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Listening with an Open Eye |
LISTENING
WITH AN OPEN EYE
by Linda Bove, Sharon Jensen, David Leventhal
Published by the Non-Traditional Casting Project, Inc., Copyright © 2002
For nearly
300 years in America, persons with disabilities were hidden from public view,
ostracized and excluded from participation at every level of our society.
Today, of the estimated 54 million Americans with some form of a disability,
only a small percentage, 24%, are employed.
Why this
exclusion? For one reason, having a disability has historically been perceived
as having a fundamental limitation. Despite striking, incontrovertible evidence
to the contrary offered by the examples of individuals such as Franklin Delano
Roosevelt, Ray Charles, Marlee Matlin, Stephen Hawking, Stevie Wonder, King
Jordan, Evelyn Glennie, and Diane Schuur, misperceptions of limitation and
inadequacy regarding disability have persisted and are deeply ingrained in the
American psyche.
Historically,
the basic assumption practiced by casting directors, artistic directors,
directors and producers in the theatre, television and film industry has been
that unless a role were specified as culturally-specific or
disability-specific, it was meant to be played by a white, non-disabled actor.
Until recently, even in the few cases where a role has been
Deaf-specific, blind-specific, or wheelchair-specific, the assumption most
often was still that it was meant to be played by a non-disabled actor. In
other words, actors with disabilities have seldom been given the opportunity to
play themselves, let alone anyone else. At the same time, hearing and sighted
actors have played these roles to great acclaim; Academy Award winners Jane
Wyman in 1949, Patty Duke in 1963 and Al Pacino in 1993, to name three, are
testament to this. To make matters worse, most often the roles they have
portrayed, as written, have only served to perpetuate stereotypes of characters
who have been idealized, sentimentalized or demonized, most frequently as
victim or hero/ine.
Historically,
there were few role models for talented, young aspiring actors who were Deaf or
blind or who used a wheelchair; the few acting roles that were written as
disability-specific characters primarily perpetuated stereotypes; and the
industry that the aspiring disabled actor encountered was anything but
welcoming. This longstanding pattern of exclusion is borne out by the fact that
the number of actors in the three performing unions that identify themselves as
Deaf or hard of hearing, as blind or low vision or as having an ambulatory
disability represents less than one half of one percent, even though persons
with disabilities in America account for 19 percent of our national population.
Challenging
prevailing conditions, beginning in the 1970's through today, a core of
trailblazing artists who happen to be Deaf, blind or who have ambulatory
disabilities - Bernard Bragg, Phyllis Frelich, Victoria Ann Lewis, Ed
Waterstreet, Julianna Fjeld, Susan Nussbaum, Cheryl Marie Wade, Kitty Lunn,
Michelle A. Banks, Monique Holt, John Belluso, Pamela Sabaugh, to name some -
set about creating their own artistic opportunities. At the same time, a
handful of pioneering artistic directors, directors, writers, producers and
casting directors such as Gordon Davidson, Mark Medoff, John Dillon, Michael
Kahn, Linda Hartzell, Irene Lewis, Dr. Neal Baer, Stephen Herek, Sharon Bialy,
John Frank Levey, April Webster, Judy Dennis and Robert Falls recognized that
artists with disabilities had the same proportion of talent and imagination
within their ranks as non-disabled artists. As this has happened, it has become
brilliantly clear to audiences that actors and other artists with disabilities
contribute a wealth of unique experiences, perspectives, and language to
American mainstream culture that is powerful, vital and available no where
else.
Since 1986,
the Non-Traditional Casting Project has worked to address and seek solutions to
the problems of exclusion and racism in theatre, film and television. In 1987,
we established Artist Files/Online, the largest files in the country of actors
with disabilities and actors of color. We recognized that the exclusion of
these actors was not only discriminatory, it denied audiences the talent of
these performers and in instances in which non-disabled actors were cast in
disability-specific roles, it denied audiences the experience of Deafness and
disability accurately portrayed. We recognized that Deaf culture is an
important part of our national heritage and cultural legacy that should be
reflected accurately on our stages and screens and shared with a broad spectrum
of the American public.
For years at
the Non-Traditional Casting Project - in spite of the groundbreaking efforts of
the individuals named above and a handful of others - our suggesting an actor
with a disability to decision-makers for non-traditional roles was most often
met with a standard reaction of, "Not for this. Maybe next time." We
realized that providing access to talent was not enough. More was needed. As a
means of assisting industry decision-makers with the process, we conceived the
idea of publishing a series of resource guides focusing on Deaf and hard of
hearing actors and actors with disabilities.
What
is Listening with an Open Eye?
The first in
our series, Listening with an Open Eye
is intended to provide employers background and practical information with
respect to working with Deaf and hard of hearing actors in auditions, rehearsal
and performance. In order to present this information in the most accessible
format, we are publishing Listening with
an Open Eye solely on the internet.
Specifically,
we hope this guide will provide a bridge to broaden the pool of talent you
normally consider and that you will take advantage of the expanded creative
possibilities inherent in working with Deaf and hard of hearing actors.
Finally, we hope that Listening with an
Open Eye will encourage you to hire Deaf and hard of hearing actors
for both Deaf-specific and non-traditional roles.
Listening
with an Open Eye includes information about Deaf culture and American
Sign Language; procedure and comportment for planning and executing a
production, covering the arc of the audition, rehearsal and production process;
and the role of the interpreter. In addition, related organizations are
referenced.
The
information contained within Listening
with an Open Eye is divided into sections: Background,
Planning and Executing
a Production. Within these sections, information is organized into easily
navigable "Frequently Asked Questions" and "Informational
Headings", which enable the reader to use the guide at her/his own pace
and to extract the material in which s/he is most interested. In addition, the
guide includes audition, rehearsal and production experiences contributed by
Deaf and hard of hearing performers, as well as casting directors, directors
and writers who have worked with Deaf and hard of hearing actors. For
additional information about the various organizations included in the Guide,
you may click on anything that appears in blue and you will be taken to that
organization's website.