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  • Blog For All!
    Cultural Inclusion

    Annual Deaf & Hard of Hearing Family Event at Boston Children's Museum

    Posted Friday June 17 2016 at 09:15 am

    Boston Children's Museum Logo

    - Date: Saturday, Saturday, June 25, 2016
    - Admission: You must pre-register to receive discount admission.  All guests must pay admission at the Admissions Desk upon arrival.
    - Non members: $8 per person (half off regular admission price)
    - Members: Free
    - Registration required

    ASL Interpreted Programs:

        11 am: Magic show by Deaf magician, Steve Weiner
        There's nothing scary in Steve's show, but everything is geared towards comedy and fun tricks he has collected for the past 30+ years of his career!

        12 pm: Family Circle
        Bring your lunch and meet other families!  There will be resources, and the conversation is facilitated by Michelle Eisan-Smith, Ph.D from Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

        1:30 pm: KidStage show:

        2:30 pm: Dance workshops by Deafblind dancer, Kerry Thompson
        How do you dance if you cannot hear the music?  How do you dance if you cannot see?  Is salsa and merengue a food or a dance?  What is bachata?  Come find out as Kerry Thompson, a Deafblind dancer and Director for Silent Rhythms Dance, teaches us to think about music and dance in a different way through performances and workshops.

    Contact
    Saki Iwamoto, Health and Wellness Educator
    Iwamoto@BostonChildrensMuseum.org
    617-986-3697



    Blue Man Group Hosts Sensory-Friendly Show

    Posted Tuesday June 07 2016 at 05:26 am

    Blue Man Group Boston will be hosting a sensory-friendly show Sunday, June 26, 2016 at 11am, collecting donations at shows at the Charles Playhouse for Autism Speaks.

    Blue Man Group co-founder Phil Stanton on why this partnership is an important step:  "We've heard from many families affected by autism that their children responded to the Blue Man character in a very moving way.  We don't know the exact reason.  We can only speculate that it has to do with the Blue Men communicating in their own unique way — non-verbally, through visuals, touch and sound.  Their message often resonates on a deeper, more sincere level.  Once we knew that we could be helpful or provide an outlet for those affected by autism, we felt it was important to do more.  With our sensory-friendly shows, we want to create a safe and welcoming environment for individuals and families affected by this disorder, in the hopes that they can have an entertaining and joyful experience together."

    Slight modifications will be made including:

  • Reduction of sound and light levels at various moments during the performance.  Please note that while light levels will be reduced, strobe lighting is still used in the show.  Contact us for further information.
  • Sound reducing headphones or earplugs (depending on market) available upon request
  • Blue Men will limit the amount of "chair walking" and keep their approach to the audience more subdued
  • Calming environments in each theatre's lobby for families seeking a break from the excitement
  • More information.

    Purchase tickets.  Promo code: AUTISMSPEAKS.



    Inclusive by Design℠ Concert

    Posted Wednesday May 25 2016 at 06:10 am

    Blues guitarist and recent Berklee College of Music graduate, Noé Socha, opened for legendary New Orleans Bluesman Henry Butler presented in a format known as Inclusive by Design℠.

    Inclusive by Design℠ concerts are multi-art, multi-sensory events.  Music is selected with rich narrative and visual content that is interpreted by visual artist Nancy Ostrovsky creating a large mural live on stage.  All of the visual elements are represented for the entire audience through audio description, adding a strong language, even poetic, component.  The performance is also interpreted in American Sign Language, and everything that is said or spoken is also captioned and presented on an LED screen.  The end result is an engaging multi-disciplinary experience that allows people of all abilities, including those who may be Deaf or hard of hearing or blind or have low vision, to be fully engaged in a shared creative experience.

    Henry Butler is a five-time W.C. Handy "Best Blues Piano Instrumentalist" award nominee, Henry Butler knows no limitations.  Although blinded by glaucoma since birth, Butler is also a world-class photographer.  Playing piano since the age of six, Butler is a master of musical diversity.  A rich amalgam of jazz, Caribbean, classical, pop, R&B and blues influences, his music is as excitingly eclectic as that of his New Orleans birthplace.  Butler joined the IbD creative team in 2006 for a concert at the Gene Harris Festival and performed again in this format in 2009 at a concert hosted and recorded by WGBH.

    June 18, 2016
    Sheraton Hotel
    Dalton Street, Boston