THEATRICALITY IN THE BRAZILIAN DEAF THEATER: Literary, dramatic, and theatrical conceptions in sign language deaf theater.
Deaf theater. Signed dramaturgy. Sign language theater. Deaf culture.
This thesis explores the concept of deaf theater based on my experience in the Performing Arts. In the thesis, I analyze theatrical genres and investigate signed dramaturgy elements and deaf theater. Contemporary deaf theater established connections between epic theater and dramatic theater, seeking models of reflection that enrich the deaf theater practice. This study incorporates theater concepts, meanings, perspectives, and historical events. These elements unify both visual and accessible theater. This study aimed to expose a dramatic study that incorporates deaf theater as a recognizable form of art and dramatic literature. It analyzes the role of theatrical production when forming the concept of deaf theatre. This study is based on renowned scholars in theater and dramaturgy, including Bertolt Brecht, Jean-Pierre Ryngaert, Jean-Pierre Sarrazac, Eugenio Barba, Patrice Pavis, and others. After the theoretical framework, I focused on analyzing the play O Grito da Gaivota, based on the autobiography of Emanuelle Laborit, a deaf French author. The analysis starts with the dramatic text's production based on the autobiography and then examines its performance exploring the deaf theater and signed dramaturgy model. It also evaluates the script and the sign language recorded video, concentrating on the major role of the deaf community. In addition, this study questions bilingual theater interpretations in the deaf context. Finally, I demonstrate how my experiences, sensitivities, and background as a deaf researcher and director have enriched my understanding of adopting a political, cultural, linguistic, and identitarian perspective when examining the narratives and theatrical practices of deaf subjects.