The BASL Project

We Are the Same, but Different

Dinner Note

[ID: graphic for Sound Theatre's Making Waves program 2024 project, the BASL Project. On a deep blue background, below text that reads 'Making Waves 2024,' is a simplified illustration if a wave rendered in blue-greens and white. Towards the bottom of the wave, the shape morphs into that of a hand. End ID.]

[ID for above image: on a split red and white background is a black and white image of Heather Clark, Ph.D.; a Black woman smiling brightly up right, off camera, with her hair pulled back and wearing a dark-colored collared shirt and a leather-strapped watch. The text on the image reads “Sound Theatre Company presents a special event as part of the Making Waves, New Works BASL Project: We Are the Same, but Different: Navigating African American & Deaf Cultural Identities. 2pm PST, Sun June 2, Black Box Studio, Seattle Center Armory. Below this are the logos for Making Waves and the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture. At the very bottom is a black footer with white text that reads: “Presentation, Q&A, ASL-Interpreted, CART-captioned.” End ID.]

We Are the Same but Different:
Navigating African American
& Deaf Cultural Identities

Presentation by Heather D. Clark, Ph.D.

June 2nd @ 2pm
Black Box Studio, Seattle Center Armory

Join scholar Heather Clark for a rare, deeply intersectional look at how Pacific Northwest individuals identifying as both African American and Deaf navigate dual cultural identities through language.

Sound Theatre is proud to present this special event through the Making Waves, New Works BASL PROJECT—which celebrates Black American Sign Language (BASL) and Black Deaf Culture.

Clark, a University of Washington lecturer, will give a talk on the following:

  • Both mainstream Deaf and hearing African American communities use language to transmit cultural identity. How does someone in both negotiate their identity?
  • How have they been influenced by mainstream Deaf communities’ use of standard American Sign Language?
  • How have they been able to incorporate hearing African American vernacular (AAVE) into their unique style of signing?

This presentation offers an educational introduction to the linguistic and historical background of our second BASL PROJECT programming: a June 26 staged reading of Rhonda Cochran’s DINNER NOTE.

Dinner Note: A Black-Deaf Led Staged Reading

Written by Rhonda Cochran With Poetry by Irvine Stewart
Directed by Michelle Banks

June 26th @ 7:30pm
The Center Theatre, Seattle Center Armory

Dinner Note chronicles a modern Black family in Seattle rallying behind their Deaf son as he searches for belonging and educational equity in his Deaf school.

High school freshmen, Jr., comes from a strong and close Black Deaf family who currently reside in Seattle, WA in 2024. 

At school, his History teacher has assigned the class each to do a 5-min presentation on Deaf history and ASL in the US. 

Jr is handed a note to bring home to his parents after an issue with his presentation and meeting with his teacher. 

What was the issue in Jr’s  5-min presentation?

What took place between the teacher and Jr during their meeting? 

After the warm fellowship of family Sunday dinner, Jr makes a decision that’ll impact him and the community around him.

 

 

ABOUT HEATHER CLARK

Born and raised in Seattle, Clark earned an Interpreting Training Certificate from American Sign Language and Interpreting School (ASLIS) of Seattle in 2003. She earned a Masters and Ph.D. in Sociocultural Anthropology from the University of Washington in 2007 and 2010, respectively.

The BASL PROJECT is funded through the City of Seattle HopeCorps grant, which expands work opportunities and pipelines for underrepresented workers.

Venue & Accessibility

Clark’s presentation will be held at the Seattle Center Armory Black Box Studio, which seats 99 and includes wheelchair-accessible spaces. ASL interpreters and CART captioning will be announced when confirmed.

For Deaf Blind access requests, please email access@soundtheatrecompany.org by May 15, 2024.

The BASL Project will be performed at the Center Theatre, located in the Seattle center Armory.

Address for the Seattle Center Armory is 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109.

COVID Protocols

For the safety of our artists we encourage masking, but do not require it. Actors will be unmasked when on stage. 

Radical Hospitality Ticketing

At Sound Theatre Company, we believe that theatre should be accessible for all. As such, we have tickets available at a sliding scale rate.

$5 – Inclusion Rate
$25 – General Admission Rate
$50 – Patron Rate
$75 – Benefactor Rate

You are welcome to purchase tickets at any price you choose. There is no difference in service or seating among the price levels; the higher rates reflect the true cost of producing our high-quality, award-winning work. Sound Theatre appreciates your commitment to supporting art and artists in your local community.

Season Sponsors

Become a Sponsor or Donate Today!

Help Independent Theatre Thrive!
Donate