photo by Cary Levitt |
Patricia
(Trix) Bruce, from Seattle, Washington, is known
nationwide as both a workshop
presenter and an
ASL performer. Trix's work has been warmly received
everywhere, from local community centers, to state,
regional and
national RID conferences, Deaf Way II, interpreter
conventions and more. Wildly popular as a teacher
of ASL storytelling and ASL interpretation, Trix
impresses audiences at all
levels of ASL skill, from novices to fluent experts.
Trix has been profoundly deaf since she
was 6 months old. She went through oral, mainstreaming,
deaf classes, and online educational programs. Trix
has been involved in the performing arts since 1980.
After
completing her college program, she became involved
with interpreter training.
Trix's main area of study has been ASL Linguistics with
a focus on ASL Performance. She is an approved
sponsor for the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
(RID) Certificate Maintenance Program, and has developed
a popular website, www.trixbruce.com. Whether writing,
creating, improvising or starring in her many productions,
Trix's passion for the dramatic arts shines through. |
|
When did you know you wanted to be a performer? Was
there a specific moment
where you knew acting was right for you?
When I was in mainstreamed program at high school during my freshman
year, a drama teacher was looking for a deaf role for HELEN
KELLER so I joined. I loved it and wanted to continue.
After graduating college, I wasn’t sure where to start.
I happened to be an ASL instructor at a public high school in
Washington
State. I was required to take a certificate of teaching as
per Washington State’s school policy, so I went back to
school. I evaluated an interpreter for fun. I wrote down the
strengths and weakness of her interpreting skills. She realized
how much
I know the sign language grammar, structure, and rules to expand
their signing skills. So I provide workshops for the interpreters.
A
lot of interpreters encouraged me to become a storyteller!
How did your family and friends react to your choice of careers?
My parents encouraged me to stay in business field. I decided to
continue to be involved in drama through the four years of
high school and seven years in college. Until I started to train
interpreters
to expand their signing skills, they have encouraged me to
be a storyteller in a one woman show.
What are the biggest obstacles facing a deaf person who aspires
to a career in acting?
My biggest obstacle facing a career in acting is that some
organizations don't provide enough funds covering my time,
my traveling expenses. I hate to say “no” but am
willing to take some risks and some small funds.
I have submitted a lot of film’s casting calls; however
they are not looking for a “deaf” actor that fits
their stories. Some directors are willing to make adjustments
and place
me into their films as an extra, a small role, non-speaking
roles,
and any characters that are able to use visual gestural,
mime, or anything is possible.
Can you describe the process of creating one of your shows? How
do you choose and develop your material?
I watched one hearing woman show and realized that I could do
it. I decided to write scripts and put this together to use Power
Point
presentation as my visual aid, open-captioning. I put a few
flash poems as my intermissions. I provided several kinds that
match
the target audience. THE HEARING WORLD AROUND ME is best fit
for any hearing people that wanted to learn about the role of
Deaf.
TALES OF A MAD MAD MAD ASL WORLD is best fit for any signers,
interpreters, and Deaf.
What do you hope an audience takes away with them after a performance?
Is there an over-arching theme to your work?
My goal is for the audience is to show that a Deaf Role Model
can do it. There were few deaf actress/actors, it is time to
see more new
faces
to
come!
If you did not create your own material, what other opportunities
are there for deaf actors?
There will be always different opportunties for the Deaf actors
such as sound effects, communicate methods, Deaf cultures,
Child of Deaf Adults ( parents ), and many more
Have
you worked with
mixed deaf & hearing casts? What were
the biggest challenges? In your opinion, how can hearing
and deaf actors and directors work together most effectively?
Yes, I have been in Deaf Festivals, ASL Festivals. I felt
strongly comfortable with drama families, actors because
we easily can communicate
with each other as a good team. Working with the hearing,
it is more challenging but awesome to meet people who could share
their experiences and learn from them. The hearing people
can see how I can provide the success of being a Deaf Role Model.
In your opinion, what are the qualities of an excellent ASL
signer? When does communication become artistry?
I started learning gesture as my first language and
took drama classes/clubs four years in high school. This
experience brought
me up to contuine and learn more with Sign Langauge in College.
I incoporated with all of my talents together. I practiced
and practiced with ideas of using appropriate sign language.
As I improv
with audience's desires, I prove to them that I am an
artist.
Written on a page, the words are the same. But when performed,
spoken English and ASL are expressed differently. Does the
method of expression change the meaning of the words?
It is totally different between English and ASL but for the
voice interpreting, the voices would be English. It has different
syntax,
grammar, rules, structure and all of that.
For the hearing, so much is conveyed through tone of
voice. For example, the statement “I love you” can
be sincere, or sarcastic, or funny, etc. How are these
different
meanings
conveyed using ASL?
There are several ways to use 1) body language 2) hearing
language expressions 3) sign language 4) visual-gestural
language
Hearing would rely on visual gestural and body language.
Deaf rely on sign language.
photo by Bill Brittain |
Do deaf and hearing audiences react differently to your performances?
THE HEARING WORLD AROUND ME is the best show for the hearing
audiences because I share what it feels like to be deaf.
TALES OF A MAD MAD MAD ASL WORLD is the best show for deaf
and hearing audiences because I share various kind of stories
such
as folktales, poetry, international sign, classifiers,
handshapes, personifications, etc.
In your performances of Tales of a Mad, Mad, MAD ASL
World,
you thrive on audience interaction. How does the interaction
occur?
It depends on individuals. A lot of interpreters love the
sound effects.
Deaf loves the international sign language because it is
different and new!
Kids loves the visual gestural stories.
Kenan Peköz is the voice speaker of your show, The
Hearing World Around Me. Can you describe how you and Kenan work
together? What makes your partnership work?
He was the one to encourage me to establish one deaf woman show.
He helped me to set up the plans of setting up shows, etc.
With his experience and his help,
he was honored to work with me. For the hearing world show, we rehearsed
a lot together. The more he built to be involved, he gained
confidence working with
me. The audience can hear from his voices explaining the details how
I grew up through the years - what is like to be deaf.
Writing this interview, I’ve
been very worried about asking a dumb or offensive question.
Do you find that hearing
people are intimidated when
approaching
you?
That is normal, a lot of hearing people would always learn every
time they face any Deaf people. Both worlds can make silly mistakes
by misunderstanding;
they
think differently.
What do you love about performing? What keeps you going?
Funny, I have so much to tell the whole world about how much I
enjoy performing because it is inspiring, and I gain the hugest
opportunities
and challenges. Thinking of "can do it" is my
destiny. I would encourage the youngers that whatever I pursue,
I can do it. One day, I will be there. One day,
they will
understand
that the
real
DEAF WORLD can do everything. Anything
is
possible!
With my effort, my practice, my understanding, my learning, my
experience, and my everything on me will make me the "succeed" role
by suffering, struggling, and going through the rough times to
become a
star. To get more shine, I strongly believe I can do it - all I
do my best!
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