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Salt Lake Tribune - Signing, speech share stage at Youth Theatre production
Briella Diaz and Annie Morey share a love for rock music and a passion for acting, but they belong to vastly different cultures, and don't share a common language. Under ordinary circumstances, they wouldn't be friends.
Diaz and Morey met while teaming up to create the role of Bebe in "Sideways Stories from Wayside School," a play being produced by Youth Theatre at the U for deaf and hearing audiences in conjunction with the 2007 Deaflympics, which are Thursday to Feb. 10 in Salt Lake City.
Diaz, who is deaf, signs the role in American Sign Language. Morey, who hears, gives Bebe a voice. Both girls are involved equally in the play's action, moving in harmony to create a single character.
Rachel Briley, director of the play, wants it to be more than a "shadow" production - acted in one language and interpreted in another. She wants a new, more integrated art form in which spoken word and sign receive equal focus. That means that when the story calls for Bebe to demonstrate her specialty - drawing really fast - both actors work together to create the picture.
"We do the same thing in different places, weaving back and forth," Diaz said through an interpreter. "I'm the 'signer,' and Annie's the 'voicer.' "
Diaz, 11, attends Jean Massieu School of the Deaf in South Jordan. Most of her friends are deaf, and communicate using ASL. Morey, 14, goes to Salt Lake City's Evergreen Jr. High, and had little contact with deaf people until play rehearsals began. Still, the girls liked each other immediately.
"It's a good experience to get along and intermingle," said Diaz through the interpreter. "If we didn't, the play wouldn't work."
Certain aspects of deafness lend themselves well to theater, said Penelope Caywood, artistic director of Youth Theatre at the U.
"These kids are so naturally expressive. Much of sign uses facial expression. They are natural actors, just naturals. Our kids have learned a lot from watching them."
The deaf students in the play have socialized with hearing people, but most of the hearing actors had not been among deaf people. They had a lot to learn about etiquette and culture in the deaf world.
Annie can now rattle off as list of "do's and don'ts."
"You don't have to say a person's name. When you want to get someone's attention, you just wave your hand at them. And pointing is a good thing. Use as much sign as you know, and try to include everyone."
The message of "Sideways Stories from Wayside School" makes it an ideal vehicle for bringing deaf and hearing people together, said Briley, a theater professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and an accomplished signer, although she hears. The story is adapted by John Olive from a book by Louis Sachar, author of Holes. It tells of a wacky school whose students have unusual traits.
Bebe, of course, is "the fastest draw in the school." Other student's quirks are somewhat stranger: Leslie can read only when she is upside-down. Myron, the new kid, smells like an old, wet raincoat.
In her director's notes, Briley said of Wayside's unusual students: "What makes the community unique is that, under the guidance of a skilled and loving leader, they embrace the quirkiness of each member of the class and use those very quirks to fuel the life of the community."
That's exactly what Caywood sees as she watches deaf and hearing kids working together to make a play that can be enjoyed by all of their friends and families at the same time.
"I do feel like for both groups there is an incredible amount of respect and inclusion for the others," Caywood said. "I can't help but wonder why life isn't like this all the time - for all cultures and all differences. [The deaf students'] signing is so beautiful. It's more of a gift than a disability. It makes everybody in the room want to be able to sign."
Diaz said being in "Sideways Stories" has taught her valuable techniques in an art form she loves, and given her a chance to meet new friends and help them understand she's not so different after all.
"I think they've learned we're just exactly the same," Diaz said. "We just can't hear - that's all."
* YOUTH THEATRE at the U's production of "Sideways Stories from Wayside School" will be performed at Kingsbury Hall on the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City on Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m.; and Saturday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
* THE PLAY IS SIGNED and spoken and is suitable for hearing, deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences.
* TICKETS are $10; $5 for youth (ages 3 to 18). Call 801-581-7100 or visit www.kingtix.com.
Briella Diaz and Annie Morey share a love for rock music and a passion for acting, but they belong to vastly different cultures, and don't share a common language. Under ordinary circumstances, they wouldn't be friends.
Diaz and Morey met while teaming up to create the role of Bebe in "Sideways Stories from Wayside School," a play being produced by Youth Theatre at the U for deaf and hearing audiences in conjunction with the 2007 Deaflympics, which are Thursday to Feb. 10 in Salt Lake City.
Diaz, who is deaf, signs the role in American Sign Language. Morey, who hears, gives Bebe a voice. Both girls are involved equally in the play's action, moving in harmony to create a single character.
Rachel Briley, director of the play, wants it to be more than a "shadow" production - acted in one language and interpreted in another. She wants a new, more integrated art form in which spoken word and sign receive equal focus. That means that when the story calls for Bebe to demonstrate her specialty - drawing really fast - both actors work together to create the picture.
"We do the same thing in different places, weaving back and forth," Diaz said through an interpreter. "I'm the 'signer,' and Annie's the 'voicer.' "
Diaz, 11, attends Jean Massieu School of the Deaf in South Jordan. Most of her friends are deaf, and communicate using ASL. Morey, 14, goes to Salt Lake City's Evergreen Jr. High, and had little contact with deaf people until play rehearsals began. Still, the girls liked each other immediately.
"It's a good experience to get along and intermingle," said Diaz through the interpreter. "If we didn't, the play wouldn't work."
Certain aspects of deafness lend themselves well to theater, said Penelope Caywood, artistic director of Youth Theatre at the U.
"These kids are so naturally expressive. Much of sign uses facial expression. They are natural actors, just naturals. Our kids have learned a lot from watching them."
The deaf students in the play have socialized with hearing people, but most of the hearing actors had not been among deaf people. They had a lot to learn about etiquette and culture in the deaf world.
Annie can now rattle off as list of "do's and don'ts."
"You don't have to say a person's name. When you want to get someone's attention, you just wave your hand at them. And pointing is a good thing. Use as much sign as you know, and try to include everyone."
The message of "Sideways Stories from Wayside School" makes it an ideal vehicle for bringing deaf and hearing people together, said Briley, a theater professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and an accomplished signer, although she hears. The story is adapted by John Olive from a book by Louis Sachar, author of Holes. It tells of a wacky school whose students have unusual traits.
Bebe, of course, is "the fastest draw in the school." Other student's quirks are somewhat stranger: Leslie can read only when she is upside-down. Myron, the new kid, smells like an old, wet raincoat.
In her director's notes, Briley said of Wayside's unusual students: "What makes the community unique is that, under the guidance of a skilled and loving leader, they embrace the quirkiness of each member of the class and use those very quirks to fuel the life of the community."
That's exactly what Caywood sees as she watches deaf and hearing kids working together to make a play that can be enjoyed by all of their friends and families at the same time.
"I do feel like for both groups there is an incredible amount of respect and inclusion for the others," Caywood said. "I can't help but wonder why life isn't like this all the time - for all cultures and all differences. [The deaf students'] signing is so beautiful. It's more of a gift than a disability. It makes everybody in the room want to be able to sign."
Diaz said being in "Sideways Stories" has taught her valuable techniques in an art form she loves, and given her a chance to meet new friends and help them understand she's not so different after all.
"I think they've learned we're just exactly the same," Diaz said. "We just can't hear - that's all."
* YOUTH THEATRE at the U's production of "Sideways Stories from Wayside School" will be performed at Kingsbury Hall on the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City on Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m.; and Saturday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
* THE PLAY IS SIGNED and spoken and is suitable for hearing, deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences.
* TICKETS are $10; $5 for youth (ages 3 to 18). Call 801-581-7100 or visit www.kingtix.com.