The Grieving Project Enters Artist Residency With The Voxel And Open Circle Theatre To Create 'Radically Accessible' Theatre Experience

This February, The Grieving Project will enter an Artist Residency at the tech-forward performing arts theater, The Voxel, in Baltimore, Maryland to develop a proof of concept for "radically accessible" theatre, following a successful staged reading in Dallas, TX and a three-year development process.

During the two-week residency (Feb 26th-March 11th), the team, including writer/producer Lisa Sniderman and Director Suzanne Richard, through a directing/producing partnership with Open Circle Theatre, will test, demo, stage and film immersive tech in a live environment to create comparable theatrical experiences for both live and virtual audiences. The project is currently fundraising on IndieGoGo to cover the costs of the production and developing new accessibility tech.

The Grieving Project is a full-length spoken-word and sung multimedia musical. The musical tells the story of four disabled artists, finalists in an arts competition called "The Grieving Project," who meet over Zoom, find their voices and thrive while navigating mental health, relationships, transformation, identity, and grieving their illnesses. Book is by Sniderman. Music co-written by Sniderman, Stewart St John and Michael Plahuta, and Angelo "Scrote" Bundini. (See: https://thegrievingproject.com/musical.)

"I was missing live theatre, and had this vision of bringing live theatre to those like me through a disability-centered musical," said Sniderman. "While living with chronic illness for 13 years, I kept so busy creating, I forgot to grieve, and was compelled to write a disability-centered musical to empower others who may have also forgotten to grieve, to access their losses."

Currently, the project has raised more than $4,000 since launching five days ago toward the minimum goal of $25,000 to create the accessible experience, which will include community engagement in a virtual metaverse lobby and the ability to choose from multiple camera angles while watching the show.

"We want to bring theatre experiences to the millions of people who cannot attend live theatre due to chronic illness, disability, age, geography and economic challenges, and lack of accessible theatres," said Sniderman.

Learn more on the campaign website!

Lisa Sniderman is a multi-award-winning artist and playwright known by her artist name, Aoede. As a disabled artist, Sniderman creates-and often centers characters with illnesses-to express, foster healing, elevate, empower and advocate for people with chronic illnesses and disabilities. She's been honored with 100+ awards and accolades for songwriting, albums, films, stage plays, spoken word, books, all while battling a rare, disabling autoimmune disease for nearly 16 years, Dermatomyositis, as well as primary immunodeficiency (CVID).

Director Suzanne Richard is co-founder and Artistic Director of Open Circle Theatre, Washington, D.C.'s first professional theatre promoting careers in the arts for people with disabilities-formed in 2004 by a group of people with and without disabilities. OCT produces high-quality, inventive theatre productions, and many critically acclaimed shows, that provide opportunities for professional theatre artists with and without disabilities.

Accessibility Director Jessica Skintges Wallach, a disabled artist, is a Washington, DC-based accessibility consultant and photographer. Jessica has been working in accessibility for 40 years. She has a Master's degree from Cornell University in City and Regional Planning where she first started asking: "Who are we making space accessible to?" She worked at the Department of Justice focusing on housing accessibility. Jessica currently tours nationally as a speaker and consults on how to make performing arts accessible. She has worked in/and or exhibited art at renowned spaces including The Kennedy Center, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Capital One Hall, Open Circle Theatre, and Mass General Hospital.

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