E. C. Glass High School will perform Lauren Gunderson’s award-winning play “Silent Sky” on Thursday, Jan. 25 through Saturday, Jan. 27. The show is based on the true story of deaf Harvard University astronomer Henrietta Leavitt and her female colleagues’ groundbreaking contributions to science’s understanding of the universe in the 1900s.
Friday’s 7 p.m. performance will be shadow interpreted in American Sign Language (ASL) by StageHands Interpreters. This will be the 15th shadowed performance at E. C. Glass. The school’s longtime commitment to accessibility is particularly relevant in the context of “Silent Sky,” which celebrates the accomplishments of female scientists in a field that often undervalued them.
"Our deaf audience members travel from all over Virginia and surrounding states to see these performances, and our students grow in empathy by considering our deaf audience's perspective,” said E. C. Glass theatre director Allison Daugherty. “Our hearing audience is often fascinated and proud to be part of such a community.”
An innovative alternative to traditional interpreting, shadow interpreting makes theatrical performances accessible to deaf and hard of hearing audience members by incorporating interpreters into the action onstage. This helps them stay immersed in the show rather than splitting their attention between the actors and an interpreter off to the side.
Immediately after the show on Friday, audience members will have the opportunity to discuss the performance with the cast, crew, and director in a post-show talkback. This special performance was supported in part by Audiology Hearing Aid Associates, in conjunction with production sponsor Peery & Woolwine Family Dentistry.
Showtimes are Thursday, Jan. 25 and Friday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. as well as Saturday, Jan. 27 at 2 and 7 p.m. Get tickets here.