Robert Schleifer has worked as a teaching artist and an actor for many years. We’re excited that he’s offering a workshop here at ASC titled, Exploring Expressions Of Non-Verbal Communication. We sat down and asked Robert a few questions about his experience as a Deaf actor and teacher.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’ve been deaf since birth and I consider myself a “Pioneer Artist”. My childhood home was in the greater Chicagoland area, but as the only deaf person in my family, my parents elected to send me to St. Joseph School for the Deaf at the age of three. It was a Catholic boarding school in St. Louis, Missouri that specialized in a revolutionary oral method for deaf children. We were taught to speak and read lips and were forbidden to use sign language which I was never exposed to before. It is here where I first experienced acting in the role of Jack in “Jack in the Beanstalk” and my love for theatre grew. Acting was something I was very familiar with as a deaf child in a hearing family. It was the only way I knew how to communicate with my brothers and parents!
After high school, I continued my education at Rochester Institute of Technology in New York. I was shocked that I could not communicate with other deaf students who only knew sign language! I didn’t belong to the hearing world and quickly learned that I didn’t belong to the deaf world either. The one place where my communication was universal, however, was in theatre. Here I could adeptly communicate my thoughts and feelings by acting that was understood by all. I became involved in theatre at RIT and, after being recognized for my achievement, received a scholarship for Theatre from the University of Rochester. I’m an award-winning deaf actor and theatre instructor with over 15 years of teaching experience at the high school and college level including international opera programs. I offer my students this along with twenty-five years of acting experience in top Chicago Theaters. I also was awarded a 3Arts Award for outstanding teaching artist and performer
Did you eventually learn sign language?
I did! I’ve become fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) which I use to communicate with my Deaf friends. ASL is a beautiful visual language which relies on facial expression and body movement to convey meaning through visual symbols which keeps my acting skills sharp.
How has being Deaf affected your acting career?
After university, I moved to Connecticut to work in the National Theatre of the Deaf. I decided to move back home and try my luck in the Chicago Theatres thereafter. My first professional play was Antigone at (former) Footsteps Theatre Company in Chicago. I convinced the director of “ Antigone” to give me a role of Haemon. I used sign language and some voice in the play which was very effective. At first a person may think that my being deaf would be a disadvantage to my acting career, but they would be dead wrong. My deafness has truly unlocked my true potential as an actor and enables me to help my students achieve the same due to my unique non-verbal talents. I’ve had a lot of success in Chicago Theateres working in both the Goodman for more than 10 years and more recently Steppenwolf Theatre as well as internationally.
What do you teach your students?
My practice and process as a teaching artist is to transform acting students involved “playing at it” to becoming one entity with other actors as they become absorbed in the process of acting with no voice. My teaching process with them strives to eliminate acting and movement that is insecure and cliche and to bring out their own personal, experiences and true, raw feelings into everything they do on stage. Did you know that 75-95% of communication is nonverbal? Well, that is my specialty! Many young actors aren’t as familiar with this critical component of acting which is vital for their success.
How do you teach without words?
This process begins when I enter a classroom whether it be a masterclass at university, high school class, or workshop. I immediately eliminate words from our classroom. I do not use my voice with them. I use only the blackboard. This is not only part of the process of my teaching, but its part of who I am as an artist. During class, I teach them to listen with their eyes, rather their ears by using body language exclusively.
My vision as a teaching artist engages students to become aware of their physical and visual expression. I strive to help them learn effective communication through gesture and become comfortable with their physical presence onstage. This not only helps them to become better actors, but also increases their self-confidence by releasing mental and physical blocks through creative play.
What do you hope to do in the future?
As a Deaf actor, the roles that people consider me for are much more narrow than my actual capability. The same applies with me for teaching. For most hearing people that I encounter in the world, I am the first deaf person that they ever meet. They are surprised when they see me drive so imagine their curiosity when they see my acting and teaching ability!!
My first job is to teach casting agents, directors, deans, and other teachers what a deaf actor and teacher can do. In addition to my acting career which I am still actively engaged in, I am interested in pursuing a teaching certificate that can help me with credentials to unlock doors to other teaching and consulting opportunities in the future.
My dream is to teach hearing and deaf students about acting and inspire them to consider acting as a career just as my teachers inspired me to think without limits. I would love to have my students see my being deaf not as a disability but rather a unique ability to help them on their journey.
