714 market street, Suite 205, Philadelphia, PA 19130 • www.creativeaccess.org
714 market street, Suite 205, Philadelphia, PA 19130 • www.creativeaccess.org
May 6, 2002 - For immediate release
Contact: Carol Finkle - 215.569.8311 TTY/Voice
Photos provided upon request
African American Deaf Artists (Comedian, Actors, Dancers,Poets)
take the stage with the Honorable Edward G. Rendell
at local Arts-Access Organization's 10th Gala Celebration
Philadelphia, PA. - On June 1, 2002, from 5:30 to 10pm at Painted Bride Art
Center, 230 Vine Street in Old City, C.J. Jones, known to many as the 'Billy
Crystal of the Deaf World', will Emcee a two hour program celebrating Accesssibility
to the Arts in the Greater Philadelphia Area. Mr. Jones will keep the evening
moving along with his own brand of humor, using American Sign Language and
spoken English to wow both Deaf and hearing attendees. The Program will open
with Mike Canfield, long time Philadelphia Deaf actor, 'signing' Celine Dion's
God Bless America.
Speakers the Gala will be The Honorable Edward G. Rendell and Sharon Pinkenson,
Executive Director of Greater Philadelphia Film Office and President, Film
at the Prince - the two Co Chairpersons of the Gala. They will be followed
by Philip Horn, Executive Director, PA Council on the Arts, Mr. Henry Nicholas,
Chairman, District 1199C Local and President, National Union of Hospital and
Health Care Employees (who will speak about unique health care issues for
Deaf citizens), Carol Clark Lawrence, Deputy City Rep. for Arts&Culture
and Roger Margulies, Deputy City Rep. of Mayor's Office on People with Disabilities
and others. Ms. Lawrence and Mr. Margulies will present a Proclamation from
Mayor John Street.
Next on the program is Carol Finkle, Founder and Executive Director of Creative
Access, the tiny non profit that has served up a huge wallup and turned the
face of accessibility, and the face of the arts around to make Philadelphia
a model of arts access in one short decade. Finkle will present the first
ever "Accessibility Beyond the Ramp" Awards to 8 prestigious Philadelphia
arts institutions for walking-the-walk with her since Creative Access's beginnings
in 1992. A partial list of the Honorees are: PENNSYLVANIA BALLET, ARDEN THEATRE
COMPANY, FREEDOM THEATRE, FORREST THEATRE, MUM PUPPETTHEATRE, PAINTED BRIDE
ART CENTER.
The entertainment portion of the program (from 8 to 9pm) will be C.K. Williams,
Pulitzer Prize Winner for Poetry 2000, reading for twenty minutes while accompanied
by creative and talented American Sign Language interpreters. Mr. Williams
will be followed by The Wild Zappers, internationally acclaimed, Deaf, African
American Hip-Hop, Funky Dance Troupe who will blow the house away using American
Sign Language as an art form in such numbers as I Believe I Can Fly, Mamma
Was a Rolling Stone and poems by Langston Hughs . The Zappers made their Painted
Bride debut in February 2000, leaving the packed house begging for more, and
every one there trying their hand at sign language. The "Deaf applause"
can still be heard.
The Gala will celebrate a decade of what Ms. Finkle gushes has "successfully
heightened Philadelphia area theaters, museums and presenting organizations'
collective consciousness and openness to the fact that "Handicap Accessible"
must mean more than addressing issues of physical barriers; they must address
the need for (and right to) dismantling invisible barriers to communication
as well.
As Creative Access begins its second decade of advocacy and partnerships,
it is looking forward to show casing the talent of professional Deaf artists
on the stages of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Mann Music Center,
The African American Museum and others...welcoming and new audience, and an
ever expanding diverse roster of performers for the entertainment and benefit
of all arts lovers in the Philadelphia region.
Note about communication accessibility at the Gala: This will be provided
to Deaf, hard of hearing and hearing attendees via Interpretation in American
Sign Language for Deaf audience, Voice interpreting for hearing audience,
and CART (Real Time Captioning) for people with hearing loss who do not communicate
in sign.
Tickets are $60 before May 15, 2002, and $75 after May 15. For information
about discounted tickets or about Creative Access's other Cultural Access
Projects, people are invited to contact Creative Access, 100 So. Broad Street,
Suite 1515, Phila., PA 19110
Phone: 215.569.8311 TTY/Voice.
Fax: 215.569.8104 Email: craccess@aol.com:
Web: www.creativeaccess.org