Interpreted performance of ‘Clybourne Park’ set for Feb. 28

Posted Feb. 19, 2016 at 3:32 p.m.

BOONE—The Appalachian State University Department of Theatre and Dance is pleased to announce that the matinee performance of “Clybourne Park” on Sunday, Feb. 28, will be interpreted for hearing-impaired patrons. Appalachian’s Office of Disability Services (ODS) and Office of Equity, Diversity and Compliance (EDC) are providing American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters during the 2 p.m. performance in Valborg Theatre on campus. The talkback discussion will also be interpreted.

In keeping with the university’s strategic plan, interpreters will attend select performances moving forward. “With the support of EDC and ODS, we are delighted to begin making all of our spoken word productions accessible through ASL interpretation,” said Kevin Warner, chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance. “This new collaboration provides an opportunity for both hearing and deaf members of our audience to share a cultural and social event by experiencing the inspiration and excitement of live theatre together.”

“Clybourne Park” is the only play ever to win the “triple crown” of theatre, which consists of the Pulitzer Prize in Drama, Tony Award for Best Play and England’s Olivier Award for Outstanding Play. The Theatre and Dance production is the regional premiere of Bruce Norris’ satirical masterpiece.

“With stark realism, ‘Clybourne Park’ opens the door on the discomfort many, if not most, of us feel in the presence of someone who has a perceivable disability,” says Susan King, outreach coordinator for EDC. “People with disabilities may process information, communicate thoughts, experience feelings and navigate physical environments in many different ways, and the play acknowledges our self-conscious discomfort and challenges us to examine our responses.”

Special ticketing arrangements, along with reserved seating locations, have been made for patrons requiring ASL interpretation. Prices start at just $10 for Appalachian students and $17 for adults. To purchase tickets, contact Sarah Heustess, director of sales and patron relations, at heustessse@appstate.edu. Tickets will also be sold at the Valborg Theatre box office one hour prior to the 2 p.m. curtain on Sunday, Feb. 28.

Valborg Theatre is located at the north side of Chapell Wilson Hall on Howard Street in Boone. The theatre entrance faces the back of the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts on King Street. Parking is available on campus in faculty/staff lots and in the College Street parking deck near the Belk Library and Information Commons.

The Department of Theatre and Dance is housed in the College of Fine and Applied Arts. Its mission is to provide liberal arts educational opportunities along with B.A. degrees in dance studies and theatre arts. The department also values the opportunity to offer coursework for integrated learning through the arts to the general university student population. Vital to the support of this mission is a dynamic co-curricular production program that provides exemplary theatre and dance experiences to departmental students, the university community and the region. The departmental philosophy is to support the university’s liberal arts environment through a balanced and integrated emphasis on teaching, creative activity, scholarship and service. For more information, visit http://theatreanddance.appstate.edu.

The Office of Disability Services (ODS) works diligently to ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided equal access at Appalachian by broadening disability awareness, removing barriers to provide an inclusive environment and providing reasonable accommodations. ODS assists eligible students, faculty, staff and visitors with disabilities by determining and coordinating academic adjustments or workplace accommodations. Under Section 504 and the ADA, accommodations are determined individually and are intended to minimize the effects of the impact of specific limitations caused by a disability in order for a qualified individual to have equal access to programs, services and activities. For more information about ODS, visit http://ods.appstate.edu.

The Office of Equity, Diversity and Compliance (EDC) programs and services support students, staff, faculty, administrators and campus visitors who have questions or concerns about impermissible harassment, discrimination or retaliation and provide education to all community members on leading issues in the field of diversity work. EDC is responsible for directing and monitoring EPA search and hiring procedures, affirmative action and equal opportunity compliance, the EPA exit interview process and Title IX compliance.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.