The American Sign Language Honor Society will host an ASL comedy show 7 p.m. April 15 in the auditorium. The performance will feature jokes and stories signed and voiced by Peter Cook, Wink Smith, Keith Wann and Crom Saunders.

Cook, Smith, Wann and Saunders will lead workshops on ASL storytelling and slang April 15 and 16 for interpreters, but the comedy show is open to the public. Admission to the show is $10 at the door. The show will be voiced for people who do not know sign language.

“People can bring their friends and enjoy the show,” ASL teacher Chelsea Phemister said. “They will do some ASL storytelling and some comedy about growing up Deaf and growing up with Deaf parents.”

Phemister said even people who have never experienced Deaf culture will benefit from learning more about the world as seen by deaf people.

“I think it is important for anyone to study different cultures, whether it is the Deaf community and Deaf culture or any other culture around the world,” Phemister said. “It is important for people to become understanding and accepting of differences with other people and embrace our similarities.”

Phemister did not take an ASL class until her junior year in high school, but said she immediately fell in love with the language and culture. As a result, she said she hopes the comedy show will introduce new people to the field.

“Deafness is kind of an invisible disability,” Phemister said. “Walking down the street, you would never know if the people you pass can hear you. Our Deaf community is much larger than people think. We desperately need interpreters in this area.”

Phemister said her career as an interpreter has been rewarding for her, which is why she wants to introduce as many young people as possible to sign language through her current job as an ASL teacher and events such as this comedy show.

“It is easy to say sign language has completely changed my life,” Phemister said. “This is a good opportunity for our students to see what we do as interpreters and ASL teachers. Hopefully we can start bringing more students into this field because of the huge need for it.”

Editor’s note: The writer has chosen to deviate from AP style to respect Deaf culture.  The term “deaf” refers to the medical aspect of hearing loss, while the term “Deaf” refers to Deaf community and culture.