Blind actors give stage performance

Patrycja Walton and Norm Arduini in Dancing to Beethoven.
Photo by Andrew Dobrowolskyj

Concordia’s Centre for the Arts in Human Development held a fundraiser Dec. 18, 19 and 20 in the form of an original production at Place des Arts by the newly formed Montreal Theatre by the Blind.

The play, called Dancing to Beethoven, was written by well-known Montreal impresario Sam Gesser, who once taught courses in “the business of show business” at Concordia, and now runs his business out of Place des Arts.

The performers were eight amateur actors who were recruited through a public media outreach in Montreal this summer. Stephen Snow, Director of Creative Arts Therapies at the CAHD, was the director.

The Centre for the Arts in Human Development was launched eight years ago in the Faculty of Fine Arts. Over the years, more than 100 people with special needs have benefitted from its unique program of creative arts therapies — art, drama, music and dance/movement .

A documentary, called Acting Blind, is being made about the production under the direction of Martin Duckworth, who has taught documentary filmmaking at Concordia for many years.

Barry Lazar, who teaches in the Journalism Department, is the producer, along with his partner in Beitel/Lazar Productions, the National Film Board and the CBC.

For more on the Centre, please consult www.cahd.net or call 848-2424, ext. 8619.