Desert Island Discs

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Castaway guests share the soundtrack of their lives.

Eight tracks, a book and a luxury: what would you take to a desert island? Guests share the soundtrack of their lives.

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Desert Island Discs: Jenny Sealey, theatre director

Jenny Sealey, theatre director

BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs, Jenny Sealey, theatre director

Jenny Sealey, theatre director, shares the soundtrack of her life. With Lauren Laverne.

Jenny Sealey, director of Graeae Theatre Company, shares the eight tracks, book and luxury item she would take with her if cast away to a desert island. With Lauren Laverne.

Jenny Sealey has been the artistic director of Graeae Theatre Company since 1997: Graeae is a deaf and disabled-led company and a leader and innovator in accessible theatre. Jenny has directed opera as well as plays, and was the co-director of the 2012 Paralympic opening ceremony. 

Jenny was born in Nottingham in 1963, the eldest of four sisters. She lost her hearing at the age of seven following a fall at school in which she banged her head. At that time, deaf children were not encouraged to use British Sign Language, and so she taught herself to lip read, and stayed in a mainstream school, although she often found it challenging. She also continued to take ballet lessons, helped by an inspirational teacher who encouraged her to follow the form and movements of the dancer in front of her. She went on to study dance and choreography at Middlesex Polytechnic.

After graduation, Jenny worked as an actor before becoming the artistic director of Graeae. In 2022 she was awarded an OBE for services to disability arts. Most recently she returned to acting and toured the UK with Self Raising, her one-woman autobiographical play. 

Jenny lives in London with her son and partner. 

DISC ONE: Handel: Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: No. 44, Chorus. Hallelujah, for the Lord God Omnipotent Reigneth. Composed by George Frideric Handel and performed by The Sixteen Choir, conducted by Harry Christophers 
DISC TWO: Yesterday - The Beatles       
DISC THREE: Teenage Kicks - The Undertones   
DISC FOUR: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack   
DISC FIVE: Because The Night - Patti Smith Group  
DISC SIX: Spasticus Autisticus – John Kelly and the cast of Reasons to be Cheerful 
DISC SEVEN: If It Can't Be Right Then It Must Be Wrong – John Kelly and the cast of Graeae’s stage production of Reasons To Be Cheerful   
DISC EIGHT: Days – Kirsty MacColl

BOOK CHOICE: The Complete Works of Armistead Maupin 
LUXURY ITEM: A photography kit      
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Handel: Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: No. 44, Chorus. Hallelujah, for the Lord God Omnipotent Reigneth. Composed by George Frideric Handel and performed by The Sixteen Choir, conducted by Harry Christophers 
 
Presenter  Lauren Laverne
Producer   Sarah Taylor

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