COLLECTION NAME:
Deaf Studies, Culture, and History Archives
Record
Filename:
ds_0031_spoonriverhaiku_cap_01.mp4
Identifier:
ds_0031_spoonriverhaiku_cap_01.mp4
Title:
Spoon River, Jabberwocky and Haiku poems
Subject:
Deaf, Theater for the
Subject:
American Sign Language literature
Subject:
ASL poetry
Summary:
Jack Smith, former Director of Public Information at NTID, introduces Robert F. Panara, an NTID Deaf professor who has managed the Experimental Educational Theatre, Drama Club, and involved with the founding of The National Theatre of the Deaf and NTID's Director, William E. Castle, a strong supporter of theatre. Panara explains that the Drama Club performs two shows per quarter and up to fifty students are involved with the performances, either as actors, artists, set designers, stage construction crew, and promotional activities. Asked to define sign mime, Panara says it's like "painting pictures in the air". Castle explains that theatre is an important educational tool that Deaf students respond to as they can express themselves freely. Three works are performed by seven students in the Drama Club: an excerpt from Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters, Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll, and Haiku Japanese poems. The student performers are: Charles 'Chuck' Baird, Betti (Elizabeth) Bonni, Debbie Helwig, Thomas Orscher, Donald Stoops, Miriam Sotomayor, and Glenn Stewart. In the first performance, Spoon River, it opens up with six bodies lying on the stage and Betti Bonni starts to narrate the excerpt. When she is done, individual performers stand up and take turns reciting the excerpt in sign language. The second performance shows Thomas Orscher performing Jabberwocky. The third and final performance shows individual performances signing Haiku poems.
Publisher:
WOKR TV
Digital Publisher:
Rochester Institute of Technology - RIT Libraries - RIT Archive Collections
Contributor:
Smith, Jack
Contributor:
Panara, Robert
Contributor:
Masters, Edgar Lee, 1868-1950.
Contributor:
Carroll, Lewis, 1832-1898
Contributor:
National Technical Institute for the Deaf. Drama Club
Date of Original:
1972
Date of Digitization:
2018
Broad Type:
moving image
Digital File Format:
mp4
Physical Format:
VHS
Dimensions of Original:
29 minutes
Language:
American Sign Language
Language:
English
Original Item Location:
RITDSA.0031
Library Collection:
Sculptures in the Air: An Accessible Online Video Repository of the American Sign Language (ASL) Poetry and Literature Collections
Library Collection:
Robert Panara Deaf Video Collection
Digital Project:
2018-2019 CLIR Grant-ASL Poetry and Literature
Place:
New York - Rochester
RIT Spaces and Places:
Henrietta Campus
Rights:
RIT Libraries makes materials from its collections available for educational and research purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. It is your responsibility to obtain permission from the copyright holder to publish or reproduce images in print or electronic form.
Rights:
CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4.0 International
Transcript:
MAN: THE PROGRAM THAT
YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE
MAY REQUIRE YOU TO USE
YOUR EYES MORE THAN YOUR EARS.
["SHAFT" THEME PLAYING]
ANNOUNCER: THIS IS "FOCUS"...
A CLOSE LOOK AT ROCHESTER
AND ITS PEOPLE...
AND THEIR PROBLEMS.
WELCOME TO A PROGRAM
OF SIGN MIME
TO BE PRESENTED TODAY
BY THE DRAMA CLUB
OF THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL
INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF.
NTID, AS IT IS COMMONLY KNOWN,
IS LOCATED ON THE CAMPUS
OF ROCHESTER
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY.
IT IS A CONGRESSIONALLY FUNDED
POST-SECONDARY PROGRAM
WITH ONE PRIMARY MISSION:
THAT OF PREPARING DEAF STUDENTS
FOR TECHNICAL CAREERS THAT WILL
LEAD TO SUCCESSFUL EMPLOYMENT.
MY NAME IS JACK SMITH,
AND I'M DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC
INFORMATION FOR NTID.
ON MY LEFT IS
DR. WILLIAM E. CASTLE,
DEAN OF NTID,
AND ON HIS LEFT,
PROFESSOR ROBERT PANARA,
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
EXPERIMENTAL, EDUCATIONAL
THEATER AT NTID.
HE JOINED NTID IN 1967 AS THE
FIRST DEAF FACULTY MEMBER.
MR. PANARA IS AUTHOR OF NUMEROUS
ARTICLES ON DEAF EDUCATION
AND ALSO ON THE THEATER.
HE HAS LECTURED ON THE
HISTORY OF THE THEATER
AT THE EUGENE O'NEILL
MEMORIAL FOUNDATION IN
WATERFORD, CONNECTICUT
AND IS A CONSULTANT TO THE
NATIONAL THEATRE OF THE DEAF.
BOB, HOW OFTEN DOES
THE DRAMA CLUB PERFORM
AND HOW MANY STUDENTS
EXACTLY PARTICIPATE?
PANARA: OH, WELL, YEAH,
I HAVE 2 SHOWS EACH QUARTER
DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.
AND WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY
50 STUDENTS PARTICIPATING
AS PERFORMERS,
SET DESIGNERS
AND ARTISTS,
STAGE CONSTRUCTION CREW,
PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES,
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SMITH: WELL, TELL OUR AUDIENCE,
IS SIGN MIME REALLY
A HEIGHTENED FORM OF VISUAL
COMMUNICATION OR VISUAL LANGUAGE
FOR THE DEAF?
PANARA: WELL, YEAH.
EVERYDAY SIGN LANGUAGE
IS LIKE WHAT I'M DOING NOW--
VERY PROSAIC, NOT VERY
EXCITING TO WATCH,
BUT IT DOES ITS JOB--
EDUCATION AND WORK.
BUT ON THE STAGE, WE TRY
FOR SOMETHING MORE COLORFUL,
SOMETHING WITH A FLAVOR.
WE TRY TO PAINT
PICTURES IN THE AIR.
AND PROBABLY IT'S BEST
EXPRESSED BY ONE CRITIC,
WHO REVIEWED A PERFORMANCE OF
THE NATIONAL THEATRE OF THE DEAF
NOT LONG AGO.
HE SAID, "A WORD IN HAND
IS WORTH TWO IN THE MOUTH."
SMITH: DR. CASTLE, CAN YOU
GIVE US A BRIEF STATEMENT
ON EXACTLY WHAT BENEFIT
THE EXPERIMENTAL THEATRE
IS TO THE DEAF AT NTID?
WELL, JACK, IN THE
2 YEARS IN WHICH WE'VE
HAD A DRAMA CLUB AT NTID,
WE'VE LEARNED VERY QUICKLY
THAT THERE'S NOTHING
IN THE FORM OF ACTIVITY
THAT TURNS THE DEAF
STUDENT ON MORE,
BOTH IN TERMS OF THOSE WHO
WOULD PERFORM ON THE STAGE
AND THOSE WHO WANT TO WATCH
THE OTHERS PERFORM.
AND WE FEEL IT CAN BE USED AS A
VERY IMPORTANT EDUCATIONAL TOOL
FOR TEACHING MANY THINGS
TO THE DEAF STUDENTS.
TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE,
THIS PAST SUMMER,
ONE THING THAT OCCURRED
AT THE JUNIOR NAD CONVENTION
WAS WHAT WAS CALLED
A MOCK TRIAL,
AND CERTAIN DEAF STUDENTS
PARTICIPATED IN THAT.
CERTAIN LEGAL AUTHORITIES
PARTICIPATED IN IT.
AND IT WAS THE USE OF DRAMA--
- MM-HMM.
FOR TEACHING THE DEAF STUDENTS
ABOUT THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS
AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN
TO THEM IN COURT SCENES.
SMITH: VERY GOOD.
CAN YOU SET THE STAGE FOR
THE PERFORMANCE TODAY
AND TELL US WHAT 3 SELECTIONS
ARE BEING PRESENTED?
YES. WE HAVE 7 DEAF STUDENTS
WITH US THIS AFTERNOON
WHO ARE GOING TO PERFORM
SECTIONS FROM THE
"SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY"
BY EDGAR LEE MASTERS.
ONE YOUNG FELLOW IS GOING
TO DO "THE JABBERWOCKY,"
WHICH IS FROM LEWIS CARROLL'S
"ALICE IN WONDERLAND,"
AND THEN WE HAVE
A SERIES OF HAIKUS
FROM AN ANTHOLOGY
OF JAPANESE LITERATURE.
WELL, WE HOPE THE AUDIENCE
WILL TRULY ENJOY THIS
GREAT VISUAL EXPERIENCE.
[WIND WHISTLING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
PANARA: WHERE ARE LESLIE,
WALTER, LUKE, WALL, AND FLEXER?
THE WEAK OF WILL,
THE STRONG OF ARM,
THE CLOWN, THE BOOZER,
THE FIGHTER?
ALL, ALL, ARE SLEEPING
ON THE HILL.
ONE PASSED IN A FEVER,
ONE WAS BURNED
IN A TRAIN WRECK,
ONE WAS KILLED IN A BRAWL,
ONE DIED IN AN ASYLUM,
ONE ALMOST REACHED THE HEIGHTS
OF EARTH, BUT MISSED
AND SANK TO THE DUST.
ALL, ALL ARE SLEEPING, SLEEPING,
SLEEPING ON THE HILL.
WHERE ARE ELLA, KATE,
AMANDA, AND EDITH?
THE TENDER HEART,
THE SIMPLE SOUL,
THE LOUD, THE PROUD,
THE HAPPY ONE?
ALL, ALL, ARE
SLEEPING ON THE HILL.
ONE DIED IN UNWILLING
CHILD-BIRTH,
ONE OF A THWARTED LOVE,
ONE AT THE HANDS OF
A BRUTE IN A BROTHEL,
ONE OF A BROKEN PRIDE, IN THE
SEARCH FOR HEART'S DESIRE,
WAS BROUGHT TO HER LITTLE SPACE
BY ELLA AND KATE AND MAG--
ALL, ALL ARE SLEEPING, SLEEPING,
SLEEPING ON THE HILL.
[WIND WHISTLING]
HAVE YOU SEEN WALKING
THROUGH THE VILLAGE
A MAN WITH DOWNCAST EYES
AND HAGGARD FACE?
THAT IS MY HUSBAND WHO,
BY SECRET CRUELTY
NEVER TO BE TOLD, ROBBED ME
OF MY YOUTH AND MY BEAUTY;
UNTIL AT LAST, WRINKLED
AND WITH YELLOW TEETH,
AND WITH BROKEN PRIDE
AND SHAMEFUL HUMILITY,
I SANK INTO THE GRAVE.
BUT WHAT THINK YOU GNAWS
AT MY HUSBAND'S HEART?
THE FACE OF WHAT I WAS,
THE FACE OF WHAT HE MADE ME!
THESE ARE DRIVING HIM
TO THE PLACE WHERE I LIE.
IN DEATH, THEREFORE,
I AM AVENGED.
SHE TOOK MY STRENGTH
BY MINUTES,
SHE TOOK MY LIFE BY HOURS,
SHE DRAINED ME LIKE
A FEVERED MOON
THAT SAPS THE SPINNING WORLD.
THE DAYS WENT BY LIKE SHADOWS,
THE MINUTES WHEELED LIKE STARS.
SHE TOOK THE PITY FROM MY HEART,
AND MADE IT INTO SMILES.
SHE WAS A HUNK
OF SCULPTOR'S CLAY,
MY SECRET THOUGHTS WERE FINGERS:
THEY FLEW BEHIND HER
PENSIVE BROW AND
LINED IT DEEP WITH PAIN.
THEY SET THE LIPS,
AND SAGGED THE CHEEKS,
AND DROOPED THE
EYES WITH SORROW.
MY SOUL HAD ENTERED IN THE CLAY,
FIGHTING LIKE SEVEN DEVILS.
IT WASN'T MINE,
IT WASN'T HERS;
SHE HELD IT, BUT ITS STRUGGLES
MODELED A FACE SHE HATED,
AND A FACE I FEARED TO SEE.
I BEAT THE WINDOWS,
SHOOK THE BOLTS.
I HID ME IN A CORNER--
AND THEN SHE DIED
AND HAUNTED ME,
AND HUNTED ME FOR LIFE.
[WIND WHISTLING]
I BELONGED TO THE CHURCH,
AND TO THE PARTY OF PROHIBITION;
AND THE VILLAGERS THOUGHT I DIED
OF EATING TOO MUCH WATERMELON.
BUT THE TRUTH IS, I HAD
CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER,
BECAUSE AT EVERY NOONTIME
FOR 30 YEARS,
I SLIPPED BEHIND THE
PRESCRIPTION PARTITION
IN TRAINOR'S DRUG STORE...
AND THERE BEHIND THE COUNTER,
I WOULD POUR MYSELF
A GENEROUS DRINK...
[COUGHING]
FROM THE BOTTLE MARKED
"SPIRITUS FRUMENTI."
MY NAME USED TO BE IN
THE PAPERS DAILY
AS HAVING DINED SOMEWHERE,
OR TRAVELED SOMEWHERE,
OR RENTED A HOUSE IN PARIS,
WHERE I ENTERTAINED
THE NOBILITY.
I WAS FOREVER EATING
OR TRAVELING,
OR TAKING THE CURE
AT BADEN-BADEN.
NOW I AM HERE TO DO
HONOR TO SPOON RIVER,
HERE BESIDE THE FAMILY
WHENCE I SPRANG.
WHAT? NO ONE CARES NOW
WHERE I DINED, OR LIVED,
OR WHOM I ENTERTAINED,
OR HOW OFTEN I TOOK
THE CURE AT BADEN-BADEN!
[WIND WHISTLING]
OUT OF A CELL INTO THIS DARKENED
SPACE THE END AT 25!
MY TONGUE COULD NOT SPEAK
WHAT STIRRED WITHIN ME,
AND THE VILLAGE
THOUGHT ME A FOOL.
YET AT THE START
THERE WAS A CLEAR VISION,
A HIGH AND URGENT
PURPOSE IN MY SOUL
WHICH DROVE ME ON
TRYING TO MEMORIZE
THE ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA!
[WIND WHISTLING]
I WANTED TO GO AWAY
TO COLLEGE,
BUT RICH AUNT PERSIS
WOULDN'T HELP ME.
SO I MADE GARDENS
AND RAKED THE LAWNS
AND BOUGHT JOHN ALDEN'S BOOKS
WITH MY EARNINGS
AND TOILED FOR THE
VERY MEANS OF LIFE.
I WANTED TO MARRY
DELIA PRICKETT,
BUT HOW COULD I DO IT
WITH WHAT I EARNED?
AND THERE WAS AUNT PERSIS
MORE THAN 70,
WHO SAT IN A WHEELCHAIR
HALF-ALIVE,
WITH HER THROAT SO PARALYZED,
THAT WHEN SHE SWALLOWED,
THE SOUP RAN OUT OF
HER MOUTH LIKE A DUCK
A GOURMAND YET, INVESTING
HER INCOME IN MORTGAGES,
FRETTING ALL THE TIME ABOUT HER
NOTES AND RENTS AND PAPERS.
THAT DAY I WAS
SAWING WOOD FOR HER,
AND READING PROUDHON
IN BETWEEN.
I WENT INTO THE HOUSE
FOR A DRINK OF WATER,
AND THERE SHE SAT
ASLEEP IN HER CHAIR...
THE TEXT BY PROUDHON
WAS LYING ON THE TABLE,
AND A BOTTLE OF
CHLOROFORM ON THE BOOK,
SHE USED SOMETIMES
FOR AN ACHING TOOTH!
I POURED THE CHLOROFORM
ON A HANDKERCHIEF
AND HELD IT TO HER NOSE
TILL SHE DIED.
[WIND WHISTLING]
OH, DELIA, DELIA!
THE CORONER SAID
SHE DIED OF HEART FAILURE.
I TOOK ALL HER DOUGH
AND MARRIED DELIA.
A JOKE ON YOU, SPOON RIVER?
[WIND WHISTLING]
THE EARTH KEEPS SOME VIBRATION
GOING THERE IN YOUR HEART,
AND THAT IS YOU.
AND IF THE PEOPLE FIND
THAT YOU CAN FIDDLE,
WHY, FIDDLE YOU MUST,
FOR ALL YOUR LIFE.
WHAT DO YOU SEE,
THE WIND IN THE CLOVER?
OR A MEADOW TO WALK
THROUGH TO THE RIVER?
OR MAYBE YOU HEAR
THE RUSTLE OF SKIRTS
LIKE ALL THE GIRLS WHEN
DANCING AT LITTLE GROVE.
TO THE FARMER,
A HIGH PILLAR OF DUST
OR WHIRLING LEAVES
MEANS RUINOUS DROUTH.
THE SAME THING TO ME ALWAYS
LOOKS LIKE RED-HEADED SAMMY
STEPPING IT OFF,
TO "TOOR-A-LOOR."
HOW COULD I SOW
MY 40 ACRES
NOT TO SPEAK OF GETTING MORE,
WITH A MEDLEY OF HORNS,
BASSOONS AND PICCOLOS
STIRRED IN MY BRAIN
BY CROWS AND ROBINS
AND THE CREAK OF A
WIND-MILL--ONLY THESE?
AND I NEVER STARTED
TO PLOW IN MY LIFE
THAT SOMEONE DIDN'T
STOP BY IN THE ROAD
AND TAKE ME AWAY
TO A DANCE OR A PICNIC
WITH MY FIDDLE TUNED
AND UNDER MY ARM.
I ENDED UP WITH 40 ACRES.
I ENDED UP WITH
A BROKEN FIDDLE...
AND A BROKEN LAUGH,
AND A THOUSAND MEMORIES,
AND NOT A SINGLE REGRET.
[WIND WHISTLING]
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]
"THE JABBERWOCKY."
'TWAS BRILLIG,
AND THE SLITHY TOVES
DID GYRE AND GIMBLE
IN THE WABE:
ALL MIMSY WERE THE BOROGOVES,
AND THE MOME RATHS OUTGRABE.
"BEWARE THE JABBERWOCK,
MY SON! THE JAWS THAT BITE,
THE CLAWS THAT CATCH!
BEWARE THE JUBJUB BIRD, AND SHUN
THE FRUMIOUS BANDERSNATCH!"
HE TOOK HIS VORPAL
SWORD IN HAND;
LONG TIME THE MANXOME
FOE HE SOUGHT
SO RESTED HE BY THE TUMTUM TREE
AND STOOD AWHILE IN THOUGHT.
AND, AS IN UFFISH
THOUGHT HE STOOD,
THE JABBERWOCK,
WITH EYES OF FLAME,
CAME WHIFFLING THROUGH
THE TULGEY WOOD,
AND BURBLED AS IT CAME!
ONE, TWO! ONE, TWO!
AND THROUGH AND THROUGH
THE VORPAL BLADE
WENT SNICKER-SNACK!
HE LEFT IT DEAD, AND WITH ITS
HEAD HE WENT GALUMPHING BACK.
"AND HAST THOU SLAIN
THE JABBERWOCK?
"COME TO MY ARMS,
MY BEAMISH BOY!
O FRABJOUS DAY!
CALLOOH! CALLAY!"
HE CHORTLED IN HIS JOY.
'TWAS BRILLIG,
AND THE SLITHY TOVES
DID GYRE AND GIMBLE
IN THE WABE:
ALL MIMSY WERE THE BOROGOVES,
AND THE MOME RATHS OUTGRABE.
ANNOUNCER: "SPOON RIVER"
BY EDGAR MASTERS,
"THE JABBERWOCKY"
BY LEWIS CARROLL,
AND "HAIKU HARVEST,"
A JAPANESE POEM
WAS PRESENTED
ON "FOCUS" TODAY
BY STUDENTS OF THE NATIONAL
TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF
EDUCATIONAL THEATER
AT THE ROCHESTER INSTITUTE
OF TECHNOLOGY
UNDER THE DIRECTION
OF MR. ROBERT F. PANARA.
IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS
OR SUGGESTIONS
CONCERNING THIS PROGRAM,
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADDRESS THEM
TO "FOCUS" IN CARE OF...
AND JOIN US
NEXT WEEK ON "FOCUS"
WHEN WE PRESENT
A PROGRAM ENTITLED
"BRAND X," CONCERNING
ROCHESTER'S X-RATED MOVIES.
YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE
MAY REQUIRE YOU TO USE
YOUR EYES MORE THAN YOUR EARS.
["SHAFT" THEME PLAYING]
ANNOUNCER: THIS IS "FOCUS"...
A CLOSE LOOK AT ROCHESTER
AND ITS PEOPLE...
AND THEIR PROBLEMS.
WELCOME TO A PROGRAM
OF SIGN MIME
TO BE PRESENTED TODAY
BY THE DRAMA CLUB
OF THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL
INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF.
NTID, AS IT IS COMMONLY KNOWN,
IS LOCATED ON THE CAMPUS
OF ROCHESTER
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY.
IT IS A CONGRESSIONALLY FUNDED
POST-SECONDARY PROGRAM
WITH ONE PRIMARY MISSION:
THAT OF PREPARING DEAF STUDENTS
FOR TECHNICAL CAREERS THAT WILL
LEAD TO SUCCESSFUL EMPLOYMENT.
MY NAME IS JACK SMITH,
AND I'M DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC
INFORMATION FOR NTID.
ON MY LEFT IS
DR. WILLIAM E. CASTLE,
DEAN OF NTID,
AND ON HIS LEFT,
PROFESSOR ROBERT PANARA,
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
EXPERIMENTAL, EDUCATIONAL
THEATER AT NTID.
HE JOINED NTID IN 1967 AS THE
FIRST DEAF FACULTY MEMBER.
MR. PANARA IS AUTHOR OF NUMEROUS
ARTICLES ON DEAF EDUCATION
AND ALSO ON THE THEATER.
HE HAS LECTURED ON THE
HISTORY OF THE THEATER
AT THE EUGENE O'NEILL
MEMORIAL FOUNDATION IN
WATERFORD, CONNECTICUT
AND IS A CONSULTANT TO THE
NATIONAL THEATRE OF THE DEAF.
BOB, HOW OFTEN DOES
THE DRAMA CLUB PERFORM
AND HOW MANY STUDENTS
EXACTLY PARTICIPATE?
PANARA: OH, WELL, YEAH,
I HAVE 2 SHOWS EACH QUARTER
DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.
AND WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY
50 STUDENTS PARTICIPATING
AS PERFORMERS,
SET DESIGNERS
AND ARTISTS,
STAGE CONSTRUCTION CREW,
PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES,
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SMITH: WELL, TELL OUR AUDIENCE,
IS SIGN MIME REALLY
A HEIGHTENED FORM OF VISUAL
COMMUNICATION OR VISUAL LANGUAGE
FOR THE DEAF?
PANARA: WELL, YEAH.
EVERYDAY SIGN LANGUAGE
IS LIKE WHAT I'M DOING NOW--
VERY PROSAIC, NOT VERY
EXCITING TO WATCH,
BUT IT DOES ITS JOB--
EDUCATION AND WORK.
BUT ON THE STAGE, WE TRY
FOR SOMETHING MORE COLORFUL,
SOMETHING WITH A FLAVOR.
WE TRY TO PAINT
PICTURES IN THE AIR.
AND PROBABLY IT'S BEST
EXPRESSED BY ONE CRITIC,
WHO REVIEWED A PERFORMANCE OF
THE NATIONAL THEATRE OF THE DEAF
NOT LONG AGO.
HE SAID, "A WORD IN HAND
IS WORTH TWO IN THE MOUTH."
SMITH: DR. CASTLE, CAN YOU
GIVE US A BRIEF STATEMENT
ON EXACTLY WHAT BENEFIT
THE EXPERIMENTAL THEATRE
IS TO THE DEAF AT NTID?
WELL, JACK, IN THE
2 YEARS IN WHICH WE'VE
HAD A DRAMA CLUB AT NTID,
WE'VE LEARNED VERY QUICKLY
THAT THERE'S NOTHING
IN THE FORM OF ACTIVITY
THAT TURNS THE DEAF
STUDENT ON MORE,
BOTH IN TERMS OF THOSE WHO
WOULD PERFORM ON THE STAGE
AND THOSE WHO WANT TO WATCH
THE OTHERS PERFORM.
AND WE FEEL IT CAN BE USED AS A
VERY IMPORTANT EDUCATIONAL TOOL
FOR TEACHING MANY THINGS
TO THE DEAF STUDENTS.
TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE,
THIS PAST SUMMER,
ONE THING THAT OCCURRED
AT THE JUNIOR NAD CONVENTION
WAS WHAT WAS CALLED
A MOCK TRIAL,
AND CERTAIN DEAF STUDENTS
PARTICIPATED IN THAT.
CERTAIN LEGAL AUTHORITIES
PARTICIPATED IN IT.
AND IT WAS THE USE OF DRAMA--
- MM-HMM.
FOR TEACHING THE DEAF STUDENTS
ABOUT THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS
AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN
TO THEM IN COURT SCENES.
SMITH: VERY GOOD.
CAN YOU SET THE STAGE FOR
THE PERFORMANCE TODAY
AND TELL US WHAT 3 SELECTIONS
ARE BEING PRESENTED?
YES. WE HAVE 7 DEAF STUDENTS
WITH US THIS AFTERNOON
WHO ARE GOING TO PERFORM
SECTIONS FROM THE
"SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY"
BY EDGAR LEE MASTERS.
ONE YOUNG FELLOW IS GOING
TO DO "THE JABBERWOCKY,"
WHICH IS FROM LEWIS CARROLL'S
"ALICE IN WONDERLAND,"
AND THEN WE HAVE
A SERIES OF HAIKUS
FROM AN ANTHOLOGY
OF JAPANESE LITERATURE.
WELL, WE HOPE THE AUDIENCE
WILL TRULY ENJOY THIS
GREAT VISUAL EXPERIENCE.
[WIND WHISTLING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
PANARA: WHERE ARE LESLIE,
WALTER, LUKE, WALL, AND FLEXER?
THE WEAK OF WILL,
THE STRONG OF ARM,
THE CLOWN, THE BOOZER,
THE FIGHTER?
ALL, ALL, ARE SLEEPING
ON THE HILL.
ONE PASSED IN A FEVER,
ONE WAS BURNED
IN A TRAIN WRECK,
ONE WAS KILLED IN A BRAWL,
ONE DIED IN AN ASYLUM,
ONE ALMOST REACHED THE HEIGHTS
OF EARTH, BUT MISSED
AND SANK TO THE DUST.
ALL, ALL ARE SLEEPING, SLEEPING,
SLEEPING ON THE HILL.
WHERE ARE ELLA, KATE,
AMANDA, AND EDITH?
THE TENDER HEART,
THE SIMPLE SOUL,
THE LOUD, THE PROUD,
THE HAPPY ONE?
ALL, ALL, ARE
SLEEPING ON THE HILL.
ONE DIED IN UNWILLING
CHILD-BIRTH,
ONE OF A THWARTED LOVE,
ONE AT THE HANDS OF
A BRUTE IN A BROTHEL,
ONE OF A BROKEN PRIDE, IN THE
SEARCH FOR HEART'S DESIRE,
WAS BROUGHT TO HER LITTLE SPACE
BY ELLA AND KATE AND MAG--
ALL, ALL ARE SLEEPING, SLEEPING,
SLEEPING ON THE HILL.
[WIND WHISTLING]
HAVE YOU SEEN WALKING
THROUGH THE VILLAGE
A MAN WITH DOWNCAST EYES
AND HAGGARD FACE?
THAT IS MY HUSBAND WHO,
BY SECRET CRUELTY
NEVER TO BE TOLD, ROBBED ME
OF MY YOUTH AND MY BEAUTY;
UNTIL AT LAST, WRINKLED
AND WITH YELLOW TEETH,
AND WITH BROKEN PRIDE
AND SHAMEFUL HUMILITY,
I SANK INTO THE GRAVE.
BUT WHAT THINK YOU GNAWS
AT MY HUSBAND'S HEART?
THE FACE OF WHAT I WAS,
THE FACE OF WHAT HE MADE ME!
THESE ARE DRIVING HIM
TO THE PLACE WHERE I LIE.
IN DEATH, THEREFORE,
I AM AVENGED.
SHE TOOK MY STRENGTH
BY MINUTES,
SHE TOOK MY LIFE BY HOURS,
SHE DRAINED ME LIKE
A FEVERED MOON
THAT SAPS THE SPINNING WORLD.
THE DAYS WENT BY LIKE SHADOWS,
THE MINUTES WHEELED LIKE STARS.
SHE TOOK THE PITY FROM MY HEART,
AND MADE IT INTO SMILES.
SHE WAS A HUNK
OF SCULPTOR'S CLAY,
MY SECRET THOUGHTS WERE FINGERS:
THEY FLEW BEHIND HER
PENSIVE BROW AND
LINED IT DEEP WITH PAIN.
THEY SET THE LIPS,
AND SAGGED THE CHEEKS,
AND DROOPED THE
EYES WITH SORROW.
MY SOUL HAD ENTERED IN THE CLAY,
FIGHTING LIKE SEVEN DEVILS.
IT WASN'T MINE,
IT WASN'T HERS;
SHE HELD IT, BUT ITS STRUGGLES
MODELED A FACE SHE HATED,
AND A FACE I FEARED TO SEE.
I BEAT THE WINDOWS,
SHOOK THE BOLTS.
I HID ME IN A CORNER--
AND THEN SHE DIED
AND HAUNTED ME,
AND HUNTED ME FOR LIFE.
[WIND WHISTLING]
I BELONGED TO THE CHURCH,
AND TO THE PARTY OF PROHIBITION;
AND THE VILLAGERS THOUGHT I DIED
OF EATING TOO MUCH WATERMELON.
BUT THE TRUTH IS, I HAD
CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER,
BECAUSE AT EVERY NOONTIME
FOR 30 YEARS,
I SLIPPED BEHIND THE
PRESCRIPTION PARTITION
IN TRAINOR'S DRUG STORE...
AND THERE BEHIND THE COUNTER,
I WOULD POUR MYSELF
A GENEROUS DRINK...
[COUGHING]
FROM THE BOTTLE MARKED
"SPIRITUS FRUMENTI."
MY NAME USED TO BE IN
THE PAPERS DAILY
AS HAVING DINED SOMEWHERE,
OR TRAVELED SOMEWHERE,
OR RENTED A HOUSE IN PARIS,
WHERE I ENTERTAINED
THE NOBILITY.
I WAS FOREVER EATING
OR TRAVELING,
OR TAKING THE CURE
AT BADEN-BADEN.
NOW I AM HERE TO DO
HONOR TO SPOON RIVER,
HERE BESIDE THE FAMILY
WHENCE I SPRANG.
WHAT? NO ONE CARES NOW
WHERE I DINED, OR LIVED,
OR WHOM I ENTERTAINED,
OR HOW OFTEN I TOOK
THE CURE AT BADEN-BADEN!
[WIND WHISTLING]
OUT OF A CELL INTO THIS DARKENED
SPACE THE END AT 25!
MY TONGUE COULD NOT SPEAK
WHAT STIRRED WITHIN ME,
AND THE VILLAGE
THOUGHT ME A FOOL.
YET AT THE START
THERE WAS A CLEAR VISION,
A HIGH AND URGENT
PURPOSE IN MY SOUL
WHICH DROVE ME ON
TRYING TO MEMORIZE
THE ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA!
[WIND WHISTLING]
I WANTED TO GO AWAY
TO COLLEGE,
BUT RICH AUNT PERSIS
WOULDN'T HELP ME.
SO I MADE GARDENS
AND RAKED THE LAWNS
AND BOUGHT JOHN ALDEN'S BOOKS
WITH MY EARNINGS
AND TOILED FOR THE
VERY MEANS OF LIFE.
I WANTED TO MARRY
DELIA PRICKETT,
BUT HOW COULD I DO IT
WITH WHAT I EARNED?
AND THERE WAS AUNT PERSIS
MORE THAN 70,
WHO SAT IN A WHEELCHAIR
HALF-ALIVE,
WITH HER THROAT SO PARALYZED,
THAT WHEN SHE SWALLOWED,
THE SOUP RAN OUT OF
HER MOUTH LIKE A DUCK
A GOURMAND YET, INVESTING
HER INCOME IN MORTGAGES,
FRETTING ALL THE TIME ABOUT HER
NOTES AND RENTS AND PAPERS.
THAT DAY I WAS
SAWING WOOD FOR HER,
AND READING PROUDHON
IN BETWEEN.
I WENT INTO THE HOUSE
FOR A DRINK OF WATER,
AND THERE SHE SAT
ASLEEP IN HER CHAIR...
THE TEXT BY PROUDHON
WAS LYING ON THE TABLE,
AND A BOTTLE OF
CHLOROFORM ON THE BOOK,
SHE USED SOMETIMES
FOR AN ACHING TOOTH!
I POURED THE CHLOROFORM
ON A HANDKERCHIEF
AND HELD IT TO HER NOSE
TILL SHE DIED.
[WIND WHISTLING]
OH, DELIA, DELIA!
THE CORONER SAID
SHE DIED OF HEART FAILURE.
I TOOK ALL HER DOUGH
AND MARRIED DELIA.
A JOKE ON YOU, SPOON RIVER?
[WIND WHISTLING]
THE EARTH KEEPS SOME VIBRATION
GOING THERE IN YOUR HEART,
AND THAT IS YOU.
AND IF THE PEOPLE FIND
THAT YOU CAN FIDDLE,
WHY, FIDDLE YOU MUST,
FOR ALL YOUR LIFE.
WHAT DO YOU SEE,
THE WIND IN THE CLOVER?
OR A MEADOW TO WALK
THROUGH TO THE RIVER?
OR MAYBE YOU HEAR
THE RUSTLE OF SKIRTS
LIKE ALL THE GIRLS WHEN
DANCING AT LITTLE GROVE.
TO THE FARMER,
A HIGH PILLAR OF DUST
OR WHIRLING LEAVES
MEANS RUINOUS DROUTH.
THE SAME THING TO ME ALWAYS
LOOKS LIKE RED-HEADED SAMMY
STEPPING IT OFF,
TO "TOOR-A-LOOR."
HOW COULD I SOW
MY 40 ACRES
NOT TO SPEAK OF GETTING MORE,
WITH A MEDLEY OF HORNS,
BASSOONS AND PICCOLOS
STIRRED IN MY BRAIN
BY CROWS AND ROBINS
AND THE CREAK OF A
WIND-MILL--ONLY THESE?
AND I NEVER STARTED
TO PLOW IN MY LIFE
THAT SOMEONE DIDN'T
STOP BY IN THE ROAD
AND TAKE ME AWAY
TO A DANCE OR A PICNIC
WITH MY FIDDLE TUNED
AND UNDER MY ARM.
I ENDED UP WITH 40 ACRES.
I ENDED UP WITH
A BROKEN FIDDLE...
AND A BROKEN LAUGH,
AND A THOUSAND MEMORIES,
AND NOT A SINGLE REGRET.
[WIND WHISTLING]
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]
"THE JABBERWOCKY."
'TWAS BRILLIG,
AND THE SLITHY TOVES
DID GYRE AND GIMBLE
IN THE WABE:
ALL MIMSY WERE THE BOROGOVES,
AND THE MOME RATHS OUTGRABE.
"BEWARE THE JABBERWOCK,
MY SON! THE JAWS THAT BITE,
THE CLAWS THAT CATCH!
BEWARE THE JUBJUB BIRD, AND SHUN
THE FRUMIOUS BANDERSNATCH!"
HE TOOK HIS VORPAL
SWORD IN HAND;
LONG TIME THE MANXOME
FOE HE SOUGHT
SO RESTED HE BY THE TUMTUM TREE
AND STOOD AWHILE IN THOUGHT.
AND, AS IN UFFISH
THOUGHT HE STOOD,
THE JABBERWOCK,
WITH EYES OF FLAME,
CAME WHIFFLING THROUGH
THE TULGEY WOOD,
AND BURBLED AS IT CAME!
ONE, TWO! ONE, TWO!
AND THROUGH AND THROUGH
THE VORPAL BLADE
WENT SNICKER-SNACK!
HE LEFT IT DEAD, AND WITH ITS
HEAD HE WENT GALUMPHING BACK.
"AND HAST THOU SLAIN
THE JABBERWOCK?
"COME TO MY ARMS,
MY BEAMISH BOY!
O FRABJOUS DAY!
CALLOOH! CALLAY!"
HE CHORTLED IN HIS JOY.
'TWAS BRILLIG,
AND THE SLITHY TOVES
DID GYRE AND GIMBLE
IN THE WABE:
ALL MIMSY WERE THE BOROGOVES,
AND THE MOME RATHS OUTGRABE.
ANNOUNCER: "SPOON RIVER"
BY EDGAR MASTERS,
"THE JABBERWOCKY"
BY LEWIS CARROLL,
AND "HAIKU HARVEST,"
A JAPANESE POEM
WAS PRESENTED
ON "FOCUS" TODAY
BY STUDENTS OF THE NATIONAL
TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF
EDUCATIONAL THEATER
AT THE ROCHESTER INSTITUTE
OF TECHNOLOGY
UNDER THE DIRECTION
OF MR. ROBERT F. PANARA.
IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS
OR SUGGESTIONS
CONCERNING THIS PROGRAM,
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADDRESS THEM
TO "FOCUS" IN CARE OF...
AND JOIN US
NEXT WEEK ON "FOCUS"
WHEN WE PRESENT
A PROGRAM ENTITLED
"BRAND X," CONCERNING
ROCHESTER'S X-RATED MOVIES.
Notes:
"This project is supported by a Digitizing Hidden Collections grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR). The grant program is made possible by funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation."
Other Title:
Focus