enVISION: The Next Chapter is an immersive interdisciplinary performance that relies not on sight or sound but on the felt sense of sonic experiences and visual perceptions. In a collective creative process, the work brings together a team of collaborators around two questions: Can we listen to what we see? Can we see what we hear?
Conceived explicitly with and for individuals who are low-vision and blind, as well as deaf and hard of hearing, the work proposes a new multi-sensory experience of dance and theater. The work is presented to a live audience who can choose to experience the show blindfolded or with earbuds, and six audience members are invited to join the experience onstage. This ADF commission builds on enVISION: Sensory Beyond Sight, which premiered at ADF in 2022.
enVISION: The Next Chapter is directed by Artistic Director ShaLeigh Comerford in collaboration with SDW’s company members. The premiere commissions NC-based sound design engineer Erik Ramquist and composer Eric Hirsh, a 2012 recipient of the North Carolina Arts Council Composer Fellowship and a four-time winner of the Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award. Lighting design is by Bamboo Wind and The In-Between aficionado Jeremy Kumin. Environmental design is by Nicholas Jackson. Text Design is by ShaLeigh Comerford in collaboration with the Creative Team. Projection design is by Jonathan Faw and Alex Maness. Costume design is by Iris Lloyd. Creative Consultants include Krishna Washburn, Audrey-Anne Bouchard, and Naga Devi Wasserman. Creative Experts include Nicolle Alleman, Susan Cataldo, Karin Desalu, Janie Desmond, Hillary Honig Ensminger, Isela Garcia, Yazmyne Jenkins, Chemae Mebane, Taylor Ofori, Ed Rizzuto, Davian Robinson, Brice Smith, Jan Tu, and Susannah Wright.
enVISION: The Next Chapter by ShaLeigh Comerford is co-commissioned by ADF with support from the Doris Duke/SHS Foundations Award for New Works, and is supported in part by the Durham Arts Council’s Annual Arts Fund, the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, New Music USA, the North Carolina Arts Council, Triangle Community Foundation, and South Arts in partnership with the NEA and the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources. The arts are back in North Carolina. The Spark the Arts grant promotes audience inclusion and reengagement in the arts.
We would also like to thank our invaluable community partners Arts Access, Cirque De Vol, Governor Morehead School for the Blind, MM Professionals, Ninth Street Dance, North Carolina Dept. of Health and Human Services – Division of Services for the Deaf and the Hard of Hearing, Paperhand Puppet, Vision InSights, The Fruit, The Reality Center, Representative Valerie Foushee and Legislative Assistant Arturo Reyes.
Testimonials
“Few performances during my life have generated such a deep impact as this one.“ – Audience Member
“I participated on stage and I can easily say this experience became a core memory for me. My best friend has low vision and as much as I’ve tried to learn and adapt to her needs, never had I had any experience/explanation/class give me a glimpse so vivid of what her life is like. I was moved to tears and felt very humbled by the whole experience.” – Audience Member
“It goes beyond inclusion. It presents a work that works for all and is created by all.” – Audience Member
“This was the best dance experience I’ve ever had in my life.” – Audience Member
PRE-SHOW ACCESS MATERIALS
Click HERE for Digital Program
Click HERE for an Audio Program
Venue Accessibility: The Fruit is accessible to wheelchair users. Ushers are strategically placed to assist with ease of access and crowd flow throughout the space. Accessible seating may be purchased online, over the phone, or in person at the Box Office. Please contact the University Box Office at least one business day in advance to request seats near the front of the theater. They will reserve a space for you and up to three companions.
ASL Greeters: For patrons who use ASL, a live American Sign Language Interpreter will be present to welcome folks during the preshow experiences for all show dates excluding Saturday July 20th evening and Saturday July 27th matinee performances.
Programs: Large print and braille programs will be available at the performance. The performance will begin with an audio program and captions which will be visible to the SIGHT seating area.
Sensory Seating Design: Seating is general admission. Audience members will have the opportunity to self-select the sensory seating area they prefer. The SOUND seating area has been designed to amplify the experience auditorily. The SIGHT seating area has been designed to amplify the experience visually and vibrationally. There are a limited number of seats in each section. Early arrival is recommended for choice seating.
Audio Description and ASL: The show is created to be accessible to the Blind and Deaf communities both as performers and audience members, there is not traditional audio description or ASL but access is layered into the work and part of the creative process. Open captions will be projected and visible only to the SIGHT seating area.
Parking: The venue has a few allotted handicap parking spaces next to a ramped entryway. Parking is available free of charge (after 6 PM during the week and throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday) in the parking lot for Durham Health and Human Services located at E. Main St. and S. Dillard St.; the entrance to the lot is off of S. Dillard St. Additionally, there is nearby street parking on Ramseur St. and S. Dillard St.
