"Let the seal do the work"

A personal renaissance has emerged lately, which has reignited my passion for language and linguistic development.

Once upon a time, I discovered American Sign Language (ASL) and it clicked for me. ASL changed my life and, at first, I pursued it through weekly classes, using work books and videotapes to immerse myself in this visual language until it literally crept into my dreams.

In those early days I'd practice fingerspelling everything I heard while watching TV to build dexterity and muscle memory. I'd seek out opportunities to sign even though I'd become flushed with embarrassment at my lack of skill in both receptive and expressive language.

I studied the linguistics of ASL, the structures of grammar that native users know intuitively but second language learners must be taught. And slowly, in the company of some incredible - and patient - role models I actually started to think in ASL (rather than first formulating a thought in English and then translating it).

All of this was to achieve my goal...

• to be a good teacher 
• to work with children who are Deaf and hard of hearing
• to convey my message though ASL with clarity.

I never wanted to be an interpreter. I still don't. But, there are circumstances when I need to step in and interpret during the day. As it happens, this semester I have the great, good fortune of mentoring a student teacher with over 30 years experience as a sign language interpreter (including Broadway).

So, when opportunities come up that require me to interpret we've decided it would be nice to flip the script and let her take notes and supply feedback.

It has been transformative, thrilling and inspiring.

She is taking me to another level by fine-tuning my presentation and making me aware of things I never would have thought about on my own.



She has taught me a lot - e.g., imaginative uses of classifiers, new vocabulary, how to utilize wait time, etc. -  but my favorite note was, "Nice letting the 'seal do the work'".  Basically, this refers to allowing the child to see what is happening for themselves rather than trying to interpret it. She related a story about a trip to the Central Park Zoo where the children were watching a seal lounging in the sun and pointing out that rather than interpreting his movements it was smarter to simply let the children watch the seal. "Let the seal do the work" is applicable to a great many situations.

I love our discussions about what I am doing well and what I can improve.  One thing is clear to me, no matter how many degrees I get I will always enjoy being a student.

Another Broadway Books First Class Visit From Hollie Wright

Hollie E. Wright surrounded by the first grade Firebirds

There are times when saying, "Yes" opens us up to amazing grace and gratitude.

For me, that happened quite literally when I accepted an invitation from Nicole Duncan-Smith to accompany her to Amazing Grace on Broadway. It was a month before Broadway Books First Class premiered with Tony Award winner Gregory Jbara and we spent the day planning its debut.

Amazing Grace is a powerful show that delivers a one-two punch near the end. It left me an emotional mess - so much so that a woman seated several seats away offered me a Kleenex (or three) before the cast took their curtain calls.

Afterwards, I quietly pulled my sorry self together and slowly made my way out of the theater. It was then, on a hot night in early September outside the Nederlander Theatre, that I first met Hollie Wright. Nicole introduced us and the demands of actually speaking broke the walls of my constrained emotions.

I managed a friendly hello but quickly LOST IT while telling her how much I loved her show. Her response? She pulled me in for a hug while her nurturing voice whispered kindly, "Oh, honey".

That night Hollie held and comforted my aching spirit.

That night Hollie became the heart of Broadway Books First Class.

Her visits stand as a testament to my initial impression - she is a beautiful soul.

In my mind, Broadway Books First Class will forever remain synonymous with Hollie's kindness, her inclusiveness and her joy. I hope she remains a perpetual visitor who returns year after year.

The children introduce themselves, in ASL, to Hollie

This year she read Firebird by Misty Copeland. In the book, Misty Copeland tells the story of a young girl - an every girl - whose confidence is fragile and who is questioning her own ability to reach the heights that Misty has reached. Misty encourages this young girl's faith in herself and shows her exactly how, through hard work and dedication, she too can become Firebird".

Sitting on the floor surrounded by children (some wearing tutus or well-worn Capezios), Hollie made the story personal by sharing stories of her journey as a professional dancer on Broadway and as a teacher at The Alvin Ailey School of Dance.

Hollie Wright reading Misty Copeland's Firebird alongside ASL interpreter Kathleen Taylor

This led into the question and answer portion of the visit wherein the children lifted their last question up in one loud voice with hands raised in sign, "Can you teach us to dance?"

Dance class in First Grade with Broadway performer Hollie Wright 

Without missing a beat Hollie directed their young bodies into rows and began teaching them ballet. A shift had occurred. Suddenly, the oft-times frenetic energy of a first grade classroom reflected the disciplined, mirror-lined walls of a dance studio as Hollie led them through a series of ballet exercises. Each student raising a curved arm, stepping into fourth position and executing a straight-backed plié with quiet concentration. It was rather impressive.

A Thank You card to Hollie depicting our Firebird inspired dance class

Hollie also pulled back the curtain to show the children how a dancer keeps limber and in shape with  textured balls. She passed them around before demonstrating how she uses them to stretch or soothe aching muscles. She related it to building reading muscles and the taking time to develop new skills, which is a good lesson for impatient 6-year-olds.

Demonstrating how a dancer keeps in shape

Hollie then signed copies of Firebird for each child before departing to teach her class at The Ailey School.  Then, the children set about writing thank you cards.

Saying yes on that hot September night in 2015 altered the course of my fledgling program because I met the incredible Hollie Wright. Hollie brought the program to the attention of the talented Amazing Grace family and with one email she piqued the interest of Kim Weild, Oneika Phillips and Elizabeth Ward Land.

Kim Weild then brought on Alexandria Wales, Stockard Channing, Devlin Elliott, Nathan Lane, David Caudle, Anastasia Traina, Scott Cohen and, by extension, Jeremiah Maestas. She also spearheaded the Winter Workshop at PS347, the book How the I Becomes the We and its subsequent performance on The High Line.

It is interesting to witness how the ripples of a simple, "Yes" can create unforeseen momentum.

Thank you Hollie!

"A Dangerous Book"

The image of the great, tall tailor stepping out of the shadows with shears in hand preparing to cut the thumbs off naughty, little Conrad is darkly intoxicating.

German cautionary tales, such as those represented in Struwwelpeter, provide a powerful commentary when viewed through a sociocultural lens.

Once upon a time children were not considered the precious little gems they are today.  In fact, the fairy tales collected and published by the Brothers Grimm were originally targeted for an adult audience.  The old stories kept things interesting back in the days when families and friends gathered around the hearth to entertain and pass the shadowy hours before retiring into slumber.

Hansel and Gretel 

The settings (an ominous forest), characters (mysterious witches) and storylines (struggles to feed and maintain a family) are familiar aspects of the most enduring stories (Hansel & Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood).

They were also reflective of the times.  The mortality rate for urban children under age five was as high as 66 percent in the late 1600s, it was not uncommon for women to die in childbirth, forests were dangerous and the majority of the population believed in - and feared - witches.

I've embarked upon an exploration of the history of these beloved childhood stories by Charles Perrault (Mother Goose), The Grimm Brothers, Hans Christian Anderson, Marie-Catherine d'Aulnoy and others for a university course I am teaching on Children's Literature.

As I learn more about the beauty and horror in bedtime stories I am grateful I dwell in a professional landscape that allows for research rooted in theory and research based on practical implementation.

I became curious about how children today would react to the darkest of the dark.  They were already fascinated with The Legend of Sleepy Hollow so would they embrace The Story of Little Suck-A-Thumb? Would it be too much?

If you are unfamiliar, check out this video.



I began by acting out the story embodying the great tall tailor who "always comes to little boys that suck their thumbs".  The children giggled and called for more.  That afternoon - and for many days since - they've reenacted the story on the playground.  They also silently ask to read the book during free time by holding up their thumbs and pretending to snip it off.  They even drew pictures.

The Story of Little Suck-A-Thumb

In the end, I suppose children today are undeterred by the warnings presented in Struwwelpeter to be "good at meal-times, good at play, good all night and good all day" or else a terrible fate awaits. 

Although...one thoughtful first grader did quietly comment as he handed the book back to me, "This is a dangerous book".

Indeed!

A Broadway Books First Class Visit from Elizabeth Ward Land

Glorious songbird Elizabeth Ward Land showers the children
with words, music and love

"Some combinations of words, miraculously, arouse intellectual curiosity, and that is the real magic performed by childhood books." 

Enchanted Hunters by Maria Tatar

Books, like theater, usher us into new experiences through the power of words.  Storytellers have been sharing ideas and imparting lessons from the fireside for generations.  Under the spell of those wondrous words children adventure outside their experience and become empathic observers.  In the long tradition of welcoming the troubadour's song Broadway Books First Class whisks children away to new lands and gently carries them home again.

The Bear and the Piano

That was the message from Broadway veteran Elizabeth Ward Land when she visited first grade this month.  She read The Bear and the Piano by David Litchfield to a rapt audience of 6-and-7-year-old children.

It's a story of longing to "explore the world beyond" and the struggle to stay connected to your roots, your heart.

That is something our guest knows something about.  As an actress and singer Elizabeth has performed in many Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, National Tours and concerts.  Our paths first crossed during her run in City of Angels as I sat "out there in the dark" watching and listening.  They crossed again in The Scarlet Pimpernel (she was in all 3 Broadway versions and I saw every single one) and finally in Amazing Grace the Musical.

The children introduce themselves to Broadway's Elizabeth Ward Land

However, it wasn't until Broadway Director (and BBFC alum) Kim Weild assembled a talented group of performers for Broadway Holiday that I met Elizabeth in person.  During that fundraiser she sang "My Grown Up Christmas List" while I signed.  We hit it off splendidly and I knew she would enrich the lives of my students by surrounding them in words and music.  How wonderful it is that she accepted my invitation.

In addition to the reading, Elizabeth sang us the first song from her mesmerizing CD First Harvest.  It was one of those "you could hear a pin drop" moments as she sang, "There's been a change in me..." beside our ASL interpreter who ensured that all of the children understood the message of the song.

Elizabeth Ward Land sings "A Change in Me" alongside ASL interpreter Sarah Bartow

Once she concluded, the class erupted as the children stood and threw their hands up to applaud or holler approval.  It was a spectacular moment filled with happiness and appreciation.

As always, we asked her some questions about life in the theater. The themes of the shows she's performed gave the little ones quite an education.  In preparation for her visit we learned about the French Revolution and "Madame Guillotine" courtesy of The Scarlet Pimpernel and Amazing Grace led to a discussion of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.

They found the guillotine most intriguing so naturally their first question was, "In the show The Scarlet Pimpernel how did people get their heads chopped off?"  That question recalls the somewhat dark purpose of children's books in the first place, which was "navigating a child's fears about sleep as a prologue to death" (Tatar, 2009, p. 97).   There is a reason children are fascinated with darkness and death - it is part of growing up and accepting our mortality.

Elizabeth walked them through it unscathed and moved seamlessly on to their next question, "How did you learn to sing so good?"  She shared her tale of vocal lessons and the musicality instilled in her by her mother.  Elizabeth plays the piano, oboe, percussion, guitar and a little ukulele.  Those talents were on display when she performed last year at The Public Theater in Southern Comfort.  And with that we broached another topic - transgenderism.

Signing copies of The Bear and the Piano for each student.
(Book made possible by a donation from The Louis Valentino Jr. Memorial Fund)

The eventful morning ended as it began - with a celebration of words.  We gifted Elizabeth with a copy of the book signed by all of the children and in return, she signed copies for each one of them.

THANK YOU Elizabeth Ward Land for making a difference in the lives of these children, treating them with respect, teaching them about diversity and acceptance, for your words and for your glorious singing!

As Wordsworth put it: "What we have loved/Others will love, and we will teach them how"

"Love her!"

A Broadway Books First Class Visit From Stockard Channing

Stockard Channing surrounded by the students in First Grade

Stockard Channing first sauntered into the landscape of my adolescence as Betty Rizzo, leader of the Pink Ladies in the movie musical Grease.  I could not keep my eyes off this beautiful, feisty and secretly sensitive soul as she navigated high school and belted out catchy tunes.

Stockard Channing in Grease

It was the summer of 1978 and that September I would enter high school myself.

Who knew it was going to be such an adventure?!

On the first day I drove up to school with my older brother - a senior - and as we got out of the car I adjusted my sunglasses, gave him my best Rizzo smirk and said, "We're gonna rule the school"

Then, he pushed me away and said, "Don't walk with me!"

Still, I kept the "Let's go get 'em" school spirit and channeled my inner Riz until graduation.

Over the next few years I followed Stockard Channing's career closely from her 1979 television series Just Friends to Broadway and ultimately to Silent Victory: The Kitty O'Neil Story.  She played a woman who is deaf and struggling to find independence.  Again, I was fascinated.  I sought out sign language classes and taught myself the handshape alphabet.  A seed had been planted that would later grow to impact the course of my life.

In 1986 - I was now a performing arts major at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts - Stockard Channing was appearing at the 92nd Street Y in Three Verse Dramas by William Butler Yeats.  After the performance I went backstage to meet her.  She was lovely.  I was probably a bit much.

Meeting Stockard Channing at the 92nd Street Y on March 17, 1986

In the years that followed I changed course - from actor to teacher - and found my true purpose.  Stockard went on to win a Tony Award (six nominations), two Emmys, and an Academy Award nomination for Six Degrees of Separation.  Her interest in Deaf culture continued as well and in 2007 she narrated the PBS documentary Through Deaf Eyes.

So, it should come as no surprise that when I created Broadway Books First Class Stockard Channing was at the top of my list. A chance meeting - set up by the universe - with Kim Weild put the dream in motion and Voila! One afternoon in December Stockard Channing paid a visit to my first grade classroom.

Copies of Be Who You Are made possible with a grant from
Columbia University Teachers College

She read Todd Parr's Be Who You Are with an exquisite intensity incorporating gestures, signs and the perfect touch of gravitas.  The children joined in on the repeating refrain, "Just be who you are!"

"Always be yourself and
Be Who You Are!"

As she read she delighted in the kids, stopping to listen to their comments and acknowledge their insights.

As a skilled actress she took her cue from them to explore interesting concepts (e.g. feelings, food) and highlight certain illustrations.

Once again I had a front row seat to a master class and it was all unfolding in my very own classroom.  Although it was somewhat surreal, the awesomeness was not lost on me for a moment.

The children learned about her work before her visit and after the reading were very eager to ask her about her roles in The Girl Most Likely To... and in any show she performed with the name Joey in it (e.g. Pal Joey, Joe[y] Egg) because we have our very own first grade Joey.

Our questions brought forth some fantastic stories and information. We learned...

• Her favorite role was as Ouisa in Six Degrees of Separation.  
• She loved doing Grease and had fun dancing, laughing and singing
• Yes, it is indeed cool to be on Broadway because you can move people and make them laugh or think.
• She felt "crazy and so happy" when she won the Tony Award!

Before she left she sat down to autograph copies of Todd Parr's book as I chatted with her about varying perspectives on deaf education (she prepared for her visit with us by reading Deafness by David Wright), theater and books.

Stockard Channing autographing copies of Be Who You Are

I've heard it said that we should never meet our idols because it is nearly impossible for them live up to our expectations and inevitably we are left feeling disappointed. This was far from the case with Stockard Channing.  She could not have been more open, patient and giving with the children and extremely generous to participate in the program.

To paraphrase the last lines from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, "What happened to the man whose dreams suddenly came true?  He lived happily ever after!"

Thank You Stockard Channing!