Cape Breton University to Host Screening and Workshop Series on Accessible Live Theatre

Cape Breton University to Host Screening and Workshop Series on Accessible Live Theatre

Cape Breton University will be hosting a screening and workshop series focused on making live theatre and dance more accessible to audiences with visual impairments. Led by Dr. Carolina Bergonzoni, Assistant Professor in the School of Education and Health, the events will showcase Cape Breton's first Audio Description live theatre production and provide hands-on training for those interested in accessible performing arts.

The series began with a free two-part workshop on Audio Description for Live Performances, with the first session having taken place on March 23 and another upcoming on March 30 from 6:00-8:00pm in the Boardmore Theatre. Participants will learn about the research process, practical applications of Audio Description and strategies for making live performances accessible to people who are blind or have low vision. The workshop will include hands-on practice with tools for observation, description and narration.

On Wednesday, April 1, from 6:00-8:00pm in the Boardmore Theatre, Dr. Bergonzoni will present a special screening and talk featuring the documentary A Christmas Carol: Moving Towards Accessible Live Theatre, produced in collaboration with the Highland Arts Theatre Association. This event celebrates Cape Breton's first live Audio Description theatre production and offers a behind-the-scenes look at how performances are made accessible.

Dr. Bergonzoni is a dancer, somatic practitioner, educator and scholar whose work draws on Critical Disability Studies, accessible arts-based education and curriculum studies. Her latest project, Dancing Voices: An Audio Described Show, is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and continues her research on Audio Description for live dance in Canada.

Audio Description makes visual experiences accessible by translating important visual details into spoken words, allowing audiences with visual impairments to fully engage with live performances. Through this series, Dr. Bergonzoni aims to share practical insights and strategies that can help make live theatre and dance more inclusive.

Both the workshop series and screening are open to CBU students, faculty, staff and the wider community. The events are ideal for anyone interested in accessible theatre, performing arts and inclusive practices.

Workshop: Audio Description for Live Performances

March 30, 2026, 6:00-8:00pm

Boardmore Theatre, Cape Breton University

Screening and Talk: A Christmas Carol: Moving Towards Accessible Live Theatre

April 1, 2026, 6:00-8:00pm

Boardmore Theatre, Cape Breton University

For more information, visit www.cbu.ca/events.