disabled performers.  She is currently working on projects with Nottingham Playhouse; the Royal & Derngate and the Children's touring partnership; as well as the transfer of Life of Pi into the Wyndham's theatre in the west end, having cast the original production for Sheffield Theatres.    

Interpreted by: Anna Kitson and Tracey Tyer.