Disney Music Group has teamed up with the Tony-winning Deaf West Theatre to release an American Sign Language version of Lin-Manuel Miranda's “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from Walt Disney Animation Studio’s Encanto.
Watch the music video, released in celebration of International Day of Sign Languages, above. Featuring an all-Deaf Colombian and Latine cast, the signed video adaptation of the song utilizes both ASL and Colombian Sign Language. The English lyrics were translated into ASL and CSL by a team of sign language choreographers, who worked through the text to find the most accurate translation.
The video features Nataly Barahona as Pepa, Andres Otalora as Felix, Donna Valverde as Mirabel and Abuela, Jasmine Garcia as Isabela, Joseph Rocha as Camilo, and Andrea Rodriguez as Dolores. The principal creatives include ASL choreographers Donna Valverde and Nataly Barahona, director of photography Andres Otalora, and editor Austin Balaich.
"The impact this film has on children cannot be dismissed," says Deaf West Artistic Director DJ Kurs. "The majority of Deaf children are born to hearing families, and sometimes the only exposure to the community and sign language is through videos like this. [W]orking with Disney Music Group on expanding the access to one of their songs to the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing communities brings us immense pride. We’ve previously collaborated with Disney Music Group on ASL videos for World Princess Week and Encanto’s ‘Surface Pressure,’ and are excited by our continued collaborative relationship advancing inclusion."
The Encanto soundtrack features eight original songs by Tony and Grammy winner Miranda with an original score by Oscar-nominated composer Germaine Franco. The three-time Platinum-certified “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” topped the Hot 100 chart for five weeks. The soundtrack and song held the No. 1 position on the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 simultaneously for five consecutive weeks.
Founded in Los Angeles in 1991, Deaf West Theatre engages artists and audiences in theatre experiences inspired by Deaf culture and the expressive power of sign language, weaving ASL with spoken English to create a seamless ballet of movement and voice. Their productions of Big River and Spring Awakening have transferred to Broadway. Visit DeafWest.org.
