At Commanders Field, tens of thousands of country music enthusiasts gathered, positioning themselves for a prime view of the stage set at one end zone. Amidst the bustling crowd, one woman prepared to perform a unique role: translating Luke Combs’ music into American Sign Language.
As the sun set and the lights dimmed, Stephanie Schaffer stood ready, her iPad and LED strip lights illuminating her position at the far end of the field. She raised her arms in a conductor’s gesture, catching the attention of her solitary audience member.
Dale McCord, who is hard of hearing, had requested Schaffer’s services for the evening, a practice he has maintained for years across the Washington region. Venues are often required to hire interpreters like Schaffer to ensure that deaf and hard-of-hearing fans can fully enjoy live performances. This practice has been supported since the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, with recent years seeing increased attention to the deaf community, highlighted by cultural milestones such as the Oscar-winning film “Coda.”
