Connect with other professionals who have a passion for the performing arts — just like you.
Did you know?
When you send a request through an agency it is posted to all their interpreters — hundreds of professionals. The first interpreter to see and take it gets the job. It is NOT given to the most qualified theatrical professional. It is a first come, first served system.
You pay the same either way and may have a seasoned interpreter who has done hundreds of shows — or you may have an interpreter who has never done a show before, maybe just seeing if it's something they like.
Your team has put hours into a show that you love. At VCI, we believe you deserve theatrical professionals who show just as much love and respect for the arts that you do.
The interpreting world is full of talented generalists who move between medical appointments, educational classrooms, legal proceedings, and the occasional "fun" job. There is nothing wrong with that. But theater demands something different — a feel for performance, a musical ear, an understanding of stagecraft, and hours of preparation that go far beyond learning the words.
Velvet Curtain Interpreting was created with a single purpose: to bring world-class ASL interpretation to live theater. Not as one service among many — as the entire mission.
Founded by Alicia Beinbrech, a working ASL interpreter with a deep love of theatrical performance, VCI exists because Deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences deserve more than accurate translation. They deserve the music, the comedic timing, the heartbreak, and the spectacle — delivered with the same artistry as what's happening on stage.
Why theater, and only theater?
Because theatrical interpretation is its own art form. When an interpreter steps into the space alongside a production, they are not a utility — they are a performer. The way they inhabit a character's voice, the timing of a comedic beat, the physical expression of a song lyric — all of it shapes whether a Deaf audience member is transported by the show or simply informed of it.
At VCI, every interpreter is vetted not just for their ASL credentials, but for their relationship with the performing arts. We look for people who light up at the mention of opening night.
Access is not enough
Every audience member deserves the full emotional experience of live theater — not just a translation of the script.
Preparation is everything
We study the show the way an actor studies a role — the music, the blocking, the character relationships.
Interpreters are performers
When you're on that stage, you're part of the production. We take that responsibility seriously.
Every production is unique
No two shows are the same. Neither is our approach to interpreting them.