Lakeside School

by Vina V. ’29

When she was a student at Swarthmore, Rose Palmieri directed an adaptation of “Much Ado About Nothing” that featured an interpreter on stage signing for deaf people in the audience. In her director’s note, she wrote about “the question of Hero’s silence.” The question had stuck with her after she had performed a scene from “Much Ado About Nothing” at Lakeside, and it inspired her to make this adaptation. Palmieri wanted, she wrote, “to tell a story that could explain her silence.”

Being a lead in my senior play at Lakeside convinced me that this was a thing I could really do and be good at. — Rose Palmieri

Now an actor and director in Philadelphia, Palmieri continues to be passionate not only about performance, but also about American Sign Language interpreting. She began learning ASL five years ago and discovered how she could integrate ASL with her work in theater. Recently, she was part of an experimental fringe play, “Dap!” and had the opportunity to collaborate with deaf actors and voice characters. By actively interpreting for audiences and integrating ASL into live performances, Palmieri works toward making theater more accessible to the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities.

Palmieri learned at Lakeside to write and perform monologues and direct her own plays, citing the encouragement and mentorship she received from drama instructor Michael Place. Lakeside gave her multiple opportunities, she says, to practice confidence and leadership — important tools that she implements in her career today. She aspires to continue with her innovative ASL work, as well as find her own voice as a writer and director of original work.