About ACT
ACT Interpreting LLC is a performance-specific interpreting entity operating out of Madison, Wisconsin, serving Southeastern Wisconsin. It was founded in 2023 by Leigh Whisenant as a first step towards making the performance industry a more accessible, welcoming space. What began as a pool of 4 interpreters has since blossomed into a team of over 30 interpreters, two designated Directors of Artistic Sign Language/Directors of Interpreters and an ever-growing community.
Each of ACT’s interpreters have some unique performance experience. Some have been interpreting concerts for decades, others have graduated with music theater degrees, and several have debuted on the stage themselves. But ALL share a passion for performance interpreting in unique ways. We provide American Sign Language interpreting services to performance venues ranging from local high schools to arenas and festivals, from community theater productions to international concert tours.
We also rely on our team of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Directors of Artistic Sign Language (DASLs), and Directors of Interpreters (DOIs) to enhance our interpretations and contracted venues’ accessibility. We are always seeking to incorporate the latest techniques available to both performance and interpreting industries in order to provide the best experience possible for all attendees. We also seek to serve as a hub for ASL-interpreted shows in Wisconsin.
**ASL Video coming soon
Our Values
INCLUSION & EMPOWERMENT
ACT firmly believes that the divide between the Deaf community and the performance industry can best be bridged by involving the Deaf community in their interpreting process. We seek any opportunity to include our consumers in their entertainment experience. This includes outreach prior to events to gather feedback that helps us tailor our interpretations, transparency in the interpreting process and communication with venues, and the collection of feedback following events.
COLLABORATION & TRANSPARENCY
We take a collaborative approach not only with our Deaf and Hard of Hearing consumers, but also with our contracted vendors. This has led to changes to interpreters’ physical set up, resources shared with the interpreting team, the hiring of DASLs and DOIs, mentoring provided to the UW-Milwaukee Interpreter Training Program to support new interpreters joining the field, and more.
REPRESENTATION & RESPECT
Discrimination will not be tolerated in any ACT space. In order to embody our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion goals, we strive to make culturally appropriate choices when assembling an interpreting team. This process involves consultation with individuals from represented groups throughout the accessibility process. We value our BiPOC, disabled, LGBTQIA+, and neurodivergent communities and aim to make the world a more accessible, inclusive, and welcoming place.
**ASL Video coming soon
Photos of some of our interpreters, DASLs, and DOIs
Interpreter: Autumn Diaz
Interpreter: Leigh Whisenant
Interpreter: Jon Thomm
Interpreter: Caden Marshall
Interpreter: CJ Speakman
Interpreter: Leigh Whisenant
ASL Team: Jon Thomm (left), Joshua Castille (middle), CJ Speakman (right)
ASL Team: Diego Diaz (far left), Autumn Diaz (left), Leigh Whisenant (right), Mayra Castrejon-Hernandez (far right)
Interpreters: Autumn Diaz (left) and Diego Diaz (right)
ASL Team: Joshua Castille (left), CJ Speakman (middle), Jana Mauldin (right)
Interpreter: Caden Marshall - Pridefest Milwaukee 2024
Interpreter: CJ Speakman - between sets
Director of Interpreters: Joshua Castille, before the show starts at Pridefest Milwaukee 2024
Director of Interpreters: Joshua Castille, before the show starts at Pridefest Milwaukee 2024
Interpreters: Maria Kielma (left), Makeda Duncan (middle), David Evans (right) at Pridefest Milwaukee 2024
Interpreters: Makeda Duncan (left), and Maria Kielma (middle) at Pridefest Milwaukee 2024
The Story of the ACT Logo
ACT is proud to have partnered with a local Deaf Queer artist to create our logo.
They worked closely with ACT’s founder and owner, Leigh, to create a logo that would be appropriate in punk/rock spaces, opera concerts, magic shows, and beyond. She also requested that the logo have a more organic flow than the standard interpreter logo.
Fun facts:
Leigh and other ACT interpreters served as visual references for the handshapes.
The logo took on nearly four different forms before being finalized.
See photos of the logo’s evolution below (including the very sparse reference photos Leigh provided) to see the magic our artist worked!
Leigh's "sketch"
The reference photo Leigh sent, indicating the awkward shape of fingers on most "interpreter" symbols
Initial shape sketch
Smoothing lines
An example of what a communication looked like when Leigh was asking for specific tweaks
An evolution of the second version of the design
The current ACT logo
Are you a performance interpreter?
Whether you have performance interpreting experience, firsthand acting/performing experience, a passion for this niche field, or the desire to learn more, get in touch!