May 13, 2004

Sensory enlightenment
Tabard Theater uses touch,
description for blind and visually impaired

By Kymberli W. Brady
Staff Writer

In a small, private showing for an audience of about 20 people—and one dog—cast members with the Tabard Theater Company hoisted themselves up onto the stage and sat side by side, legs dangling off the raised platform, ready to describe their roles in the performance of “Sabrina Faire,” rather than act them out for the unlikely gathering of blind or visually impaired guests.

Some sat, sipping from Starbucks coffee cups during the impromptu get-together, while others balanced a myriad of items in their laps. None wore their costumes to this performance. Instead they carried them in, ready to pass them around so people could “see” them more clearly, using their sense of touch rather than that of sight.

“It’s 1953,” begins Director Cathy Spielberger Cassetta of the four-act play. “The first act takes place midday on a Saturday afternoon. The entire play takes place in a walled garden. To your left, we have a short wall about 3 feet high and 5 feet long. The back wall is made up of three trellises, covered with ivy. Between two of the trellises is a lovely garden arch with a swinging gate that leads to the Larabee property…”

And so begins a unique pre-show production developed by Cassetta in a effort to provide a little sensory enlightenment for those who are normally left in the dark when it comes to colors, settings, props, mood, and facial expressions—details that don’t have dialogue attached to them. The free pre-show event is made before one designated matinee of every Tabard production. Although other theater companies offer assisted performances through audio descriptions, the Tabard Theater takes it one step further by allowing their guests a more “up-close-and-personal” experience with the actors.

“I sit on that wall a lot,” explains Kim Saunders, who plays the role of Sabrina Fairchild, a self-professed bundle of energy. “It’s kind of Sabrina’s wall and a lot happens here.”

Saunders continues to describe her many costume changes, along with occurrences during the show where she will be acting out certain emotions. “One of the comical moments that will be hard for you is when a giant white cage comes on with a giant white bird in it,” she explains. “It looks like a cockatoo, but it pretty much does nothing! I keep saying it’s going to do something, but I won’t tell you what, so you can actually ‘feel’ that moment…”

One by one, the other cast members step up to offer insights into the particulars of their characters, complete with wardrobe changes and emotional moments acted out, not portrayed through dialogue.

“I am on stage pretty much the entire time,” explains Tim Reynolds, who plays the role of Linus Jr. “But I’m hiding upstage in the trellises that Cathy described to you—listening to the conversation between Sabrina and her father…Later on, towards the end of the show, there will be a kiss between Linus and Sabrina.”

“You’ll know,” says Cassetta. “Everything goes real quiet.”

“Except for the occasional ‘awe!’” adds Reynolds.

“Is it a real kiss?” asks someone in the audience over the laughter.

“Yes,” admits Reynolds. “We live for that moment. It’s the first time that both Linus and Sabrina acknowledge that they have feelings for each other.”

It is this kind of interaction that allows those unable to see the shows “subtleties” to know what will be happening and when—pivotal moments that might otherwise get lost in the dialogue. According to those who attend the presentation, it could make or break the experience.

“I’ve been to this several times and find it most enjoyable,” explains Donald Verdu, whose short field of vision doesn’t allow him to see faces or details. “They do a variety of plays here and each one is unique in its own way. I especially like this free program that they do here for us. It helps us to ‘feel’ it a little better.”

“This really helps us get into the storyline of the play for one thing,” explains Ken Carey, who uses a monocular to focus in on the performance. “If we couldn’t get to see the props up close, I wouldn’t be able to tell what a lot of that stuff is. I also like the small atmosphere,” he adds. “Unlike the Center for the Performing Arts, where you have hundreds of people, it’s so much easier to get in to here and to be up close and personal with the actors and actresses. They’re so accommodating to help us out like this. We really appreciate it.”

“This is extremely helpful as I’m not able to see much anymore,” adds Didi Esty, who started losing her sight as a child. “You get to know more about the plot and what’s going to happen. It’s nice to feel the things so that you can visualize in your own mind what they look like.”

Quietly napping under a chair in the front row lays Jardena, a golden lab that accompanies Michelle McGrew literally everywhere she goes. The guide dog works as McGrew’s eyes, but the presentation goes much further in helping her to grasp the total concept of the play. “With references to the various props and costumes, I have a better idea of what they’re referring to because I’ve had a chance to feel it,” she says. “That way, I can get a better idea of what shape it is and what the fabric feels like.

“It’s much more enjoyable coming here and seeing the plays,” admits Deborah Brown, a Lions Blind Center volunteer, who suffers from glaucoma. She has attended the special presentations several times with her roommate, volunteer coordinator, Nancy Campisi, also visually impaired. “We like how they present themselves, how they show the props, how they describe their parts and the details in the play. They talk about what they’ll be doing. It’s very interesting and helps us get into the play better.”

The free presentation is usually offered prior to the final matinee of each of the Tabard Theater performances. As “Sabrina Fair” comes to a close, Cassetta looks back on its success.

“We’ve had a good run,” she says. “People have come away saying this is the best show we’ve ever done—better even than San Jose Stage Company. But part of what makes this special is that we want these people to know that somebody cares about the blind center. Sometimes they feel like they’re forgotten and this means a great deal to them.”

For more information on the Tabard Theater Company and their upcoming performances, call the Box Office at (408) 979-0231 or log on to www.tabardtheatre.org.