UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, October 25, 1995
5A
Play is for hearing and deaf
Troupe enlightens with 'bilingual' play
By Craig Lang
Kansan staff writer
On its third visit to Lawrence, the National Theatre of the Deaf will present a performance that can be understood by both deaf and hearing audiences.
The company will bring its version of the French farce, "An Italian Straw Hat," at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1 at the Lied Center. The performance group is composed of hearing and deaf actors whose lines are signed in sign language and spoken at the same time.
"You see the sign and you hear the words, and they flow together beautifully," said David Hays, artistic director of the national theater.
The National Theatre of the Deaf was established in 1967 by Hays after he worked on the set of the Broadway play, "The Miracle Worker," a play about Helen Keller. Hays said that he was so struck by the beauty and power of sign language on stage that he was hooked on the idea of creating a theater company that integrated sign language with the spoken word.
"I think it's the only genuinely new form of theater introduced in this generation." Hays said.
In its 27 years of touring, Hays said the company has visited more places around the world than any
other traveling theater group. In 1977, the company won a Tony Award for Theatrical Excellence.
Karen Christilles, director of public relations for the Lied Center, said that the center took surveys at the end of each year asking visitors who they wanted to see perform. She said that the National Theatre of the Deaf was one of the companies recommended the most.
Tickets can be purchased at the Lied Center box office, the SUA box office or any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets cost $30 and $25; $15 and $12.50 for KU and Haskell students and students in grades kindergarten through 12; and $29 and $24 for senior citizens and other students.
"An Italian Straw Hat" is a French comedy about all the problems that occur during the wedding day of a young couple, which all begin when a horse eats a lady's hat.
Christilles said the National Theatre of the Deaf was a chance for anyone who has had little or no exposure to deaf culture to see the beauty of sign language.
"It's the story of a wedding in
note that goes totally wrong."
"Its an enriching and enlightening experience for everyone who attends," she said.
Performers take show to local schools
By Craig Lang
Kansan staff writer
Lied Center audience members will not be the only ones in Lawrence to see the National Theatre of the Deaf perform next week
As part of the Lied Center's program to get its performers into the community, members of the National Theatre of the Deaf will be visiting and performing for hearing and deaf students on Nov. 1 at Sunflower Elementary School, 2621 Inverness Dr., and South Junior High School, 2734 Louisiana St., before their performance that evening at the Lied Center.
Laine Dyer, publicist for the
National Theatre of the Deaf, said this smaller company, known as Little Theatre of the Deaf, was made up of five performers from the troupe who act out stories from famous literature for students in elementary school and junior high school by signing and speaking their lines at the same time.
Lew Tilford, director of fine arts for Lawrence Public Schools, said that this production was a way to enlighten hearing students who had never interacted with someone who was deaf.
Jeannie Mellinger, director of education for the Lied Center, said that the Little Theatre of the Deaf visited South Junior High when it
performed in 1992. Because students also were brought in from the Kansas School for the Deaf, junior high students learned that deaf people applaud by waving their hands in the air. The hearing students caught on.
"After just a few minutes, all the students applauded by waving their hands in the air," Mellinger said.
The National Theatre of the Deaf is just one of the many groups the Lied Center has brought to the community, Mellinger said. She said that by having artists interact with students and members of community, people were able to better understand the artists.
Saving Democracy From Ourselves Mr. Jon Roe Reporter on Public Life for The Wichita Eagle
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