Abstracts
Abstract
This conversation explores the development and premiere production of Songs My Mother Never Sung Me, an American Sign Language (ASL)/English chamber opera written and composed by Dave Clarke and produced by Concrete Theatre in Edmonton, Alberta. Staging an opera for Deaf and hearing family audiences required building meaningful connections to Edmonton’s Deaf community, both through engaging a Deaf cultural consultant and through a partnership with SOUND OFF, Canada’s Deaf theatre festival. Prioritizing ASL, Deaf audiences, and casting a Deaf actor in the role of Mom were significant.
Keywords:
- accessibility,
- American Sign Language (ASL),
- opera,
- Child of Deaf Adults (CODA),
- Deaf theatre,
- disability theatre,
- Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA)
Résumé
Cette conversation entre Caroline Howarth, Mieko Ouchi et Kelsie Acton porte sur l’expérience de la création et de la mise en scène de Songs My Mother Never Sung Me, un opéra en langue des signes américaine (ASL) avec orchestre de chambre écrit et composé par Dave Clarke et produit par la compagnie Concrete Theatre d’Edmonton, en Alberta. Mettre en scène un opéra destiné à un public malentendant et à des personnes entendantes exige que l’on tisse des liens étroits avec la communauté malentendante d’Edmonton. À cette fin, l’équipe a recruté un conseiller malentendant et a forgé un partenariat avec SOUND OFF, le festival canadien de théâtre pour malentendants. Elle a aussi accordé une priorité à l’ASL et au public malentendant et a choisi une actrice malentendante pour jouer le rôle de la mère.
Mots-clés :
- accès,
- langue des signes américaine (ASL),
- opéra,
- enfant d’adulte sourd,
- théâtre pour malentendants,
- théâtre handicap,
- théâtre jeunes publics
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Appendices
Biographical notes
Caroline Howarth is a director, dramaturg, and educator. An assistant professor in Drama at Concordia University of Edmonton, she is a co-founder and artistic associate with Concrete Theatre, where she coordinates the Sprouts New Play Festival for Kids and has directed several TYA premieres including, Paper Song, The Early Bloomer, and Songs My Mother Never Sung Me in collaboration with Mieko Ouchi.
Mieko Ouchi, a co-founder of Concrete Theatre, works as a writer, director, and dramaturg. Her plays The Red Priest, The Blue Light, The Dada Play, Nisei Blue, I Am For You, Consent, and The Silver Arrow have been produced across Canada, internationally, and have been recognized with the Carol Bolt Award and a Governor General’s Literary Award nomination. Mieko has been recognized with three Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards as director.
Kelsie Acton is a neurodivergent dancer, choreographer, and researcher. She is Inclusive Practice Manager at the Battersea Arts Centre (the world’s first relaxed venue), a member of the Critical Design Lab (a multi-institutional collective addressing questions of accessibility), and her SSHRC-funded dissertation examined the accessibility of practices of timing in disability dance.
Bibliography
- Clarke, Dave. Songs My Mother Never Sung Me. Concrete Theatre, 2019.
- Morris, Elizabeth, et. al. Panel discussion. SOUND OFF: A Deaf Theatre Festival, 16 February 2019, Arts Barns Lobby, Edmonton, Alberta.
- Yuzwenko-Martin, Connor, et al. Panel discussion. SOUND OFF: A Deaf Theatre Festival, 16 February 2019, Arts Barns Lobby, Edmonton, Alberta.