Signed Events to Celebrate the Arts

Having a sign-language interpreter at theater events, lectures or talk shows is appreciated by the deaf community, but it’s not entirely satisfying, said Mel Carter, assistant professor of deaf studies at Cal State Northridge.

“We can relate so much more to people on stage if they are doing their own signing while they are performing,” he said. “It is much more expressive, much more enjoyable for an audience.”

That is why, in his opinion, 3,000 people showed up for the first Deafestival held last year at CSUN. The second such event--which is free and features deaf performers doing their own signing while presenting plays, stories, songs and conversation--is scheduled on the campus Saturday.

“People will be flying in from all parts of California, even from the East Coast for the festival,” said Carter, who is almost completely deaf but can hear telephone conversations with the use of an amplification device. “Deaf people are hungry for events like this.”

The program for this year’s Deafestival, to be held outdoors near the Music Building, will include several performances by schoolchildren. Four students from the California School for the Deaf in Riverside, ranging in grade level from elementary up to high school, will participate. They won a contest at their school for storytelling. The Wild Mines theatrical troupe from the California School for the Deaf, Fremont, and a troupe from TRIPOD, a private school in Burbank, will perform plays that they wrote about the deaf experience.

Also on the bill are a mime known as Vae, storyteller Mary Telford, several clowns and a magician. Two singing groups--Prism West and Gettin’ Bisee--will perform pop songs in sign. And two prominent deaf actors--Tony Award-winner Phyllis Frelich and Patrick Graybill--will talk about their preparations for an upcoming run of performances of “The Gin Game” at the Fountain Theatre in Hollywood.

The festival will take place from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., during which exhibitors will demonstrate new products being made available to the deaf community.

“For most of the events,” Carter said, “there will be a sign-to-voice interpreter on hand to make them accessible to the hearing community.”

The $15,000 cost of the festival is being underwritten by the city’s Cultural Affairs Department, the Deaf Communications Foundation and a donation from GTE of Southern California.

Deafestival ’91 will be held on the CSUN Music Building grounds, 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Admission and parking are free. For more information, call (818) 885-4973 (voice and TDD).