Hello,
I am hoping for some insight into a situation I am facing with a children's community theater my children are involved in.
Background:
My two youngest daughters are HOH and are in the play, along with my hearing son. I am late-deafened (happened in my early '30's) - really profoundly HOH - but I am learning ASL as I cannot reliably depend on aided residual hearing. I am not completely fluent in ASL but I can follow conversation and an interpreter does help with understanding immensely. I regularly use the interpreter at church and in other settings if there is one available. My husband is in an ITP program right now, currently taking Interpreting I. We are learning ASL as a family.
I realize this is a community theater working on a shoe-string budget so I did not expect them to higher a professional interpreter for the show. For the last production (our first time to be involved with this theater), with the director's permission, I arranged for a friend of mine (a certified interpreter/deaf ed teacher) to come and interpret for me as a favor and in exchange for me taking her to dinner.
Current production:
Last week, we were at rehearsal and one of the moms brings up a young lady and introduces her to me, saying she is going to be interpreting the show. I say hi and ask a little about her background, just making conversation really. She is a homeschooled high school student who has been "learning ASL on her own" and she "knows a lot of interpreters". Okay? So I am skeptical but will give the benefit of the doubt b/c they are trying.
My concerns are:
1. The level of her skills in interpreting: DH has been watching her practice and she is just not that skilled.
2. Location: They have placed her on a part of the stage that actually wraps around the right side of the audience, like a peninsula up the side aisle. Not only do you have to look far, far right to see her, if you are sitting in the front third of the theater, the interpreter would be either to your side or even behind you.
3. Set: The "peninsula" is actually a "loft" for the''Ladies in Waiting" (LIW), which are cast as a chorus to provide extra vocal support for some of the singing parts. There is a wall which hits the people behind it about mid-torso. The interpreter is positioned behind this wall with the LIW.
4. Costume: They have given the interpreter a costume similar to the dresses of the LIW. Hers is a dark burgundy velvet with several gold braids across on the front and flowing sleeves. (i.e. very distracting)
So, I would like to know if these concerns are valid. I feel like a lot of the issue with the costume, location, and set are because the girl interpreting doesn't really know all the things that go along with being an interpreter and is just doing what the theater people are telling her. In turn, teh theater people don't know anything about interpreting. I don't know if anyone else that would utilize the interpreter will be at any of the performances, but
I don't think I am going to get anything out of her being there.
If you were in this situation, WWYD? Would you say anything to the theater group? We are planning on continuing to be involved with this group and it has been fabulous for my kids. As a parent spending time and money for my kids to perform, I would just really like to be able to watch and UNDERSTAND a performance. Also, this theater does do a *great* job putting on a quality performance with the means that they have - they strive to be as professional as possible and so part of me is wondering if I should bring up what would be expected from the theater by a Deaf patron. I know how *I* feel about the current situation but what would the average Deaf theater-goer expect?
Thanks so much!
I am hoping for some insight into a situation I am facing with a children's community theater my children are involved in.
Background:
My two youngest daughters are HOH and are in the play, along with my hearing son. I am late-deafened (happened in my early '30's) - really profoundly HOH - but I am learning ASL as I cannot reliably depend on aided residual hearing. I am not completely fluent in ASL but I can follow conversation and an interpreter does help with understanding immensely. I regularly use the interpreter at church and in other settings if there is one available. My husband is in an ITP program right now, currently taking Interpreting I. We are learning ASL as a family.
I realize this is a community theater working on a shoe-string budget so I did not expect them to higher a professional interpreter for the show. For the last production (our first time to be involved with this theater), with the director's permission, I arranged for a friend of mine (a certified interpreter/deaf ed teacher) to come and interpret for me as a favor and in exchange for me taking her to dinner.
Current production:
Last week, we were at rehearsal and one of the moms brings up a young lady and introduces her to me, saying she is going to be interpreting the show. I say hi and ask a little about her background, just making conversation really. She is a homeschooled high school student who has been "learning ASL on her own" and she "knows a lot of interpreters". Okay? So I am skeptical but will give the benefit of the doubt b/c they are trying.
My concerns are:
1. The level of her skills in interpreting: DH has been watching her practice and she is just not that skilled.
2. Location: They have placed her on a part of the stage that actually wraps around the right side of the audience, like a peninsula up the side aisle. Not only do you have to look far, far right to see her, if you are sitting in the front third of the theater, the interpreter would be either to your side or even behind you.
3. Set: The "peninsula" is actually a "loft" for the''Ladies in Waiting" (LIW), which are cast as a chorus to provide extra vocal support for some of the singing parts. There is a wall which hits the people behind it about mid-torso. The interpreter is positioned behind this wall with the LIW.
4. Costume: They have given the interpreter a costume similar to the dresses of the LIW. Hers is a dark burgundy velvet with several gold braids across on the front and flowing sleeves. (i.e. very distracting)
So, I would like to know if these concerns are valid. I feel like a lot of the issue with the costume, location, and set are because the girl interpreting doesn't really know all the things that go along with being an interpreter and is just doing what the theater people are telling her. In turn, teh theater people don't know anything about interpreting. I don't know if anyone else that would utilize the interpreter will be at any of the performances, but
I don't think I am going to get anything out of her being there.
If you were in this situation, WWYD? Would you say anything to the theater group? We are planning on continuing to be involved with this group and it has been fabulous for my kids. As a parent spending time and money for my kids to perform, I would just really like to be able to watch and UNDERSTAND a performance. Also, this theater does do a *great* job putting on a quality performance with the means that they have - they strive to be as professional as possible and so part of me is wondering if I should bring up what would be expected from the theater by a Deaf patron. I know how *I* feel about the current situation but what would the average Deaf theater-goer expect?
Thanks so much!