Alumnus O’Brien-Lux works with deaf and other hearing actors to present “˜The Adventures of Pinocchio’ play
Alumnus Colin O’Brien-Lux will perform in Deaf West Theatre’s production of “The Adventures of Pinocchio.” (courtesy of Colin O’Brien-Lux)
“THE ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO”
Through March 27
Deaf West Theatre, $25
By Christine Rendon
Feb. 22, 2011 11:03 p.m.
As a child, 2010 theater alumnus Colin O’Brien-Lux sat for hours in the Deaf West Theatre in North Hollywood, playing Minesweeper while his father worked as a producer on stage. Now he’s in front of the curtain, acting alongside both deaf and other hearing actors in the upcoming production of “The Adventures of Pinocchio.”
O’Brien-Lux plays Geppetto’s signer in the play, which runs until March 27. His mother, who is deaf, taught him American Sign Language before he learned English.
According to director Stephen Rothman, O’Brien-Lux is a strong bilingual figure in the company because he can communicate with other deaf actors without the aid of an interpreter.
“I always find that when I get to work with somebody like Colin, it really is a thrill because they live in both worlds,” Rothman said. “To have someone like that in the company is really astonishing. … Everybody else in the company accepts him as a completely fluent member of the deaf community, although he is hearing.”
In Deaf West’s adaptation of “The Adventures of Pinocchio,” deaf, hard of hearing and speaking actors collaborate onstage to play an acting troupe circa 1880. This was the year of the Milan Conference, an actual meeting which stipulated that deaf and hard of hearing people should learn to read lips rather than sign.
The characters struggle to work together, as their company consists of both speaking and deaf actors preparing for a production of “Pinocchio.” Actor Matthew Henerson plays a speaking actor within the company, and Geppetto in the play within the play.
“(Henerson) brings a lot more experience; as an actor he’s a lot more refined and his process is reliable, and I’m younger, but I do have a firmer grip on deaf culture,” O’Brien-Lux said.
According to both Rothman and Henerson, working within a deaf company does offer its own slate of obstacles. While actors generally need to ensure that speech is not intercepted by the placement of their bodies, actors in a deaf company must position themselves so the audience can also see them signing.
“(American Sign Language) is a visual language,” Rothman said. “When that language is put on stage, you heighten that visual language. So the challenge is you have to block it differently; deaf actors have to always be able to see each other.”
Henerson said that working with sign language makes the Deaf West actors particularly aware of their physical positions on stage.
“Since the deaf actors read sign language … you always have to be aware of a sight line to wherever the signer is placed,” Henerson said. “Your body cannot block that sight line, or the deaf actor may not be able to get his or her cue. The etiquette of staging theater changes a little to incorporate a second actor with each role.”
According to O’Brien-Lux, as the creative process progressed, the company found themselves consistently interpreting the script into American Sign Language.
“Because (American Sign Language) is such a cinematic language … you’re allowed to make up stuff, allowed to make up lines,” O’Brien-Lux said. “It allows you to make up signs as well … that playing around is just playing around, it’s not work, it’s play.”
Similarly, Rothman said that sign language invokes vibrant energy, particularly in theatrical settings, where the visually influenced language becomes even more dramatic.
“It’s almost like watching an amazing dance, and it also allows the actors to go further emotionally,” Rothman said. “What you’re in for is a heightened acting experience … it’s like watching dance, a visual acting dance.”
