Internationally renowned deaf poet Peter Cook and Rochester Institute of Technology professor Kenny Lerner will be coming to the River Campus on Friday, March 29, at 7:30 p.m. in the May Room, to perform their original work “Flying Words,” a night of storytelling through poetry.
Cook and Lerner, who began collaborating eight years ago after being inspired by a Rochester poetry workshop with Allen Ginsberg, first conceived the poems in American Sign Language and then translated them into English.
The program is accessible to both deaf and hearing audiences, with Cook providing the ASL element and Lerner speaking the words aloud in English.
Award winning
The “Flying Words Project” has been seen around the world, earning Critic’s Choice awards from the Chicago Reader, the Village Voice, and Drama-Logue magazine in Los Angeles.
The Edmonton Bullet described it as “one of the most amazing displays of eloquence in motion you’ll ever see.”
In addition, Cook has been featured in the PBS programs “Words on Mouth” and “United States of Poetry.”
The performance is being sponsored by UR’s American Sign Language Club.
“This will be the first time any of the members of our club have seen [“Flying Words”],” said Karen Jones, Vice-President and President-Elect of the club.
“We’re hoping to have a good turnout from both on and off campus.”
Admission to the “Flying Words Project” is $10 for the general public and $5 for UR undergraduates with ID.
Tickets are available at the Common Market in Wilson Commons and at the door.
Smith can be reached at ksmith@campustimes.org.
