American Sign Language Storytelling with Peter Cook

Peter Cook will present an evening of animated storytelling in American Sign Language. Many of his stories reflect his personal experience as a Deaf individual growing up in the world of sounds, providing a unique glimpse into Deaf community and culture.

English voice interpretation will be provided. No ASL knowledge is required.

Peter S. Cook is an internationally reputed Deaf performing artist whose works incorporate American Sign Language, pantomime, storytelling, acting, and movement. He has traveled extensively around the country and abroad with the Flying Words Project to promote ASL Literature with Kenny Lerner since 1986. Peter has appeared in Live from Off Center’s “Words on Mouth” (PBS) and “United States of Poetry” (PBS), produced by Emmy award winner Bob Holman. He has been featured at the National Storytelling festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee, and the Tales of Graz in Graz, Austria, The Deaf Way II and the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Peter has worked with Deaf storytellers/poets in Europe, Brazil, Israel, and Japan and was invited to the White House to join the National Book Festival in 2003. He has also been involved in numerous film projects including the ITV’s Signed Stories.

Peter lives in Chicago and is Associate Professor and Chair of the ASL Department at Columbia College Chicago. He received the 1997 Excellence in Teaching award and was one of the finalists for the 2018 Excellence in Teaching award.

This event is funded by the 250^th Anniversary Fund for Innovation in Undergraduate Education and the Humanities Council’s Program in Linguistics.