


The resulting ASL-and-English performances are spellbinding to watch. Onstage, deaf actors watch for physical cues from hearing performers, or use offstage cue lights to time their lines. Most of the hearing cast members had no previous exposure to ASL, but honed their skills until the entire cast was able to perform in sync.
In Deaf West's production, pairs of deaf and hearing actors play the main roles: while the deaf actor performs in ASL, the hearing one trails behind them, singing and speaking English. The group's productions pair deaf and hearing actors who play the main roles in tandem Adapted into a rock musical in 2006 by Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik, it brought home eight Tonys, including the award for best musical. The show is based on a 1891 German play about sexual awakening, and was considered so racy at the time that it was often banned or censored. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders.