R&J Q&A

With opening night of Romeo & Juliet coming up this coming up Saturday at 8:00 pm in the Hill Theatre, we thought we'd answer a few of the questions we've been getting about this new adaptation, which beautifully unites Shakespearean poetry with American Sign Language (ASL).

This year's production of Romeo & Juliet features two actors who are Deaf - Joshua Castille as Romeo and Robert Schleifer as Friar Lawrence - and hearing actors in every other role, including Isabelle Bushue as Juliet. Some of the hearing characters sign, some are trying to learn, and some refuse, providing some insight into the characters and their relationships to the star cross'd lovers at the heart of the story. We can't wait for you to see it, so get your tickets if you haven't yet. And if you have any questions, send them our way. You'll find a bit more about what to expect below. And check out this video of our Romeo sharing a little about what to expect from a visit to APT.

R&J Q&A

Q: Will a hearing person be able to understand the play without using a captioning device?
A: Yes, the vast majority of the play's lines are spoken aloud, either by characters on stage or by a chorus of amazing actors including Nathan Barlow, Jim DeVita, Sun Mee Chomet, Gavin Lawrence, Daniel José Molina, Rasell Holt and Lindsay Welliver.

Q: Is every performance of Romeo & Juliet fully ASL interpreted?
A: ASL is an integral component of this production, though the full script will not be signed on stage. Four performances will be fully ASL interpreted (see dates below). And for information on the best seating to see the interpreters, and to find ASL interpreted dates for the rest of this season's productions, visit the Accessibility page or call the APT Box Office at 608-588-2361.

ASL Interpreted Romeo & Juliet Performances
Saturday, August 19 at 8:00 PM (Opening night, limited availability)
Wednesday; September 27 at 10:00 AM (Student Matinee Performance, limited availability)
Sunday; October 1 at 6:00 PM (Best availability)
Tuesday, October 3 at 10:30 AM (Student Matinee Performance, limited availability)

Q: Is captioning available?
A: Yes, captioning is available for every performances of Romeo & Juliet through the GalaPro system. APT has a number of devices with the app pre-loaded available to use free of charge, or you can download the app to your phone for free Learn more about using GalaPro at APT here. And if you're interested in accessing captioning during the performance, fill out this form (please have your tickets handy so you can provide your seat number).

Q: If I use GalaPro on my phone, do I still need to fill out the reservation form?
A: Yes, please! It will help us keep track of how many people are interested in the system, and keep a couple extra tablets handy in case something goes awry.

Q: Do I have to hold onto the GalaPro tablet through the entire play?
A: Not if you don't want to. APT has a number of device holders available to take to your seats. A House Staff member will walk to your seat with you to help set up the device holder.

Q: Will the device usage be distracting to other audience members?
A: GalaPro was designed to follow theater etiquette. The app can only be used in airplane mode, and uses a dark screen and grey or red text to keep the light down.

Q: Are Josh and Robert in any of the other plays?
A: Joshua Castille and Robert Schleifer are only in Romeo & Juliet this season.

Q: Does APT staff use ASL?
A: Many of APT's staff members have trained with DeafFriendly Consulting. While not every staff member has learned to fully sign, they've all been given tools to communicate with Deaf/deaf and hard of hearing community audience members.

Q: Where do I go to get assistance, or if I have questions?
A: In the Hill Theatre, go to the Information Window at the top of Aisle 5. In the Touchstone Theatre, visit the Box Office window or a ask a member of the House Staff and they'll be happy to help.