Benefits of Including Deaf Actors

An About visitor wrote:
Hello! I have been working as an interpreter for over 25 years, however, I have a passion for the Theatre and the Performing Arts. I now interpret for a deaf Performing Arts student at a local college. She has been in many plays where Directors were at first hesitant to hire a deaf actress, with an interpreter. It soon became clear to the Directors that a deaf actress can and often is an "asset" to the cast. The production was not slowed down (a fear that the Directors have) but in fact, many of the hearing actors on set learned from my deaf students physical expressions! To quote one of the Directors: "It certainly was a BONUS to have a deaf actor in the cast and I was surprised to see that it went so smoothly, without loss of time to the production. I DEFINITELY would do it again!