Florida drama teacher who includes deaf students in school shows will receive a special Tony Award

By MARK KENNEDY
AP Entertainment Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The special Tony Award that honors educators will go this year to a drama teacher in Florida who has closed the gap between the deaf and hearing worlds. Jason Zembuch-Young’s productions are performed in both voice and American Sign Language. Zembuch-Young, artistic director of the public South Plantation High School, in Plantation, Florida, is being honored for “empowering every student to make and be part of theater.” Zembuch-Young doesn’t just have a signing interpreter on the side of the stage — he incorporates deaf culture into the theater piece so his team is “actually doing theater for the deaf rather than simply making theater accessible to the deaf.”