Think Outside the Vox

28/07/2026

UPDATE, VENUE CHANGE for WEDNESDAY JULY 29th: Due to weather, this concert has been moved indoors to Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street, Boston, MA. Seating is limited. ASL interpretation will still be provided (DASL Rachel Berman-Kobylarz with ASL interpreters Aimee L. Robinson and Desiree Weems). There will be no haptic vests due to this venue change.

Doors open at 6:00PM. Directions and parking recommendation: https://www.emmanuelboston.org/about/directions/ . We are still on track to have both ASL and haptic vests for August 5th, and ASL on August 12th. Stay tuned for up to date information.

🚨 Venue Change for Wednesday, July 29 🚨

Due to the likelihood of inclement weather, Wednesday's performance of Four Seasons Recomposed & Mozart's 40th has been moved indoors.

📍 New Location: Emmanuel Church (15 Newbury St., Boston)
🕖 Concert: 7:00 PM
🎻 Prelude Concert by Four Strings Academy: 6:30 PM
🚪 Doors Open: 6:00 PM

Admission remains FREE, with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Please note:
• No picnics, lawn chairs, beverages, or pets inside the venue.
• Maestro Zone, face painting, and instrument demonstrations will not be available.
• ASL interpretation will still be provided
• Haptic vests will be postponed until our August 5 performance.

The program remains unchanged, and you can also join us:
📍 July 31, 7:00 PM – Bethel AME Church, Jamaica Plain
📍 August 1, 3:00 PM – Twelfth Baptist Church, Roxbury

Learn more at https://www.landmarksorchestra.org/events/2026-season/four-seasons-recomposed/

28/07/2026

UPDATE, VENUE CHANGE for WEDNESDAY JULY 29th: Due to weather, this concert has been moved indoors to Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street, Boston, MA. Seating is limited. ASL interpretation will still be provided, but no haptic vests.

Doors open at 6:00PM. Directions and parking recommendation: https://www.emmanuelboston.org/about/directions/ . We are still on track to have both ASL and haptic vests for August 5th, and ASL on August 12th. Stay tuned for up to date information.

28/07/2026

UPDATE, VENUE CHANGE for WEDNESDAY JULY 29th: Due to weather, this concert has been moved indoors to Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street, Boston, MA. Seating is limited. ASL interpretation will still be provided, but no haptic vests.

Doors open at 6:00PM. Directions and parking recommendation: https://www.emmanuelboston.org/about/directions/ . We are still on track to have both ASL and haptic vests for August 5th, and ASL on August 12th. Stay tuned for up to date information.

UPDATE, VENUE CHANGE for WEDNESDAY JULY 29th: Due to weather, this concert has been moved indoors to Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street, Boston, MA. Seating is limited. ASL interpretation will still be provided, but no haptic vests.

to Boston Landmarks Orchestra! This summer season, all four outdoor concerts at Hatch Memorial Shell are all on Wednesdays at 7:00pm fit with American Sign Language interpretation supported by Think Outside the VOX. Deaf Directors of Artistic Sign Language Kristin Johnson & Rachel Berman-Kobylarz are leading ASL interpreting teams who include Adri Neefus, Christopher Robinson, Aimee Robinson and Desiree Weems. Tactus Music is making concerts accessible with haptic vests on July 29th and August 5th so Deaf, Hard of Hearing, disabled, and neurodivergent patrons can feel the music. Access the digital programs, reserve a haptic vest, and plan your visit to the Hatch Memorial Shell at LandmarksOrchestra.org/events/2026-season or visit the link in our bio.

Image Description: a purple infographic displaying accessible performance dates. At the top from left to right, logos for Boston Landmarks Orchestra, Tactus Music, and Think Outside the Vox. White text header reads “Accessible performances. ASL interpretation and Haptic vests.” In a list format are show titles, dates, and icons to signify ASL interpretation and black haptic vests. In order: “Best of Boston. July 22. ASL interpretation. Four Seasons Recomposed & Mozart’s 40th. July 29. ASL Interpretation and Haptic vests. Verdi Requiem. August 5. ASL interpretation and Haptic Vests. Organ Symphony & Foundations of Rome. August 12. ASL Interpretation. White text at the bottom reads “DCR Hatch Memorial Shell at 7:00pm. LandmarksOrchestra.org/events/2026-season.

23/07/2026

ASL interpretation AND haptic vests for Boston Landmarks Orchestra’s upcoming concerts! Meet Rachel Berman-Kobylarz, one of the Deaf Directors of Artistic Sign Language leading the ASL teams.

UPDATE, VENUE CHANGE for WEDNESDAY JULY 29th: Due to weather, this concert has been moved indoors to Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street, Boston, MA. Seating is limited. ASL interpretation will still be provided, but no haptic vests.

Descriptive Transcript:
A 2-minute 20-second video, no audio, of Rachel Berman-Kobylarz, an Ashkenazi Deaf woman with salt and pepper curly hair wears a black shirt standing in front of a beige wall. She signs in American Sign Language and English captions appear at the bottom:
“Hello! Now that it’s summer time...Boston Landmarks Orchestra is hosting free concerts with ASL interpretation and haptic vests! [three graphics: Boston Landmarks Orchestra multicolored logo; photo of VOX ASL team from Landmarks’ 2024 season (DASLs Léon and Aidan with ASL interpreters Christopher and Aimee Robinson); photo of a Tactus black zip up haptic vest.] At the Hatch Memorial Shell near the Charles River [photo of Hatch Memorial Shell stage at night with the orchestra playing]. I’m involved for two performances: Wednesday, July 29th 7:00PM Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Recomposed & Mozart’s famous Symphony No. 40 This concert is mostly instrumental with no lyrics. Instead, ASL interpretation will tell a visual story that follows the music’s emotional journey. Next performance is Wednesday, August 5th 7:00 PM Verdi Requiem: orchestra featuring a choir singing in Latin. The ASL interpreters will bring their lyrics to life. Both concerts are free! These two performance dates are the only two with haptic vests to feel the music. [photo of haptic vest]. ASL Interpreting team: myself, Rachel (DASL), ASL interpreters Aimee Robinson & Desiree Weems. Chairs are provided for Deaf attendees in a reserved seating area. Important: Haptic vests are first come first serve. Filling out a reservation online ahead of time is recommended. [photo of haptic vest and teal Tactus Music logo with tagline “Vibe with me”]. Hope to see you there!” A static infographic with Think Outside the Vox, Tactus Music, BLO logos at the top with white text below: “Wednesday July 29th 7:00pm - ASL and Haptic Vests. Wednesday August 5th 7:00pm - ASL and Haptic Vests. LandmarksOrchestra.org/events/2026-season .”

22/07/2026

UPDATE, VENUE CHANGE for WEDNESDAY JULY 29th: Due to weather, this concert has been moved indoors to Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street, Boston, MA. Seating is limited. ASL interpretation will still be provided, but no haptic vests.

to Boston Landmarks Orchestra! This summer season, all four outdoor concerts at Hatch Memorial Shell are all on Wednesdays at 7:00pm fit with American Sign Language interpretation supported by Think Outside the VOX. Deaf Directors of Artistic Sign Language Kristin Johnson & Rachel Berman-Kobylarz are leading ASL interpreting teams who include Adri Neefus, Christopher Robinson, Aimee Robinson and Desiree Weems. Tactus Music is making concerts accessible with haptic vests on July 29th and August 5th so Deaf, Hard of Hearing, disabled, and neurodivergent patrons can feel the music. Access the digital programs, reserve a haptic vest, and plan your visit to the Hatch Memorial Shell at LandmarksOrchestra.org/events/2026-season or visit the link in our bio.

Image Description: a purple infographic displaying accessible performance dates. At the top from left to right, logos for Boston Landmarks Orchestra, Tactus Music, and Think Outside the Vox. White text header reads “Accessible performances. ASL interpretation and Haptic vests.” In a list format are show titles, dates, and icons to signify ASL interpretation and black haptic vests. In order: “Best of Boston. July 22. ASL interpretation. Four Seasons Recomposed & Mozart’s 40th. July 29. ASL Interpretation and Haptic vests. Verdi Requiem. August 5. ASL interpretation and Haptic Vests. Organ Symphony & Foundations of Rome. August 12. ASL Interpretation. White text at the bottom reads “DCR Hatch Memorial Shell at 7:00pm. LandmarksOrchestra.org/events/2026-season.

21/07/2026

If you’ve budgeted for ASL and Audio Description services, have you also budgeted training time for your staff to implement these services across departments?

Book a comprehensive accessibility training at ThinkOutsideTheVox.org.

Image Description 1: Ingrid O'Dell, a tall white woman with ginger hair, blue eyes, and freckles wears a black long sleeve button down with white pants and a VOX lanyard holding the microphone smiling as she hands it to Nora Eschenheimer. Nora is a 5’8 woman with an athletic build, green eyes and short strawberry blonde hair who wears a red spaghetti strap dress. Four other cast and crew of Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream smile, clap, or laugh while sitting at large folding tables on the Modern Theater stage. Behind them out of focus are shelving, ladders, and hardware.

Image Description 2: Olivia Reinebach, a Hard of Hearing mixed Latinx with olive skin and dark brown curly hair wears a purple VOX shirt, black pants, and white high top sneakers speaking into a microphone. Surrounding them are over 25 cast, crew and contractors including Founding Artistic Director Steve Maler and Associate Artistic Director/Director of Education & Training Bryn Boice, who each sit at the respective ends of the upside-down U-shape folding table formation on stage. Some sit in the first few rows of theater seats in the house, observing in various ways: legs crossed, leaning back, hand stroking chin, studying the handout, hands folded, reading the slides. At upstage center is a TV with the accessibility training slides - this one features VOX’s mission, values, and services. On the right is a professional film camera set up in the house recording this first production rehearsal.

Photo credit: Dave Green Photography

16/07/2026

15/07/2026

Shakespeare Belongs to Everyone! 💜
Join us for one of our accessible performances of A Midsummer Night's Dream and experience Boston's beloved summer tradition in an inclusive, welcoming environment with our Access partner, Think Outside the Vox.
For more information, Visit CommShakes.org/Accessibility at the

Image Description: Square promotional graphic for Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's 30th anniversary production of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. The top half features a vibrant purple, pink, and gold background with glowing lights, suggesting a magical music festival atmosphere. On the left are silhouettes of two people holding hands running across a field. Large show title in white text reads, "William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream," followed by heading "Accessible Performances.” Bottom half has a bright yellow section with black text that reads, “August 1 at 8:00 PM – ASL-Interpreted; August 2 at 1:30 PM – Audio Described with Tactile Tour; August 2 at 8:00 PM – ASL Interpreted and Audio Described with Tactile Tour; Rain date for all access services: August 8 at 8:00 PM. All performances are open captioned.” At the bottom, black shaded Commonwealth Shakespeare Company 30th anniversary logo and VOX logo.

13/07/2026

We are thrilled to announce the first of four ASL-interpreted Boston Landmarks Orchestra outdoor performances of summer 2026! Think Outside the Vox is bringing ASL to the Hatch Memorial Shell concerts on July 22nd, July 29th, August 5th, and August 12th accessible with ASL interpretation - all Wednesdays at 7:00pm. Deaf Directors of Artistic Sign Language Kristin Johnson and Rachel Berman-Kobylarz lead ASL interpreters Christopher Robinson, Aimee Robinson, Desiree Weems and Adri Neefus. Free for everyone!

Descriptive Transcript:
A 55-second video with no audio of DASL Kristin Johnson, a Deaf white woman with light brown shoulder-length hair, who wears a black long sleeve turtleneck and white framed glasses. She stands in front of a light blue wall, signing in American Sign Language as English captions with black background and white text appear at the bottom: “Hello! Boston Landmarks Orchestra is celebrating America 250 with a concert showcasing our diverse musical heritage. [a rectangle, multicolored 25 years of Boston Landmarks Orchestra logo with white icons of performers playing musical instruments, dancing, or conducting in separate panels]. Wednesday, July 22nd, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the DCR Hatch Memorial Shell by the Charles River. It is an outdoor concert and is free to all. ASL team for this performance: Christopher Robinson, Desiree Weems, and myself, Kristin Johnson. Come and celebrate America 250 with us!” The frame freezes as Kristin signs the 0 in 250, and on the right side, top to bottom in sequence, a photo of the DCR Hatch Memorial Shell with musicians on the stage at night, a magenta background and white text blurb reads “WEDNESDAY, JULY 22ND, 7:00PM,” and Think Outside the Vox logo.

11/07/2026

Calling all Boston-based and visiting dance teachers, instructors, choreographers of all abilities - this is a great opportunity to experience tactile, inclusive approaches to teaching dance more accessibly! Support local DeafBlind instructor Kerry Thompson of Silent Rhythms, Inc., and have fun doing it!

As we observe International Day of DeafBlindness today, we’re excited to announce a teacher-training workshop with 2026 Urbanity X Resident Kerry Thompson

Join Kerry—the Founding Executive Director of Silent Rhythms and global inclusion expert— for a vital teacher training workshop: Creativity and Movements for Persons with Disabilities.

🗓 Date: Saturday, July 25, 2026
🕑 Time: 2:00 PM - 4:15 PM
📍 Location: Urbanity Dance Central
💰 Cost: $100 (or Pay-What-You-Can)

What you’ll learn:
1️⃣ Understand the barriers people with disabilities face in accessing dance.
2️⃣ Learn American Sign Language (ASL) specifically for the dance studio.
3️⃣ The crucial role of Dance Ambassadors.
4️⃣ Communication tips for teaching students who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Blind/Low-Vision, and DeafBlind.
5️⃣ Inclusive teaching methodologies for a diverse disability community.

Come learn, celebrate dance, and help us build spaces where everyone can belong, participate, and thrive. Register here: https://pro.gofundme.com/event/creativity-and-movements-for-persons-with-disabilities-a-workshop-with-kerry-thompson/e816088

About Kerry:
Kerry Thompson is a renowned global inclusion expert, the Founding Executive Director of Silent Rhythms, and a Latin dance instructor. Drawing from over 20 years of experience and her unique lived experience as a Deaf dancer who later became blind, Kerry has trained cultural institutions, nonprofits, and dance companies worldwide (including recent performances at Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City!).