Author(s) | |
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Abstract |
As theatre artists, it is our responsibility to respond to the world around us and allow our work to embody that response. As the world rapidly changes, I tried to focus in on my little part of it: The School of Theatre & Dance at Kent State University. Last semester when I started learning American Sign Language I realized that my school infrequently provides opportunities for D/deaf students on campus to experience or be involved in our productions. After investigating, I learned that the lack of participation stems from a lack of access. The project I have put together as a first step in solving this is Signs of Love: A Cabaret. At its core this is a concert performed in ASL while simultaneously being sung in English. Our project will consist of a partnership between the School of Theatre & Dance and the American Sign Language Department as a means of outreach to the Deaf community. This is to lay the groundwork for creating an interactive space where D/deaf individuals can voice their issues and tell their stories. Signs of Love will be performed in such a way that individuals who are D/deaf or Hard of Hearing will be able to experience the production in the same way. This project is meant to be a bridge between Theatre and the Deaf Community- a bridge I was surprised to learn did not already exist. Signs of Love will bring students, faculty, and the community together in a way that has not been done before, and will serve as a stepping stone to our art not only being more accessible to a wider audience, but more inclusive to those who want to be involved. |
Format | |
Publication Date |
2017-03-21
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Contributor(s) |
Faculty Mentor
Mr. Larry Nehring |
Subject | |
Modified Abstract |
Last semester when I started learning American Sign Language I realized that my school infrequently provides opportunities for D/deaf students on campus to experience or be involved in our productions. After investigating, I learned that the lack of participation stems from a lack of access. The project I have put together as a first step in solving this is Signs of Love: A Cabaret, a concert performed in ASL while simultaneously being sung in English. This project functions as a means of outreach to the Deaf community with the purpose of laying the groundwork for creating an interactive space where D/deaf individuals can voice their issues and tell their stories. Signs of Love will be performed in such a way that individuals who are D/deaf or Hard of Hearing will be able to experience the production in the same way. Signs of Love will bring students, faculty, and the community together in a way that has not been done before, and will serve as a stepping stone to our art not only being more accessible to a wider audience, but more inclusive to those who want to be involved. |
Permalink | https://oaks.kent.edu/ugresearch/2017/english_comm/3 |