As 2025 draws to a close and we celebrate many religious, cultural, and community observances that can bring us all closer together, allow me to relate a bit of Academy Award Winner Marlee Matlin’s story and a just a little bit of my own. I hope it gives you pause to think about the talents and abilities we have experienced and those we may have missed – Mark Seifarth
Recently, I watched “American Masters: Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore” – WOSU TV PBS. Marlee shared her story in American Sign Language. As you recall, at 21 years old, Matlin became the first Deaf actress to win an Academy Award for her role in “Children of A Lesser God.”
While I am not a person who is deaf, as a person with a lifelong disability, her exceptional talent and ability while addressing many, many challenges along her journey greatly resonated with me. Please watch it as it brings enlightenment to everyone.
There were many experiences throughout the over one-and-a-half-hour program that are worthy of discussion and learning. I would like to briefly highlight one relatively short memory when Marlee returned to her high school and stepped on the stage of the auditorium.
She recalled never being permitted to audition for plays or perform on that stage – “I never had a chance to perform on this stage. That’s what I remember, being here. I couldn’t audition because I was deaf. I couldn’t speak, or wouldn’t speak. They would look at me, smile, pat my head, condescendingly, tell me, ‘Not now.’”
So, to say the least, that school never had the opportunity to see the beginnings of her talents and abilities. But we can imagine what that does to a young person with dreams, goals, and talent, to not be treated equally – not to be heard!
This also caused me to recollect my experience auditioning for a play in high school as I wanted to try out but I was afraid as I was the only person with a visible disability in my high school. So being one to always ask questions, I went to the theater director and asked if I could audition and what we would do. He said, audition and if you have any talent or fit any part, we will work out the rest.
Now, I wasn’t all that great. But I got to play Charles Lynch as a member of the jury of the damned in “The Devil and Daniel Webster,” Ambassador James F. Magee in “Don’t Drink the Water,” – where a used a wheelchair after I was shot – and the fire and brimstone preacher Reverend Jeremiah Brown in “Inherit the Wind.” To hold myself up while I preached the emotional and loud hell and damnation sermon, I leaned all my body weight into the stage rail we built as both the pulpit and the judge’s rail for the courtroom scenes.
To my surprise, when we were tearing down the sets, we took one swing with a hammer at the brace that held up that rail and the whole thing came tumbling down. I have always been glad I did not literally fall on my face during that performance.
Please let us think for a moment. I am eight years older than Marlee Matlin and in the early 1970’s my theater director figured out ways for me to participate in plays. But a decade later, Marlee’s theater department could not figure out how a way for her to audition to see if she fit any part in any of many plays – Why Not?
She has gone on to be a great star through her own talent and perseverance. And her high school missed it.
I have little talent, and I was able to perform – and probably very few if anyone remembers my performances.
So why am I boring you with my memories and why are they important in this context?
Because equal treatment and equal opportunity make a great difference, perhaps all the difference. And it shows us that in many ways as much as we trumpet all our differences today – we are all very much alike.
We all need support, equal treatment, and an equal chance to show our talent and grow.
Marlee had the support of Henry Winkler and a lifelong friend (watch “American Masters: Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore” on PBS or on YouTube to see what I mean). I had the support of a theater director and teacher who I found out went on to be a high school principal.
Take time to ponder this. When have we missed talent, or growth, or desire, or potential in someone just because they looked, sounded, walked, talked, wheeled, communicated, or breathed differently than us. Are we all so different? Now more than ever, quietly, privately, honestly, in your own heart and soul, ask yourself that question.
Ohio Disability Blog 