Performing Arts Showcase Held in San Francisco: The "Ever Widening Circle" widens again
By Barbara Duncan (bjdnycla@aol.com)
Several hundred arts lovers turned out on October 4 to support what has become an annual fall showcase of first class talent from the disability community. The celebration, "The Ever Widening Circle," is sponsored by the World Institute on Disability and the Corporation on Disabilities and Telecommunication.
The pace of this year's 90 minute show was exemplary, deftly mixing a rock band with comedians, a sign language poet and the showstopper, Bill Shannon, also known as "The Crutchmaster." Shannon leaps, skates and glides around the stage, using his adapted crutches to shift his weight from one to the other in seamless, choreographed flight.
Judging from the applause, the audience was also enthralled by Ella Mae Lentz, whose simultaneously signed and spoken poetry was both piercing and poignant. The always professional comedienne, Geri Jewell had the whole theatre howling at her social commentary, which equally skewers herself and Hollywood pretensions. Jewell grew up on television and has long acknowledged Carol Burnett as her role model--in this seasoned performance one could see why some call her Burnett's successor.
The co-hosts, Greg Smith of the "On a Roll" radio show, and Thuy Vu, local television anchor, ably kept the program moving forward. WID and CDT admirably "widened the circle" further this year by placing particular emphasis on bringing in talent from several ethnic and minority communities. Details: www.wid.org.
Postcard for a "Crutchmaster" performance at Theater Artaud, San Francisco.
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