Theater By The Blind
"Theater By The Blind is a critically acclaimed company made up of both visually impaired and sighted theatre professionals. Founded in 1979, the company’s mission is to change the image of the blind from one of dependence to independence, to fight the stereotypes and misperceptions associated with blindness, and to show how vibrant, fluid and exuberant the visually impaired can be. Theater By The Blind is the only theater in the United States doing quality professional work to achieve this goal.

Under the Artistic Direction of Founder Ike Schambelan and George Ashiotis, the company has developed several principal programs to achieve its mission. Among them: developing visually impaired talent for theater, movies and TV; writing original material revealing the world of the blind; touring to bring this material to as many people as possible; performing traditional material in a style to make it fully accessible to the blind; developing blind audiences; and integrating both the blind and the sighted in a shared aesthetic experience that bridges the gap between them.

The company performs for every kind of audience member imaginable, from general New York theatergoers to seniors, students and other underserved populations. Theater By The Blind is most proud of its visually impaired audience, which make up 10% of the theater's attendees. Since .2% of the country is visually impaired they are proud of this figure but are working to increase it.

In its long history, Theater By The Blind has won several awards, including the Califormia Governors Media Access Award, the Very Special Arts/New York City Mayor’s Award and the American Foundation for the Blind’s Helen Keller Achievement Award in Performing Arts."

Nicu’s Spoon
"Founded in early 2001, Nicu’s Spoon is dedicated to producing socially reflective theatre that presents new ideas, challenges stereotypes, and touches the heart in an unexpected way. We celebrate collaboration in developing productions that are pertinent for today’s global, diverse and rapidly changing world. New York City is full of people of different ethnicities and abilities; on the move and unheard. We give voice to those who are very much a part of our world, but whose stories often go untold. We are committed to involving the spectrum of diverse and multi-abled voices in play selection, programs & internships, our artistic, production and volunteer staffs, and in our audience.

We are a leader in working with all colors, ages, genders, abilities and ethnicities in NYC. Each play involves the rainbow we see around us on the streets of NYC. We change the world, one play at a time….

Contact Information:

Within our company we speak American Sign Language, Portuguese, Chinese, Urdu, French, German, Spanish, Romanian, Italian and English. Contact us - we want to hear what you want to say.

For Sales or Special Access needs please call (646) 299-5345.
Relay calls are welcome! (711, TTY, VRS, or Internet)

We are proud to provide ASL interpreting for a great many of our shows and readings. Please contact us via email for more information!"

The Dancing Tree

Mission

"The Dancing Tree is an alliance of visual and performing artists that is devoted to making the hidden visible. We seek to facilitate, develop, perform, document and publish the stories of people who have been underrepresented because of disability, incarceration, illness, lifestyle, age or circumstance. Combining movement , rhythm, music, writing, video, animation, photography, drawing and painting, we help to create works that develop body and spatial awareness, encourage self-acceptance, self-expression, and self-advocacy among artists from these unseen communities, and at the same time challenge the public's usual notions of "art."

The Dancing Tree provides forums within which its participants have the freedom to develop and express their own artistic voice as it relates to important issues in their lives. We encourage work that's content challenges accepted notions and stereotypes about persons outside of society's mainstream. Any story is a welcome starting point for a workshop or collaboration.

The Dancing Tree is based in San Francisco, California. We work with the disabled and other marginalized communities both locally and internationally to create and present works of visual and performing art that raise relevant questions as they engage audiences aesthetically.

While promoting the integration of people from all backgrounds and abilities, The Dancing Tree is distinctive for reaching beyond "inclusion" and "mixed ability" models in our workshops and performances to produce works whose power, skill, and sense of unique voice stand on their own merit and shatter any preconceptions that audiences may have about art from the margins.

Founders

Amanda Coslor is dedicated to the creative process and honest expressions of individual's personal life experiences and values. She believes that art is a tool that brings value to voices, images and stories that may not be seen by the mainstream media. She seeks to understand the hidden in our society because she believes that is where truth exists. Bringing hidden voices, movement, and images out into the world deepens our understanding of ourselves. She hopes to earn the trust and share her love with the people she collaborates with.

Todd Herman's work as an educator and artist focuses on the essential humanities and strengths that are preserved even within the most neglected environments. He is interested in listening carefully and encouraging others that through their persistence, courage and belief in their own abilities, they will cultivate a climate for change."