FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Person: Christy Bledsoe
Telephone: 734.995.4612
E-mail:
NATIONAL THEATRE OF THE DEAF TO VISIT CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY
Ann Arbor, MI/August 8, 2003- In recognition of Deaf Awareness Week (September 22-28), the Concordia University Visiting Artist Series will host the Tony Award-winning National Theatre of the Deaf for two performances of Oh, Figaro! on September 26th and 27th.
Founded in 1967, NTD is the oldest continually producing and touring theatre company in the United States. Their professional acting company is composed of both Deaf and Hearing artists working together as an ensemble. Audience members see and hear every word through NTD’s signature performance style, which combines American Sign Language and Spoken Word for a unique double-sensory experience. Their current touring production, Oh, Figaro!, is based on the Pierre Beaumarchais classic French farces The Barber of Seville and The Marriage of Figaro.
Along with the two performances, NTD members will conduct several workshops for both students and the public. Concordia students will have the opportunity to participate in a workshop on creative drama in which they will explore games and exercises designed to stimulate creativity, imagination and theatrical inventiveness using NTD’s visual theatre techniques. Following the first performance on September 26th NTD will hold a Question & Answer session for audience members. A lecture/demonstration will be held on the 27th at 2:00pm with an eye to local educators. During this session NTD members will present the history of the company, its cultural influences, and demonstrate the techniques used in developing their performances.
The National Theatre of the Deaf will perform Oh, Figaro! in the Kreft Center Black Box Theatre on September 26th and 27th at 8:00pm. Tickets are $20 and can be obtained beginning September 8th through the Kreft Center Box Office. Space is limited. Call 734.995.4612 to charge by phone. Box Office hours are Monday thru Friday from 12:00 to 4:00p.m. Public workshops are free. Registration is required for the September 27th workshop. For more information contact the Box Office at 734.995.4612. Concordia University is located at 4090 Geddes Road in Ann Arbor, Michigan just west of US-23.
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