Meet Jo Brook

We were lucky to catch up with Jo Brook recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jo, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

I am a late-deafened adult who is a professional actor and musician, and I am almost always the only one in the rehearsal room like me.

There have certainly been challenging moments over the years. Sifting through all the labels and terms around disability, hearing loss and Deafness, learning more about my own rights as a disabled person in the work place, experimenting with communication methods, finding nifty, creative ways to take care of my body and mental health when my accessibility needs aren’t met — these things have truly been the bane of my existence for years now.

But, I’ve found that the more I get to know my own disability and acknowledge it as a part of myself and my identity, the easier it has been to find success and joy in my work and to implement effective ways of communicating in a room.

I will say it takes a lot of organization on my part — lots of emails and conversations to set expectations and lay out access needs, lots of reminding and reiterating those access needs to my coworkers, a LOT of creative thinking and problem solving!

And I think that’s the key when you’re the only person in the room like you. The key is to teach the people around you that you belong and that what you bring to the table informs the work in a really positive way! It’s not just about meeting accessibility needs…it’s about allowing the people in the room to be exactly who they are and thus allowing the work to be informed by that!

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

For the past 15 years, I’ve worked as a stage actress and fiddler in New York City and regionally. I love New York and its rich community of theatre-makers and music-makers. It’s such a monster of a city, but I adore it.

This past fall, I started working for The Alliance of Resident Theatres (A.R.T./New York) as their new Manager of External Relations. I LOVE my new job, the people I work with, and the services we provide for NYC theatremakers.

I also have a billion side projects. I’ll name 3.

– I just “finished” writing a play — it’s a bluegrass/d/HOH solo show about my journey with hearing loss and my current adventure in reclaiming my voice and my relationship to music. I’m aiming to produce it in 2025 on a TBA stage in NYC.

– I lead a support group for artists with hearing loss, funded by the Center for Hearing & Communications in Manhattan. The folks in this group have become some of my best pals. They’ve encouraged me to embrace my hearing loss and to continue pursuing learning ASL.

– I have a band called The Snowy Mountain Sisters. It’s an all-fem bluegrass and folk music collective, based in NYC and founded in 2015.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

1. My dad always says that I’m like a duck — “Water just rolls right off of you, Jo.”

I’m not sure that I am as resilient as my dad gives me credit for, BUT it does encourage and inspire me to BE resilient.

2. I have a pretty silly sense of humor, and I really delight in making people laugh. It might be an attention thing…I am tragically a third child. But…humor can mend a lot, and I lean into that.

3. And music! I was fortunately born into a family of music lovers and makers! Both my parents are wonderful musicians, as well as are my siblings. As a child, I was so affected and smitten by my experience with music that I pursued it as a career. I’m very happy with my choice to pursue music and to continue chasing it and incorporating it into my life.

Advice — Oh gosh. Should I be giving advice? I would say to know yourself as best you can. Because when you know your strengths and feel proud and empowered to wield them, you can do SO MUCH.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

One obstacle I’m facing is figuring out how ASL takes its shape in my life and communication styles. I am not yet fluent, but have reached a confident conversational level. And I love using ASL. I also love sim-com. Because I can’t hear my voice as well and some words just sound like blobs, I feel like a more complete communicator when I pair sign with speech.
I am currently taking some actions to reach my goal. First, I am always learning and practicing my ASL. I am desperate to be fluent. I am hoping to attend some kind of ASL intensive this summer so that I can get closer to that goal.
Second, I’m trying to find my own way of incorporating it into my professional life. At what moments in my work would an interpreter be helpful? To name a few…tech rehearsals, galas and events at ART/New York, cast parties, big group rehearsals, etc. It feels like a huge step to start using an interpreter, but I think it might serve as just one more tool in my kit. More words, more understanding, more ease. We shall see!

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Billy Bustamante
Elizabeth Van O’s
Seema Sueko
Yellow Belly Photography, NYC

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