Thursday, July 28, 2016
Ingrid Michaelson Hell No Music Video: Deaf Actors Perform Sign Language
People.com: Ingrid Michaelson got particularly hands-on for her latest music video.
The indie pop artist released the official clip of her new breakup single "Hell No" in April, and it was the first music video completely filmed on Snapchat. But after seeing the Deaf West theater company's Spring Awakening cast perform on the Tony Awards last month, she was inspired to recreate the music video for a wider range of viewers.
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After Deaf West’s Spring Awakening, ASL has been popping up more frequently in the arts. Sign language can be used as a movement form, almost like a choreographed dance. Because sign language relies so heavily on facial expressions in place of vocal intonation, there is an element of acting that adds performance value when done in a theatrical setting. Not only is the sudden influx of ASL in the arts providing more opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing performers, it is also exposing hearing people to sign language and closing the gap between deaf and hearing. In this video, Ingrid Michaelson signed parts of the song. It is good that we are not just hiring deaf performers to sign, but teaching the artists themselves. Also, if we look closely, we can see that whenever deaf performers have to move together as a unit, they must make eye contact with each other, as vocal cues are of little help. It seems like deaf performers are more strongly connected to one another through this.
I think the issue of representing people of different abilities in all types of entertainment and media including music, theatre, film, and television is so important. We are living in a time in which all minority groups relating to gender, race, sexual orientation, and disabilities are all fighting to have their voices publicly heard and recognized, and ASL is no exception. I think that it is so fantastic that today, many schools around the country have American Sign Language as an option in their 'foreign language' programs along with the more obvious Spanish, French, etc. I think that, as shown in this video and article, when you see famous celebrities using ASL as Ingrid Michaelson did in parts of her own music video, many people might be more apt to go out and learn ASL as well. It is really important not only that people with hearing disabilities are represented in media themselves/directly, but also that people who are not deaf or hard of hearing show their support to those with disabilities by learning their language, etc. This way, we as a full community with a range of abilities can provide constant support to one another. I also really loved watching this video because I think ASL can be interpreted as such a beautiful form of performing art, and I hope that we continue to use it along with our more traditional forms of media and entertainment.
Theater has the power to change the landscape of the life we live in. Art is a huge catalyst for change and that change is already happening. We are making changes in our art and making it accessible to more people and in turn others in the entertainment industry are following suite. It’s amazing how this whole idea to use sign language in a music video was sparked by Deaf West’s Spring Awakening. Their production of Spring Awaking was the first of its kind on a Broadway level and it brought theater to a whole new audience. Deaf West’s production made theater accessible and enjoyable to a whole new community. Then to take this even further, it inspired Ingrid Michaelson to take it to a whole new level and make a music video with ASL. It’s amazing how the music and the theater industry are expanding their audiences and making their work more accessible to people who would have previously been left out.
I was recently able to do a project on PHAMALy Theater in Denver, Colorado. PHAMALy is a company of people who are all on the disability spectrum. They have been able to put on incredible, professional productions despite what some very closed minded people predicted in the beginning. This is another example of how the arts are not only able to meet the challenges and barriers presented to them, but to overcome them with brilliance and grace. As we have seen with Deaf West’s Spring Awakening this year, what some perceive as a disability that holds people back no matter how hard they try can actually be a complete blessing that adds depth and meaning to a piece of art. Excellent theatrical companies have the ability to seem as though they think and breathe as one and people with disabilities are of absolutely no exception to this.
I love Deaf West. Their production of Spring Awakening was probably one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen. The fact that they got to pair with a big name artist to create a wonderful music video is great as well. I enjoyed seeing the actors I knew from Spring Awakening in the music video as well. It showed me that two things I love, theater and music, have combined into an awesome music video. I aspire to work with disabled people in theater and Deaf West really gives me hope that that will happen. I also love seeing people work with their disabilities to create beautiful art, which is what Deaf West does. It disappoints me that Deaf West didn’t win any Tonys, but that’s understandable with the Hamilton craze. The way the choreographer incorporated sign language into the show made a beautiful picture and sparked inspiration into hundreds of people, and yet they still did not get a lot of press.
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