Faculty Member Unites Opera and Deaf Performance
Julia Faulkner and Robert Schleifer rehearse a scene from Across a Distance.
Unique Bilingual Play Brings Sign Language to Stage Dec. 6
Opera, in its most basic form, can simply be defined as a theatrical presentation in which a dramatic performance is set to music.
It is a stage that has rarely been inviting to deaf people, but that was the challenge that was placed at the feet of current Emory & Henry faculty member and stage director Dr. Kelly Bremner while working on her doctorate at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
"Across a Distance" is a multimedia bilingual (English and American Sign Language) performance piece for soprano and deaf actors. The one-of-a-kind play hits the Emory & Henry stage on Dec. 6.
"Working on almost every aspect of this play was hard," said Dr. Bremner, the director. "Even simply rehearsing when we had two distinct languages and cultures in the room was challenging. It was very complicated to make sure both my actors knew what the other one was saying at all times, something that would normally be quite simple."
The performance tells an allegorical tale about Man, a storyteller, and Woman, a scientist, who live on separate islands, who desire to be together. Through the assistance of their magical companions, a flock of birds who converse through song and a pair of trees who express themselves through movement, Man and Woman meet.
Though Man speaks American Sign Language and Woman speaks and sings in English, the two magically understand one another. However, once they break the rules their companions set for them, Man and Woman lose their ability to communicate.
The creative team working with Dr. Bremner on "Across a Distance" includes her husband, Scott Gendel, the composer. The two performers are Julia Faulkner, professional opera singer, and Robert Schleifer, a deaf professional actor. The piece is written by Nick Lantz.
"Across a Distance has been one of the great joys of my life. I have such talented collaborators," Bremner said, "and to work together so intensely for five years with such talent was amazing." She added, "To make a piece of theatre that unites Deaf performance and Opera, something that people would normally think had nothing in common, and to help people see that there is something to be learned from that paradox was so rewarding."
Across a Distance will hit the Emory & Henry stage on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 7:30 pm in the Wiley Auditorium. Tickets are available by calling the E&H Box Office at 276.944.6846 or by email to atcoulth@ehc.edu. Ticket prices are $12.00 at the door; $10.00 in advance. Adults over 55 years or students from other institutions, $8.00.
