Making Connections Creatively at Wild Swan

Hilary Cohen and Sandy Ryder stood in front of about 30 people, not saying a word. Then Ryder mimed the motion of stroking her whiskers – she’s a cat! Cohen mimed back, slapping her thigh – a dog! They teased, attacked, retreated, as their audience watched and laughed.

Then, however, it was time for the audience to pair up and try it themselves. “You know, there’s a reason why I’m a visual artist, not a theater artist,” someone quipped.

Tuesday evening’s antics reflected the setting – Wild Swan Theater – as well as the forum: Creative Connections, a monthly networking event for the area’s cultural community.

A project of the Arts Alliance, these gatherings are a way for people involved in the arts to meet and build relationships, said alliance director Tamara Real. Different venues around Washtenaw County – from the Purple Rose Theater in Chelsea to the What Is That Gallery in Ypsilanti – help bridge geographic divides, too.

Each event starts out with something called “Hot Flashes” – everyone who attends has a minute to talk about something that’s going on with their organization, like a casting call, upcoming exhibit or show, perhaps a job opening.

The host for the evening gets some time to describe their organization, then there’s usually some kind of structured activity, which is often an ice breaker or small group discussion. There are snacks and wine, and ample opportunity to stand around and chat with someone you’ve just met, or to catch up with people you already know.

At Tuesday’s event, people were divided into groups and talked about how each of their organizations deals with accessibility issues, either physical, geographic or economic.

The topic was tailor-made for Wild Swan, which has made accessibility a core of its mission since Cohen and Ryder founded the children’s theater 29 years ago. Each of their shows integrates American Sign Language into the performance – they don’t just have an interpreter standing on the side of the stage.

They make shows accessible to the blind as well. Before the show, actors come out and talk so that the audience can get to know the voices of the different characters. They open the stage so that kids can touch or even climb on the scenery and walk around the set, to get a sense of where the action will take place. You can also request an electronic device that hooks up to earphones – worn during the show, you listen as someone describes all the non-verbal action that happens on stage.

Many of their shows are at Towsley Auditorium on the Washtenaw Community College campus. Their studio and offices had been housed for 15 years in a building on West Huron across the railroad tracks from the Delonis Center. But last year they relocated to a building tucked behind Kroger on South Maple. The Creative Connections event was a chance for many folks to visit for the first time.

After a holiday break in December, the next Creative Connections will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 27 at the Saline High School Theater.