STRIVE collective: Why we set up video podcast series The Green Room (with BSL video)

The Green Room is a video podcast series of 12 interviews hosted by the members of STRIVE Collective, featuring an incredible, diverse array of Deaf, hard of hearing, neurodiverse & disabled arts industry talent and allies from the UK and other parts of the world. All interviews are in BSL and English with captions and audio description.

At time of publication, we’ve already released interviews with the super talented hard of hearing actor, presenter & BSL interpreter Alim Jayda; Battersea Arts Centre’s access guru Kelsie Acton who is originally from Canada; top British theatre casting director Polly Jerrold and multidisciplinary Deaf performer David Ellington. The level of talent we have on display is truly staggering!

STRIVE Collective is a new venture made up of theatre companies The DH Ensemble (run by Stephen Collins, Sophie Stone, Jennifer K. Bates and Erin Siobhan Hutching) and Hot Coals Productions (run by Clare-Louise English and Jo Sargeant).

Our companies are led by Deaf and hearing or deaf and neurodiverse artists so we share an ethos of always placing access at the heart of the work we make as an essential part of our artistic process.

We decided to join forces as STRIVE to share resources in a changing industry. Each company will of course keep making the unique work we’re known for, but we’re teaming up for special projects like The Green Room.

With theatres closed, there are hundreds of green rooms around the country lying empty. A green room is a space where actors, technical staff and theatre workers can relax after rehearsals or between shows – it’s where we drink tea or coffee, have our dinner and gossip. As creatives, we’re all missing our green rooms dearly, so we decided to set up a digital one! 

We’re inviting you to join us for these chats to celebrate best practice in the arts world, spotlight the journeys of unsung heroes and inspire action where we can.

We’ve decided to include some people who might not be on everyone’s radars, but who definitely should be! As well as actors and directors, we’re also chatting to designers, casting directors and stage managers. And with this space being digital, we’re using the opportunity to speak with international colleagues about how access works in other parts of the world including on Broadway!

The Green Room is the celebration we’re all needing right now. When we talk about access in the arts, it’s easy to focus on the barriers, and of course that’s absolutely necessary.

But we want to really celebrate the amazing stories that are out there and send out a positive message that working with Deaf and disabled talent as well as considering creative access for audiences brings so much depth and quality to theatre, TV and film work. 

This isn’t just for people who work in the arts. You might never have even been to the theatre or thought about a career in the arts, but that might change once you’ve watched an episode!

We’re releasing an episode every Thursday at 7.30pm for 12 weeks and we started on 11th February 2021. We’re going to be leaving the interviews up so everyone can share and enjoy them for years to come.

Watch them here:

Website https://www.strivecollective.org/the-green-room (video and audio only options available) OR

Youtube playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfkU9IErA8T_yWj003yTXdMDiNR-QnnAZ

You can share your thoughts and questions by using #TheGreenRoom_UK across all your social media platforms.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/The_Greenroom_ 

We hope to see you in The Green Room soon!

By the STRIVE Collective (in alphabetical order: Jennifer K. Bates, Stephen Collins, Clare-Louise English, Erin Siobhan Hutching, Jo Sargeant, Sophie Stone)

The DH Ensemble www.dhensemble.com

Twitter: @DH_Ensemble

Hot Coals Productions www.hotcoalsproductions.co.uk

Twitter: @HotCoalsTheatre

All video podcasts are in British Sign Language & spoken English with Captions and Audio Description. Audio podcast versions available with Audio Description.