Kindly funded by an Individual Mainline Grant from The Arts Council of Wales, Award Winning Singer/ Song Writer & Author Cheryl Beer has been released from her usual role as a freelance community based Creative Director for 12 months, thus enabling her to tour the West Wales Coastline inventing a new ‘story for the folk’
The Dragon Tree is a life quest for the main character Dafydd, a fisherman washed up in Cardigan Bay, with Guinivere, the Mermaid Goddess on his side, his trail West combines stories of the past, present and what may be in the future, beautifully told through a living Multi Media Arts Installation of Song, Music, Film, Spoken Word, Creative Arts and Movement via Arts Care Gofal Celf, LegaC Contemporary Dance Troop.
Certainly Cheryl is capturing the imagination of many, her blog where she has been journaling the process, having had over 10,000 hits globally in the first 7 months of the grant period: fusioninspire.blogspot.co.uk
The Dragon Tree is based on consultation with over 650 members of the West Wales Community and literally 1000’s of people via the internet.
Cheryl’s creative journey shows us what the people consider to be the light and dark of the coastline, from song collaborations with dolphins via hydro-phonic acoustic recordings out at sea with Ceredigion Wildlife and Sea Watch Foundation, to social comment from DDC Street Dancers regarding high employment in coastal towns; from a romanticised embrace of old folk stories, to creating new characters for tomorrow, The Dragon Tree is an opportunity for the audience to experience the very personal & intimate nature of Cheryl’s creativity within the context of her life in West Wales.
Her attention to detail and commitment to inclusion via the arts within her own work has culminated in a Bi-Lingual Arts Installation which will be exhibited alongside the production. Using recycled materials and representing the fishermen of the Teifi River, the installation includes translations of Cheryl’s lyrics from Award Winning Bard, Ceri Wyn Jones and a hand crafted Story Telling Bench made from the drift wood of our coastline.
In addition, Cheryl will be including smell as part of the production to enhance the experience for those who may have a visual impairment and has composed music and rhythm patterns based on sign language films of her lyrics made with Maggie Hampton, Director of Disability Arts Cymru.
The Dragon Tree will be touring in January – February 2013 at St.David’s Cathedral, The Cwrt House, The National Botanic Garden of Wales & St.Cadoc’s Church, Trevethin.
Special Guests joining Cheryl Beer:
LegaC Contemporary Dance Troop with Arts Care Gofal Celf / DCC Street Dancers
Bigyn Primary School & Johnstown Primary School
Rachel Hargrave, Amanda Painting, Jeff Beer, Teena Gould & Swansea Ukulele Group