Towards an Inclusive Theatre
AAD Labs., Bouche Theatre Collective & Presentation House Theatre
REMOTE ACCESS FOR DISABILITY INDENTIFYING (& OTHER) THEATRE CREATORS IN SMALL THEATRE
Conceived of by Jack Paterson & Hannah Siden with Paul D. Powers
Developing new ways of making theatre from process to production
An ongoing project launched in August 2024, this project aims to create new pathways of access, opportunity, and equal and full participation for disability-identifying artists in the independent performing arts.
Born from our work with independent theatre artists facing Accessibility barriers due to disability (or any other barrier) to participate fully and equally in the small theatre and micro theatre creations space common to most independent artists.
Our ambition is to create an affordable and accessibility path necessary for artists unable to participate equally in the live creation in the rehearsal hall and provide the tools necessary for these artists outside Presentation House Theatre in the independent performing arts.
To date our research has created space for remote participation at workshops (e.g. Western Gold Theatre, The Creatus Project), rehearsals (The Ballad of Georges Boivin), theatres (The Cultch, PAL Studio Theatre, Presentation House Theatre, & The Tempest Theatre) and festivals (Iginte the Arts Festival, rEvolver Festival, Summerland’s Ryga Arts Festival) in 5 municipalities (Vancouver, North Vancouver, Summerland & Penticton).
Meet the Team
Concept by Jack Paterson & Hannah Siden | Systems Designer: Kaeden Atkinson-Hill | Creative Technician: Jason Niron | Consulting Artists: Joel Grinke, Vanka Salim & Paul D Powers | Stage Manager & Creative Technician: Andy Sandberg
Presentation House Theatre
333 Chesterfield Avenue,
North Vancouver, BC V7M 3G9
GALLERY
Meet the Team
Joel Grink (He, Him)
Joel is a creative director of immersive shows and experiences with a background in theatre, themed attractions, and museums. Drawing on my background as a theatre maker, multimedia designer, and technologist, I weave theatrical storytelling and live performance with interactivity, automation, and technological know-how to create unique and impactful experiences. www.joelgrinke.com
Paul D. Power (he, him)
Paul David Power has spent the past 20 years working as a writer, actor, director and communications professional in various mediums and for diverse organizations – including dramatic script for the stage. His formal training includes holding a BA in English with a concentration in theatre and a BAA in Journalism. Paul has a long history in raising awareness and understanding about disability issues through his work as a playwright, columnist, director and actor. He is the arttistic director of Power Productions. www.powerproductionsnl.com
Andy Sandberg (They, Them)
Andy has been a Vancouver stage manager for 25 years, working with a wide range of artists/companies in theatre, dance, opera, circus, and musicals. Stage managing is a calling for them, as it is a role of service they can provide to the artists/works they respect and admire. They are very particularly grateful to be stage managing for this production, as opportunities to work with Jack Paterson have always taken priority – the spaces he creates and the artistic works he cultivates and develops are deeply inspiring to assist in supporting.
Vanka Salim (She, her)
Vanka Chaitra Salim is a Muslim Indonesian-Canadian Set, Lighting and Projection designer, theatre technician and scenic painter. She enjoys experimenting with different mediums of storytelling that revolve around the interaction and interplay of art, culture and technology. She also loves gaming, game art & design, dance, videography, illustration and learning XR technologies, and has recently been experimenting with immersive experiences. www.vankasalim.com
Hannah Siden (she, her)
Hannah is a director, writer, producer and actor. Most recently she assistant directed alongside Jack Paterson on The Ballad of Georges Boivin (Western Gold) and Haven (United Players). She has an MA in Acting from East 15 and a postgrad filmmaking diploma from the London Film Academy. www.hannahsiden.com
JACK PATERSON (he, him)
Jack is an award winning theatre maker whose work and practice has taken him across Canada, UK, EU and around the world. Work has ranged from devising creation, multi-disciplinary, cross-cultural and multi-ligual projects to new works & texts, contemporary approaches to classical theatre. www.jackpatersontheatre.com
On Active Access & Cross Sensory Translation
“Accessibility as a springboard towards new forms of communication. Accessibility not simply as a practice for otherwise excluded audiences, but as added value. Accessibility as a creative challenge and experimentation with new languages.”
– Redattore Sociale (Italy 2022)
Active Access Design was pioneered by Global Hive Labs., an international network of artists and companies, co-founded by Jack Paterson and Denise Yvette Serna, working together in devised creation. With collective members across multiple countries, we identified access as a priority.
With projects in Canada, Italy, UK and USA, Active Access Design has been applied to cross cultural, multi ligual, Disability MAD & Deaf Arts, and Ageing in the Arts projects.
“…smashing nationality and accesibility borders in a Total theatre that merges so many artistic languages in a full emotional voyage…” – IMA Magazine
PALAZZO DEL MONDO, Farnese Palace (Italy 2022). Conceived of by Isolte Avila, Carolina Migli & Jack Paterson | Devised with the International Ensemble | Produced by Signdance Collective International (UK), Bouche Theatre Collective (Canada), Piacenza Kultur Dom (Italy)
We gratefully acknowledge the support of
