ASLinfo.com - Information on American Sign Language (ASL), Interpreting and Deaf Culture

Information and resources related to American Sign
Language (ASL), Interpreting and Deaf Culture

URL: http://www.ASLinfo.com/danmcdougall.cfm

Interview: Dan McDougall

Return to previous page

A while back I received an email from Dan McDougall about his new Web site, so I clicked on the URL that was provided and when his site popped up I was thrilled at what I found. Dan's Web site is about Theatre Interpreting and is packed with lots of great information for Interpreters and consumers. The layout is very appealing, soft to the eye, and very easy to navigate.

Anyway, Theatre Interpreting is something I would love to get involved with one day and since I have this interest I thought I would interview him and share it with all of you, I know many of you are interested in this as well!!! Check out Dan's Web site.

Cindy: I noticed you are a CSC, what made you decide to become an interpreter, how did you become interested in ASL and when did you first learn ASL?
Dan: Well, I have a temporary bout of dyslexia to thank for it. As a youngster in high school, I was trying out for a play called "Runaways." It was a musical, and I was very eager to have a showy part. I noticed that one character, Hubbell, was included in every song. Near most of the lyrics, it would say, "Hubbell Sings" -- or so I thought. I made it very clear I wanted the part of Hubbell, really lobbied the director. When I got the part, he handed me a script, and said, "Congratulations ... go learn sign language." I said, "What do you mean, sign language?" He said, "Yes, didn't you see? Next to every song it says 'Hubbell SIGNS'!" I went to a library and dug out "The Joy of Signing," and did the word-for-sign thing from the book. I was awful, but it started a passion for me.

Luckily, Madonna University was within driving distance, and I went there for my BA in Sign Language Studies. I started there in 1982, with a real interest in the linguistics of ASL, and interpreting came pretty easy. I passed the state's highest QA level by my third year, and got my CSC the year after I graduated.

Cindy: How long have you been interpreting?
Dan: I started in 1984 when I was at Madonna University.

Cindy: Interpreting in the Performing Arts takes great skill and dedication, how did you get involved in Performing Arts Interpreting or Theatre Interpreting?
Dan: Well, theatre has always been a big part of my life. At one time, I had considered a career in the theatre however, I thought I'd go for something with more stability. (And I chose sign language - go figure! Since high school, I continued to act without signing on occasion but interpreting in the theatre really allows me to mix both interests.