Eye On The Arts: Disabled Patrons Experience The Nutcracker In A New Way

This Sunday at 4 p.m., the Pennsylvania Ballet presents another performance of The Nutcracker. But this year, for people who are blind, they'll be hearing more than just the music.

The music is by Tchaikovsky and 55-year-old Pam Shaw knows it well. Though she is blind, Pam says she has seen The Nutcracker many times.

"What is the Christmas season, without the Nutcracker?" asked Pam.

Pam lives in Chestnut Hill and has been blind since birth. She can make out shadows. But because of her visual disability, the experience of The Nutcracker is limited.

"While you can enjoy the music, you become sensitive to the fact that there is a piece that's missing," said Pam.

Today, Pam is able to experience the show with a receiver and an ear piece and a skilled narrator who describes in detail all the action on stage. The narrator sits in the top balcony of the Academy of Music and talks into a microphone. No matter where you sit, the audience member can hear the descriptions clearly.

As Executive Director Art Reach, Michael Norris makes artistic performances accessible to people with disabilities.

"There is a big audience out there that would love to come," said Norris.

You do need to buy a ticket and then register for the audio service at no cost. Pam registered for the audio description last year.

"The audio describer used words like leaping and dancing and moving quickly and swaying," Pam said, "Things that I would not have even thought about."

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Before the ballet, Pam and others with sight challenges are invited to come on stage and they're encouraged to touch the scenery, the costumes and the feet of the ballerinas.

"One of the dancers stood on a table and on point," Norris said. "They actually allowed the blind audience members to feel her calf and her foot and her toe."

Pam said, "In many respects it was as if I was seeing The Nutcracker for the very first time."

To register for the audio description and to purchase tickets for the performance which is Sunday, December 19th at 4 p.m., you need to call 215-587-6921.

Reported by Pat Ciarrocchi, CBS 3