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Kalamazoo Civic Theatre to offer sign language interpretation at shows | MLive.com
Deaf audience members now are able to enjoy theater performances at the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre on a regular basis.
The Civic is launching its second full year of American Sign Language-interpreted shows for deaf patrons. The first ASL-interpreted show of the season will be today’s 8 p.m. performance of “All Shook Up.”
“In the past, we did something like this on an as-needed basis,” said Kristen Chesak, the Civic’s managing director. “Last year, because we had so many requests, I went to Rotary and asked them to fund American Sign Language interpreters at one performance of each production.”
The effort was such a success, she said, the Civic is continuing the program this year. The ASL-interpreted shows attract about 12 to 20 deaf audience members, often drawing patrons from Grand Rapids and Lansing.
Interpreters receive copies of the scripts months in advance of the performances and attend at least two rehearsals. They often work in groups of two or more, so they can adequately interpret on-stage conversations, Chesak said.
“It’s more than translating; it’s interpreting,” she said. “I think it’s a pretty specialized skill. It’s one thing to help someone get through a business conversation or a telephone call, but it’s another thing to instill a sense of the art that is happening on stage.”
Elizabeth Gilmore Bystrycki, who is deaf, said she appreciates the signed shows.
“The deaf and hard of hearing are often overseen as their deafness is invisible, therefore isolation occurs when they are not a part of the community’s events,” wrote Bystrycki. “If no interpretation is provided, we do not attend. Without interpreters we have no understanding, we only have to guess by the acting. It’s like watching TV in silence for the hearing.
“It has been a blessing to have this addition for deaf and hard of hearing people’s lives.”
American Sign Language-interpreted performances at the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre
• ”All Shook Up”, 8 p.m. today
• ”King Lear,” 8 p.m. Oct. 7
• ”Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” (Civic Youth Theatre), 1 p.m. Oct. 29
• ”White Christmas,” 8 p.m. Dec. 2
• ”A New Brain,” 8 p.m. Jan 20
• ”Musical Comedy Murders of 1940,” 8 p.m. Feb. 3
• ”Smokey Joe’s Cafe,” 8 p.m. March 9
• ”How I Became A Pirate” (Civic Youth Theatre), 1 p.m. March 17
• ”Brighton Beach Memoirs,” 8 p.m. April 13
• ”33 Variations,” 8 p.m. April 27
• ”Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” 8 p.m. May 18
• ”Honus and Me” (Civic Youth Theatre), 1 p.m. May 19
For more information, call the Civic at 269-343-2280 or 269-343-1313 or visit The Kalamazoo Civic Theatre.
Deaf audience members now are able to enjoy theater performances at the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre on a regular basis.
The Civic is launching its second full year of American Sign Language-interpreted shows for deaf patrons. The first ASL-interpreted show of the season will be today’s 8 p.m. performance of “All Shook Up.”
“In the past, we did something like this on an as-needed basis,” said Kristen Chesak, the Civic’s managing director. “Last year, because we had so many requests, I went to Rotary and asked them to fund American Sign Language interpreters at one performance of each production.”
The effort was such a success, she said, the Civic is continuing the program this year. The ASL-interpreted shows attract about 12 to 20 deaf audience members, often drawing patrons from Grand Rapids and Lansing.
Interpreters receive copies of the scripts months in advance of the performances and attend at least two rehearsals. They often work in groups of two or more, so they can adequately interpret on-stage conversations, Chesak said.
“It’s more than translating; it’s interpreting,” she said. “I think it’s a pretty specialized skill. It’s one thing to help someone get through a business conversation or a telephone call, but it’s another thing to instill a sense of the art that is happening on stage.”
Elizabeth Gilmore Bystrycki, who is deaf, said she appreciates the signed shows.
“The deaf and hard of hearing are often overseen as their deafness is invisible, therefore isolation occurs when they are not a part of the community’s events,” wrote Bystrycki. “If no interpretation is provided, we do not attend. Without interpreters we have no understanding, we only have to guess by the acting. It’s like watching TV in silence for the hearing.
“It has been a blessing to have this addition for deaf and hard of hearing people’s lives.”
American Sign Language-interpreted performances at the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre
• ”All Shook Up”, 8 p.m. today
• ”King Lear,” 8 p.m. Oct. 7
• ”Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” (Civic Youth Theatre), 1 p.m. Oct. 29
• ”White Christmas,” 8 p.m. Dec. 2
• ”A New Brain,” 8 p.m. Jan 20
• ”Musical Comedy Murders of 1940,” 8 p.m. Feb. 3
• ”Smokey Joe’s Cafe,” 8 p.m. March 9
• ”How I Became A Pirate” (Civic Youth Theatre), 1 p.m. March 17
• ”Brighton Beach Memoirs,” 8 p.m. April 13
• ”33 Variations,” 8 p.m. April 27
• ”Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” 8 p.m. May 18
• ”Honus and Me” (Civic Youth Theatre), 1 p.m. May 19
For more information, call the Civic at 269-343-2280 or 269-343-1313 or visit The Kalamazoo Civic Theatre.