Save Deaf Theater

Video to be shown at Pixelodeon Fest!

...let us spell it out for you has been invited to show at Pixelodeon in Los Angeles on June 9th as one of the Social Justice films.... It's amazing watching this pick up momentum! The woman who's emailed us is terribly cool. I hope I get to meet her. This is an incredible opportunity to continue to spread the word about the problems facing Deaf theater - and increase support for our organizations.

In other news, if you're in New York City, check out Day Night Day Night at the IFC. This is a new movie about terrorism - with an interesting little twist, the "bomb" in the movie was created by a man played by Deaf actor Frank Dattolo - and shot right here in the city! And Julia Loktev is just oh so cool.

BEST EMERGING ARTIST AWARD

The video at the top of this website was entered in the SUPERFEST International Disability Film Festival and we are proud to announce we have won the BEST EMERGING ARTIST AWARD!

Not only are we excited to receive this honor, we are also pleased because our message will go out to greater numbers of people on the issue of government funding for Deaf people's theater programs. In this age where certain people in the government struggling to fund war, the destruction of programs of peace, unity, understanding, and of course art, is always the first sign.

We would also like to note that previous winners included Adrean Mangiardi whose film Equilibrium went on to be shown in this past month on PBS as part of the "History Through Deaf Eyes" program.

I also, personally, as a director, want to congratulate some of the performers several of whom were on Law and Order last night, some as principals, some as extras. Whether you liked the show or not, for me the amazing thing was seeing these strong-willed actors forging a career for themselves - it's a beautiful thing. Much love to you all!

Thank you to everyone who has supported us thus far!

Actor Profile: Garrett Zuercher

An actor, playwright, and director in New York City, Garrett Zuercher graduated magna cum laude from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with a double BA in theater and creative writing. Last year, he completed the Broadway national tour of Deaf West's Big River, a musical in which he played the lead role of Huckleberry Finn. Productions he has written have performed across the world including places such as New York City, Australia, and Washington DC, the latter after winning the American College Theater festival and his play, QUID PRO QUO being chosen as one of six out of over 1,300 productions nationwide to perform at the Kennedy Center. This year, not only did he direct an adaptation of Guy de Maupassant's THE NECKLACE with an all-deaf cast that performed at the historic Cotton Club in Harlem, he also performed as a dancer with Honi Harlow's Bawdville, a burlesque show in the East Village for which he wrote as well. Currently, he is at work on three new theatrical scripts including an original musical written expressively to combine deaf and hearing actors performing in both voice and sign. His webpage is www.garrettz.net.

Blogging has been very light but now the elections are over we all have new Senators - and this issue still needs investigation! Contact your Senator today and ask them to reinstate and restore funding to Deaf theatre around the country!

First - the e-mail address for the website and enquiries about how to link to the video is savedeaftheater@gmail.com

Your opinions please! The video, posted on YouTube:


The same video, posted on BlipTV:

Click To Play

What Does Jordan Know?

In a recent interview on NPR, I King Jordan was quoted as follows:

CONAN: Here's an e-mail we got from Sheila in Middletown, Connecticut. This event at Gallaudet happened during a time that has been difficult for the deaf community under the Bush Administration. For example, the long-time federal funding for the National Theater of the Deaf and Deaf West Theater has been completely eliminated. Now with the high profile senator John McCain abruptly resigning from the Gallaudet board, do you think this will damage the efforts and credibility of the many people working tirelessly to regain federal support for these other deaf culture causes?

JORDAN: (snip...) But I know a little something about the funding for the National Theater of the Deaf, and I know that was just a clerical mistake in pushing a bill through Congress. And I'm very sure that someone is going to find a way to fix that mistake.

This "clerical error" may be responsible for drastically harming some of the country's brightest Deaf institutions. With Jordan's inside knowledge, why has there been no dissemination or anything about any of this? He certainly had the funds to pay for a private PR group when it was his own image at stake. President Jordan, please share the reason for your certainty that "someone is going to find a way to fix that mistake." I'd love to know. And has Jordan himself done anything about the situation? Share and we'll write about it right here on savedeaftheater.blogspot.com.

And readers - PLEASE contact your Senator about Deaf theater programs! (See the bar on the left for suggestions.) We will only fix this mistake through work and unity.

Deaf Artists Speak Out: Guthrie Nutter and Alexandria Wailes

Alexandria Wailes

Please tell us about yourself and how you got started in theater. I've been performing upon stages since the age of four. I had my taste
of theatre throughout my upbringing, but truly bit by the acting bug in
2000.

Have you personally worked with any of the agencies hit? Whether or not,
what do you think is their importance to the Deaf community? I've worked with Deaf West Theatre in three of their productions of Big
River. I also did a three day teaching stint with NTD- in
movement/dance.

What would you like to see happening in the performing arts for Deaf
people? The importance of theatre for the deaf community (or any community for
that matter) is that it is a space to create, express, share, enlighten,
make mistakes, educate and learn. I would like to see more accessibility made available for deaf individuals interested in expressing their creative intelligence.
Places to train, improve, grow and share theatrical/performing arts experiences is becoming a commodity due to financial cutbacks and the undereducation/miseducation of people.

We do need a better dosage of healthy competition by having more trained deaf actors, dancers, playwrights, directors, choreographers so more of the diversity of our community's/cultural voices are heard.

How do you feel theater affects your view of yourself as a Deaf person? Theater affects me as a person on the spiritual, creative, emotional and intellectual manner. As a deaf person, I'm affected by how little of theatre is truly accessible to us for the many times we wish, want, need to go see plays, movies, concerts. The rate of accessibility is slowly improving, but I'm concerned that without the education within and outside of the greater deaf populace, we will be backpedaling. Thus causing the proactive voices and hard work of older generations, moot.

What's your favorite fruit? My favorite fruit.. Do you mean in song, individual or produce?

Guthrie Nutter

Please tell us about yourself and how you got started in theater. I'm a farm boy from Oregon, who was always entranced by the magic world behind the TV screen of actors from many different worlds. Living in NYC for 9 years has translated all these curiosities to deep understandings and more curiosities.

Have you personally worked with any of the agencies hit? Whether or not,
what do you think is their importance to the Deaf community? My ability to be employed as a deaf actor has been severely compromised to the point that I am actively pursuing other careers just to meet my needs for inner expansion and survival.

What would you like to see happening in the performing arts for Deaf
people? Greater contact/opportunities for sharing/transfer of experiences of older generations to newer generations; a cohesive empowerment between these two groups to creatively generate alternate sources of income that could sustain our creative avenues.

How do you feel theater affects your view of yourself as a Deaf person? It has enabled me to embrace the human experience and not to give up in the face of disappointment. Simply put, I am more aware of the human condition and am stronger with this knowledge. It has helped me overcome some exceptionally challenging obstacles and maintain my dignity in the process.

Do you have a favorite fruit? No. I'm an equal opportunity fruitcake.

Any final statements? It's amusing to see so many people's lives who have been touched by the sheer ingenuity and power of works created by deaf artists (actors) - yet our work is constantly under the threat of doom. Maybe our artistry will be appreciated and supported by the masses after the artists lives and creativity have ceased. It's up to you to ensure that this folly doesn't fulfill itself once again.

Tyrone Giordano in the video below shares his reaction after seeing the video above.

Click To Play

Tyrone Giordano reacts to the video "let us spell it out for you."