2008 Woodie Awards
Sign language group to perform
Jake Meek
Issue date: 10/16/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Bringing both entertainment and education to the stage, the USM sign language troupe, A Show of Hands, will be performing "Another Night at the Movies" this Thursday.
The performance begins at 7 p.m. in Marsh Hall, and will showcase 15 USM students signing, singing and dancing to popular music from cinema. Tickets are available in the Speech and Hearing Sciences Building at $2 a ticket.
Jerry Buisson, assistant professor in the department of speech and hearing sciences, is the director for A Show of Hands and is excited about the first show of the year this Thursday.
"A Show of Hands was organized to build the sign language skills of my students," said Buisson. "It's grown into a way to bring music and signing together to make a truly unique art form that leaves most people pleasantly surprised."
Henry Teller, director of the education of the deaf program at USM, feels that performances like this build public awareness of deaf education.
"The show brings sign language to the general public through musical interpretation," said Teller.
"Performances like this may be the public's only exposure to sign language."
Karen Keel, a senior audiology major from Pass Christian, is a member of the signing troupe.
"A Show of Hands is a great way to get to know people, learn signing skills and entertain both the hearing and the deaf," said Keel. "It's a great way to keep me on my toes with my signing."
The troupe will perform songs from Disney, westerns and Broadway favorites, including "Sisters," "I'm My Own Grandpa" and "Something to Talk About."
"If you watch students perform a show with skits, music and dance, it may be enjoyable, but if we add sign language to it, there's that much more to enjoy," said Buisson.
This performance is the first of many A Show of Hands will be hosting.
"This is just a warm up for a show to take place at the Jackson School for the Deaf this Friday," said Buisson."
The performance is not only meant for entertainment, Buisson said, but also for education. Buisson explained that about 93 percent of deaf children have hearing parents.
"Parents want their children to be like them," Buisson said. "When hearing parents have a child who is deaf, they want their child to be able to speak."
This desire leads to a distaste for sign language, thinking that it is a language not equipped for professional public use.
"For a child in a visual world, a visual language is needed," Buisson said. "My show tries to showcase sign language as a practical and even beautiful language, instead of thinking of it as unusual or unwanted."
Buisson encourages anyone who is interested to attend the performance.
"We don't perform only for the deaf," said Buisson. "We perform mainly for a hearing audience, and most people find it very enjoyable."
The performance begins at 7 p.m. in Marsh Hall, and will showcase 15 USM students signing, singing and dancing to popular music from cinema. Tickets are available in the Speech and Hearing Sciences Building at $2 a ticket.
Jerry Buisson, assistant professor in the department of speech and hearing sciences, is the director for A Show of Hands and is excited about the first show of the year this Thursday.
"A Show of Hands was organized to build the sign language skills of my students," said Buisson. "It's grown into a way to bring music and signing together to make a truly unique art form that leaves most people pleasantly surprised."
Henry Teller, director of the education of the deaf program at USM, feels that performances like this build public awareness of deaf education.
"The show brings sign language to the general public through musical interpretation," said Teller.
"Performances like this may be the public's only exposure to sign language."
Karen Keel, a senior audiology major from Pass Christian, is a member of the signing troupe.
"A Show of Hands is a great way to get to know people, learn signing skills and entertain both the hearing and the deaf," said Keel. "It's a great way to keep me on my toes with my signing."
The troupe will perform songs from Disney, westerns and Broadway favorites, including "Sisters," "I'm My Own Grandpa" and "Something to Talk About."
"If you watch students perform a show with skits, music and dance, it may be enjoyable, but if we add sign language to it, there's that much more to enjoy," said Buisson.
This performance is the first of many A Show of Hands will be hosting.
"This is just a warm up for a show to take place at the Jackson School for the Deaf this Friday," said Buisson."
The performance is not only meant for entertainment, Buisson said, but also for education. Buisson explained that about 93 percent of deaf children have hearing parents.
"Parents want their children to be like them," Buisson said. "When hearing parents have a child who is deaf, they want their child to be able to speak."
This desire leads to a distaste for sign language, thinking that it is a language not equipped for professional public use.
"For a child in a visual world, a visual language is needed," Buisson said. "My show tries to showcase sign language as a practical and even beautiful language, instead of thinking of it as unusual or unwanted."
Buisson encourages anyone who is interested to attend the performance.
"We don't perform only for the deaf," said Buisson. "We perform mainly for a hearing audience, and most people find it very enjoyable."
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