Norway’s Teater Manu selects new hearing director in controversial decision

This deaf news is related to a controversy that is happening right now in the Deaf community in Europe. Some of you may know a theater group named “Teater Manu” from Norway. Teater Manu is a highly respected theater group similar to how we know Deaf West Theater and National Theater of the Deaf here in the USA.

[Images of two performances by Teater Manu, “Jack and the Beanstalk” and “Jonas and the Body”]

Teater Manu was founded and directed 20 years ago (2001) by a deaf woman named Mira Zuckermann from Norway with the goal of being the best sign language theater in the world. You may remember Mira from two of our news reports about Mira directing two plays called “Crying Hands” in March 2019 and “The Black Drum” in June 2019.

[Two short clips of Moth coverage of the aforementioned titles]

We have collected various information and here is the recap of the situation.

The deaf director, Mira, announced her retirement in December 2021.

[Photo of Mira Zuckermann, founder and director]

So, the board of Teater Manu set out a search for a new director. The board has 4 deaf people and 3 hearing people (7 in total) that would make a decision on who the new director would be for Teater Manu. There were a total of 18 applicants, 12 of them were deaf and 6 of them were hearing. The board chose Janne Langaas, a hearing woman, to be the newly appointed director for Teater Manu. Many deaf people were outraged with this decision.

[Image of Norwegian news article (Scenekunst) announcing the new director]

Teater Manu is a professional theater and receives money from the government every year. This year they got 18,535,000 NOK which is approximately 2.2 million USD.

Riksteatern Crea is another respected theater group in Europe and they are from Sweden. Crea works a lot with Teater Manu. They have spoken up against the decision of choosing Janne. We have reached out to Mindy Drapsa, the artistic director, for a brief interview.

We asked what the relationship was between Crea and Manu.

Mindy Drapsa:

Our relationship started about 15 years ago. We became closer over the years as we worked together through workshops, theater, events, etc. To be honest, we are close like “sisters” for many years. They would perform here just as we would perform there. There is an upcoming play that we will work together called, “Noise Off.” We will take part in a tour together.

Renca: We asked why do you think the Deaf community is reacting this way?

Mindy: Of course, really. I fully understand. You know, Teater Manu is one of the few in the world that set up a professional deaf theater that is paid. All the actors and the crew, etc. are paid full time. The money comes from the government and it has been like that for 20 years. Who made this happen? A deaf person. Just wow. And now, a hearing person takes over? Well, I fully understand why the community is upset. In the interview (with Janne), the report shared Janne’s vision. Well.. you know when us deaf leaders would share our visions from deaf culture and deaf perspectives. We know what we need. So, now with Janne’s interview in the report, she mentioned how deaf people are amazing with visual art so this means there could be a new design for the room, new art, and other things. I am bummed because pretty much we have already gone through that a long time ago. Hearing people are like “oh wow, deaf art, look at the bodies moving!” Now, we (deaf people) have moved forward to Visual Vernacular, language arts, and diving deeper. We are not limited to just “moving bodies and visual lights” in a room. That’s what Janne wants.

Renca: We asked how do you think this decision will impact your relationship with Manu?

Mindy: We will continue with what we have planned with them. One thing that I am disappointed about is that for the past years I have always looked up to Mira. She is a deaf leader, an advisor, gives advice on art, challenges, and other things. I have learned from her. Now, this means the role has changed for me. This means I have to help the hearing director to teach about Deaf culture, etc. Well, it is not new for us, but again…

Renca: Anything else you want to add?

Mindy: Now we see what happened, a hearing person took this role. Does this mean deaf leadership is impossible? No. Please do not give up. The important thing is to have more deaf leadership. More deaf leadership means a strong Deaf community. We need to continue fighting. Do not give up.

The Swedish Association of the Deaf and International Visual Theater from France have also spoken up against this situation.

[Images of posts by SDR - Sveriges Dovas Riksforbund and IVT - International Visual Theatre]

The Norwegian Association of the Deaf released a statement of their disappointment of the selection of a hearing woman. In their statement they said Janne’s vision is destructive to the Norwegian deaf cultural heritage.

On an academic perspective, two deaf professors, Hilde Haualand from OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University in Norway and Joseph Murray from Gallaudet University wrote an article about how it is important to give opportunities for deaf people because of the power and structure we have give benefit for hearing people, but not deaf people.

TEXT:

“Unfortunately, we know from deaf history that users of sign languages are only allowed a small space in which to have their own perspectives, both because so few hearing people know the language and because deaf people are constantly excluded from and deprived of opportunities to be acknowledged. Appointing a hearing, non-signing language theater director does not lend itself to a correction of these power imbalances, instead it reinforces the prejudice that deaf people do not have the expertise required to lead their own community institutions.”

-- Dr. Hilde Haualand and Dr. Joseph Murray

Teater Manu did post a video responding to this situation and had Mira as the spokesperson.

In that statement that Mira signed, she said that the board is aware about this controversy and encouraged people to focus on the 20 years anniversary this year. She also mentioned that there are many resourceful deaf people who will work closely with the new hearing theater director.

[Image of post by Teater Manu with Mira Zuckermann]

We did reach out to Teater Manu, asking if the board could answer questions about this situation. We also reached out to Mira for an interview. Both declined to do interviews.

One anonymous person from Sweden told us that it is about perspective because clearly the board chose Janne based on skills, but the deaf community say needs to be deaf first. So, which is first? Deaf or skills? Then this person says, how can we build experience if opportunities are never given to us (deaf people)?

DJ Kurs, the artistic director for Deaf West Theater, shared his insights on this situation as being a deaf director himself.

DJ KURS:

I have different hats and different positions in my job here such as helping with picking plays productions that we do. We also gather feedback from the Deaf community on whether our play was good or not. We also treasure ASL and make sure that it is shown on the stage. We make sure that deaf audience members have full accessibility. We do all these things because we are deaf and members of our community. I feel responsible to the Deaf community and I want to serve them with my staff. Many of our collaborators, staff, and board members are hearing and we believe honoring our relationships to ensure there is success for deaf people because we believe that stages, theaters, TV, film, all kinds of performances, are the best way to show our deaf community to the world, to explain our culture and language. We believe in making connections with others and we also believe that the top position, the artistic director, should always be a deaf person. Our theater company was founded 30 years ago by a Deaf artistic director named Ed Waterstreet. A part of his experience is from the National Theatre of the Deaf, which had a hearing artistic director as his superior. From that experience he decided to start a Deaf theater and have it be deaf-run. That made it possible for us to have a 30-year run. Now when we look at Teater Manu in Norway, which was founded by a Deaf woman, Mira Zuckermann, they started it from scratch and built the theater. The Deaf theater community in the world knows of Mira and Teater Manu and its successes. The Norwegian government has provided its support for the theater and its service for the Deaf community. Now that they have replaced her with a hearing artistic director, it gives me pause. For me, I know that a hearing person in that role means they have a lot to learn. Also, it tells the world that deaf people can’t do that job. It tells deaf children that they can’t become a deaf artistic director but to be limited to being assistants. To me, in 2021, there is no reason why there should be a hearing artistic director for a Deaf theater company.

Renca:

Something to think about. Clearly this is a hot topic right now. If we get new big updates, we will let you know.

Reaction from Crea: https://dovastidning.se/kultur/item/1100-debatt-ta-inte-bort-dovas-kompetens-fran-teatervarlden

Reaction from IVT: https://facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1563283413863363&id=369717596553290&anchor_composer=false

Norwegian newspaper for performing arts

The new artistic director: http://www.scenekunst.no/sak/teater-skal-gjore-oss-klokere/

Reaction from Joseph Murray and Hilde Haualand: http://www.scenekunst.no/sak/den-andres-blikk-pa-teater-manu/

http://www.scenekunst.no/sak/dovekultur-star-sentralt-i-all-var-virksomhet/?fbclid=IwAR1Z2piATkjTJuN5FDceOQjiRZnx9RHlPS26g1ntxb9ZBSllyfN6fG3Kse0

Swedish NAD: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3719626841451311&id=125924917488206

Norwegian NAD: https://www.doveforbundet.no/nyheter/2021/02/05/uttalelse-fra-norges-doveforbund-om-teater-manus-ansettelse-av-ny-teatersjef

Teater Manu statement:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=230362405465375&id=147911809272&m_entstream_source=video_home&player_suborigin=entry_point&player_format=permalink

Response from a hearing journalist: http://www.scenekunst.no/sak/de-vi-ikke-snakker-om-nar-vi-snakker-om-mangfold/