AL-Leg Amputee

B-Blind

CP-Cerebral Palsy

D-Deaf

DD-Developmental Disability

Ds-Down syndrome

HI-Hearing Impaired

ID-Invisible Disability

LP-Little Person

MI-Mobility Impaired

O-Other

PWD-Performers With Disabilities

VI-Visually Impaired

WU-Wheelchair User

Grant Albrecht (WU) as Dr. Giles on "CSI: New York" - CBS

Michael J. Anderson (LP) as Samson "Carnivale" - HBO

Deanne Bray (D) as Sue Thomas "Sue Thomas: F.B. Eye" - PAX

Robert David Hall (AL) as Coroner Dr. Robbins "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" - CBS

Anita Hollander (AL) as Shelley "All My Children" - ABC

Geri Jewell (CP) as Jewel, "Deadwood" - HBO and

as Rose, "The Young & the Restless" - CBS

Mitch Longley (WU) as Barry "Bear" Caldwell "Joan of Arcadia" - CBS

and as Surveillance Team Member Mitch "Las Vegas" - NBC

Deanne Bray was born mostly deaf from an unknown cause (possibly from her mother having German measles while pregnant) in Canoga Park, CA in 1971. She is completely deaf in her right ear, with some residual hearing in her left ear, in which she uses a hearing aid. Bray was first discovered while performing with the Deaf dance troupe "Prism West". She has also worked with California's Deaf West Theatre and the National Theatre of the Deaf. Deanne straddles both the hearing and deaf worlds, communicating through both spoken English and American Sign Language.

A strong literacy advocate, Deanne established and personally funded the "Little Bookworm Club", benefiting deaf and hard of hearing Latino students. The success of the Club earned her a grant from Jordan Fundamentals, which recognizes outstanding teaching creativity in public schools serving economically disadvantaged students.

Prior to Sue Thomas, she was a science and math teacher for the deaf in an East Los Angeles high school. She earned a B.A. degree in Biology at CSU, Northridge and is pursuing a master's degree in Education. She encourages the cast and crew of Sue Thomas to learn ASL, and partners with writing staff on plot-lines and scripts - her suggestions are largely based on her own life experiences. In addition, several deaf people have been hired as extras, editors, and ASL Masters on the show. Bray also works with directors to block scenes, ensuring she is able to see what other characters are saying.

Deanne has been married to fellow deaf actor Troy Kotsur since 2001. During her summer hiatus, both of them toured in the award winning Deaf West production of Big River. Her other credits include the films Ed McBain’s 87^th Precinct: Lightning, What Do Women Want, and Last Mountain, and guest appearances on the TV shows Ellen, Diagnosis Murder, The Pretender, Strong Medicine and CSI. Her extensive stage credits include Road to the Revolution (for which she won Best Supporting Actress at the 2001 A.D.A. Awards), Oliver, Alice in Wonderland, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and the role of Helen Keller in Helen and Frida. Bray was also the host of a nationally syndicated show for the deaf community, "Caption This." Deanne says her role models include Phyllis Frelich, Linda Bove, Freda Norman, and the ‘real’ Sue Thomas. Sue Thomas plays on the PAX network on Sundays at 9 PM (Pacific).

Where: Celtic Arts Center, 4834 Laurel Canyon Blvd., Studio City.

Reservations/Info: 818-760-8322

When: Fri - Sun, now through Sept. 12^th.

M.A.O. acting teacher Laura Gardner is starring in this West Coast premiere of a play by Sunil Kuruvilla, about the Welsh boxer Johnny Owen, and the events before and after his bout with Lupe Pinter.

Where: Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 Sierra Madre Blvd.

Reservations/Info: 626-256-3809 or www.sierramadreplayhouse.org

When: Sundays only, now through 9/19 at 7 PM.

M.A.O. member David Michael Trevino (ID) is featured in this musical revue.

Where: The WB network; check listings for station.

When: Sun., Sept. 12 at 9 PM (Pacific)

M.A.O. member Michael Harvey (MI) appears as a college student-extra in the pilot episode of this new drama.

Where: Station KRLA, 870 AM

When: Sundays, 11 PM – Midnight

For the next few months, M.A.O. member Darrell Evans (MI) is hosting his own radio talk show, which will tackle issues affecting people with disabilities.

Ricardo Gil (LP) repeated his role in the acclaimed Mabou Mine’s NY production of Dollhouse at the National Theatret’s Ibsen Festival in Norway! Jay Jacobus (MI) has a supporting role in the SAG short, Levea’s Fight, currently filming. Jennifer Delora (D) performed high energy dancing using ASL for three shows at the 4^th Annual South Street Seaport Deaf Festival in NY on Aug. 15^th. Max Kerstein (MI) has been cast to play the role of the Grandmaster in a new full length SAG/Indie feature film Dynamite Swine, a comedy, which began filming in late August. Dawn Grabowski (MI/CP) performed stand-up at the Women for A Cause Concert in Hollywood on Aug. 7. White Cane and Wheels, a film about M.A.O. members Carmen Apelgren (VI) and Stephen Mendelson (WU) was screened for a week at the ArcLight Theatre in Hollywood. Dena Diamond (B) wrote, produced, and performed two songs that appear on the new "Clifford The Big Red Dog" CD released this month. Anita Hollander (AL) is performing in six shows at a repertory company in NY through Halloween. Thomas Cerone (Ds) will have his picture on the Astrovision jumbotron in NY’s Times Square on 9/26 in honor of Oct. being National Down syndrome Awareness month. Singer/songwriter Jessica Callahan (B) will have her song ‘Penny’ used as the theme for the film Cages. She also performed the song on Saigon Broadcast Television Network, and will be performing for the Singapore Association for the Visually Handicapped. Gail Hawkins’ (ID) short story, Meeting Maya, is published in the Chicken Soup for the African American Soul anthology. Playwright Cheryl Marie Wade (WU), and actors Mark Hendrix (WU) and June Stoddart (MI), did staged readings of two of Cheryl’s plays at the Ashby Stage in Berkeley on 8/21. Della Mayfield, Mary Joyce, and Delores McCarroll (all ID), of the singing group GOAL (Growing, Octaves, Activating, Living), performed at the Avon Award Ceremony in LA in June.

A 12-week beginning acting class, taught by Christina Kokubo, will take place Sept. 22 to Dec. 8 at the M.A.O. Office, 1-3 PM. Students will memorize a monologue or scene to perform before an audience on the last session. For info and/or to sign up, call the office at (818) 752-1196.

David Zimmerman will also be starting 6-week acting classes: day sessions, 1-4 PM on Weds. starting 9/29, night sessions, 7-9:30 PM on Thurs. starting 9/30. Special rate for MAO members will be $60. For more info, call David at (323) 868-9913.

Grand Performances offers free outdoor concerts in downtown Los Angeles at California Plaza (next to MOCA and across the street from the Disney Center. Sena y Verbo, a deaf theater company from Mexico City will be making their West Coast premiere Thurs.-Sat., 9/16-18. The show will be performed in Mexican sign language as well as ASL & English. For more info: call (213) 687-2482 or go to www.GrandPerformances.org.

The National Arts and Disability Center is conducting a very important survey to collect information about the employment of PWDs in film and television, specifically about auditions, getting work, the hiring process & barriers to employment. During the month of September, only SAG members who have self identified as performers with disabilities on the Special Skills and Talent Survey form will receive a copy of the survey. Make sure your form with SAG is up to date!

(at Hollywood & Highland)

HOLLYWOOD, CA

Get more info about the work of the Friends of the California Governor’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, Inc. and the Media Access Office at:

Write, phone or fax us at:

The Media Access Office

4640 Lankershim Blvd., Suite 305

N. Hollywood, CA 91602

(818) 752-1196 Voice (818) 753-3426 Fax

(818) 753-3427 TTY

Media Access Office – North

363 Civic Drive

Pleasant Hill, CA 94523

(925) 602-1542 Voice (925)-602-1540 Fax

711 for CA Relay Service

REACH US VIA E-MAIL:

(Send Gloria an e-mail if you would like to receive last minute M.A.O. information or announcements via email.)

The Media Access Office is staffed by the Employment Development Department and the California Governor’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. Volunteers and in-kind donations through the Friends of the CGCEPD, Inc., support the office.