History and Practices of Integrated Theatre

This chapter details the history of Deaf theatre primarily in the United States, demonstrating how hearing and deaf people have collaborated for decades in the art of theatre-making. Common models for integrating deaf and hearing actors are described, along with their advantages and disadvantages. The chapter discusses sign language linguistic and poetic features to help theatre makers understand key considerations in working with stage sign language. Musicality and the challenges of performing stage sign language in musicals are also covered. The chapter concludes by discussing artistic challenges and issues that can arise when working on deaf and hearing integrated productions, including casting deaf actors in deaf roles, inaccurate and stereotypical portrayals of deaf people, and specific translation challenges related to musicals and classical or early modern texts.