Julie Larsen Maher ©WCS
August 22, 2022
Dinosaur in Spanish is El Dinosaurio! But, what about in American Sign Language? Part 1
- as seen by -
Priscilla Hernandez
American Sign Language interpreters are bringing Wildlife Theater shows to life at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo.
ASL interpreters are exciting additions to performances this summer signing alongside our actors to make shows more accessible to the community. Interpreters use signs, facial expressions, and body movements to communicate the emotion and feeling of our shows Professor Jurassic and Birds or Dinosaurio. Both shows feature original songs, puppets, dancing, and opportunities for the audience to participate, all while learning about modern-day dinosaurs – better known as birds.
Incorporating artistic as well as scientific content was a challenge eagerly accepted by our interpreters. Three interpreters rehearsed with our performers and were integrated into each show, replicating the dialogue occurring on stage, and creating a seamless performance.
“Working as a team made things run smoothly. Receiving scripts for the shows, attending dress rehearsals, and sharing creative ideas to sync actors’ movements with ASL signs were just a few things I enjoyed while collaborating with WCS,” says Cheritha Saulsby, an ASL interpreter.
“The excitement among the interpreters, actors, and audience was undeniable. The actors grabbed the attention, and we were able to do the same by matching their effect, energy, and movements. One of the most exciting moments was seeing the kids and parents signing some of the words along with us during the songs,” continues Saulsby.
The Wildlife Conservation Society is committed to increasing communication access across its five parks. Birds or Dinosaurio is a show interlaced with Spanish language, a recent and most welcome addition to the Bronx Zoo Wildlife Theater program. With these successful inclusions, we look forward to continuing this trend in seasonal offerings throughout the year.
We hope to see you at our next shows on August 27 and 28, 2022. And stop by Bronx Zoo’s Dinosaur Safari during your visit.
Read Part 2 here.
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