Presentation [Eric Malzkuhn at Writers and Books]

Kenny Lerner and Peter Cook (Flying Words Project duo) wrote a NY Humanities grant for this Writers and Books event, inviting Eric Malzkuhn to present on sign poetry. Robert Panara introduced Malz and talked about his groundbreaking poem, Jabberwocky, famous for his creative use of sign language. Malz was also involved in a sign language performance of the Broadway play, Arsenic and Old Lace and in the National Theatre of the Deaf. Malz shares how he became deaf and attended Michigan School for the Deaf where he learned sign language. He describes performing Jabberwocky and getting involved with Arsenic and Old Lace. After sharing more stories, he plays a game with the audience encouraging creative self-expression. He signs a poem, "The Cat" in PSE, ASL, and the 'Malz' way. He then performs a San Francisco poem using fingerspelling to show the unique features of the city. Finally, he performs the poem, "If I were a King" in ASL and the 'Malz' way.