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In 1982, 13-year-old Jonathan Kovacs told WAY about how much he was looking forward to acting on a TV show, Second Family Tree. Twenty-seven years later, Jonathan is still in show biz. WAY was thrilled at the opportunity to sit down with him and share with you what he has been doing since he appeared on the cover of WAY!
WAY: Welcome BACK to World Around You! You just returned from a busy trip giving performances. Where was your most recent show?
Jonathan: We gave a performance at the offices of the United States Secret Service.
WAY: Wow! That must have been cool. Did you appear on television again after you finished the Second Family Tree TV series?
Jonathan: Yes, I was involved in several other shows:
- Little House on the Prairie - recurring role (4 episodes)
- General Hospital - recurring role (5 episodes)
- Airwolf - special guest (1 episode)
- Gideon's Crossing - recurring role (3 episodes)
I'd also like to note that I was the first deaf actor to play a permanent role in a TV series
WAY: Acting seems to always have been in your blood. What direction has your acting career taken?
Jonathan: My time and focus has been on Rathskellar, a worldwide performance group. This is where my true passion is, my passion for expressing the arts through ASL. My last TV appearance was on Gideon's Crossing in 2002.
WAY: Today, you travel around the world with your performing group, Rathskellar. Can you tell us more about that?
Jonathan: Rathskellar is a group that performs a collection of ASL poetry, mime, dance, music, pantomime, stories using classifiers (hand shapes), and sound effects along with some comedy bits. We have traveled around the world showing the art we create through sign language and visual mime.
WAY: What is it like to be the director/owner of a tour company?
Jonathan: It is very difficult, not only to be direct and own a touring company, but also to maintain the group with very little funds. I have had to wear many hats and take many roles to keep Rathskellar running since 1998. As a director, I enjoy working on some creative ideas and developing the best ways to deliver each piece. I am fortunate to perform with a great group of people who understand the value of commitment, the value of rehearsing and bringing perfection on stage when we perform. Our past shows demonstrate the quality of our success. Our next goal is to find another sponsor very soon so we can go on another tour, since a large majority of the deaf community has never seen a full Rathskellar performance!
WAY: What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?
Jonathan: I enjoy creating pieces of ASL poetry, listening to music, and coming up with ideas for future performances. I also love to travel. I travel a lot, including on trips to schools and organizations to present workshops/lectures on ASL poetry and how ASL can be expressed artistically.
WAY: Is there anything you as an actor/dancer would like to share with the young students who read WAY?
Jonathan: Believe in the quality of your work, not quantity. Rathskellar has performed so many times, in so many places around the globe, but we take pride in providing the best performance possible every time. We sweat through hours of rehearsals, discussing ideas and fine-tuning the choreography and in the end, the quality of the show is high. There is no secret or shortcut. Patience, along with many hours of rehearsing, pays off. Pursue your passion, believe in your vision and be committed.
Top photo: World Around You, December 16, 1982, Vol. IV No. 8
Middle photo credit: Tate Tuiller
Bottom photo credit: Matthew Kohashi
