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April 13, 2006
ASL poet combines unlikely themes with his hands
Described by L.A. Weekly as a performer “who incorporates the most elastic facial maneuvers this side of Robin Williams,” Peter Cook is regarded as one of the most talented American Sign Language (ASL) poets today. As an ASL poet, Cook, who is deaf, uses similarities in sign direction or quality of movement, hand configurations and facial expressions to “rhyme,” just as words with similar sounds and endings rhyme in poetry.
Through singing, pantomime, storytelling and acting, Cook and his hands will create a moving sunset, the battle of Gettysburg and a march by Martin Luther King Jr. among other poetic images all rolled into one performance, “Flying Words.” Friend and poet collaborator Kenny Lerner will accompany Cook’s performance with a powerful array of words and sound effects.
The performance is at 6:15 p.m. Thursday at the Main Library, 615 Church St. All ages are welcome. For more information, call 862-5800. TN.
By Alexa Hinton
http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/index.cfm?section=12&screen=news&news_id=49113
Posted by 4HL on April 13, 2006 3:05 AM
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