Interpreting art: CFA to offer ASL at plays

For the first time since its establishment in 1954, deaf audiences have the opportunity to enjoy at least one showing of every Boston University School of Theatre production.

College of Fine Arts lighting design graduate student Annie Wiegand, who is deaf, brought the lack of American sign language interpretation to the theater program’s attention, CFA spokeswoman Jean Connaughton said.

‘When she started working on productions, she was being accompanied by an interpreter,’ Connaughton said. ‘So it opened our eyes to the need for it.’

A few of last year’s performances included ASL interpretation, but Connaughton said this is the first year the school has provided the service for at least one night of every production.

Wiegand said the ASL interpretation provided the deaf community with a much-needed service.

‘I’ve seen so many plays not interpreted,’ Wiegand said in an email. ‘It becomes old and frustrating after a while for someone like me.’

Wiegand said she attends theater productions regularly, but many do not provide ASL interpretation.

‘I try to see as many productions as I can in order to expand my knowledge and my craft,’ Wiegand said. ‘More often than not, many theaters do not provide interpreted performances mainly because of cost. Opportunities to see an interpreted show are far and few.’

Office of Disability Services ASL interpreter Chris Robinson said BU has typically provided interpretation for productions upon request.

‘Basically, interpretative theater here at BU is rooted in the request of BU students,’ Robinson said.

Robinson said not only do deaf students see the shows for coursework, but that many hearing students have also become interested in ASL.

‘In the last few years, there has been a surge in the participation of ASL courses at the university,’ Robinson said. ‘It’s become sort of a hip thing.’

Huntington Theatre Company Education Department Manager and Access Coordinator Meg Wieder said many theater companies in the area try to provide a few shows with ASL interpretation available each year.

‘Most of the theaters in Boston do ASL,’ Wieder said. ‘We’ve been doing ASL for at least 10 years or longer.

Wieder said the Huntington asks the deaf community to select two of the seven shows they want to see with ASL interpretation every year.

‘We offer a synopsis of all the scripts to the community, and they vote,’ Wieder said. ‘Ultimately, the decision rests with the Huntington.’

‘Two is usually more than enough,’ Wieder said.

But Wiegand said the inability to see any show at a given theater can be frustrating.

‘I am frustrated with the Huntington only providing two interpreted productions per season, but at least they do provide something instead of nothing at all,’ Wiegand said.

Wiegand said when she first came to BU, ASL interpretation was nonexistent.

‘When I enrolled fall of 2007, no BU productions were interpreted,’ Wiegand said. ‘Since I work the productions, it made perfect sense for me to be able to enjoy the shows that I work on.’

Now, Wiegand said she and others in the deaf community have many more options in theater.

‘ASL interpretation of BU productions opens up a new side of Boston to the deaf community,’ Wiegand said. ‘We can come and enjoy the productions like any other audience member.’