By Josie De Leon
Those who want more than this provincial life can be a guest at this year”s Media and Theatre Arts invitational production that is a tale as old as time.
The on-tour production of “Beauty and the Beast” brings to BYU”s Pardoe Theatre a unique experience for hearing audiences to be introduced to Deaf culture, and a rare treat for deaf audiences to see a production in their native language.
Produced by Signstage On Tour, an emerging children”s theater group from Cleveland, and dramatized by William Morgan, co-owner of Signstage, the much-loved traditional French folktale will be presented simultaneously in American Sign Language and spoken in English by a combined cast of deaf and hearing actors.
Signstage was founded in 1975 by both deaf and hearing actors who wanted to educate and entertain audiences while providing opportunities for deaf actors to participate in the performing arts. Since then, the group has toured the country and won numerous awards for its unique productions.
“We don”t have any knock-you-over-the-head messages because the show is for children,” Morgan said. “There is however an intellectual curiosity as the children, while listening to the voices, try to figure out and understand all of the hand signals.”
The Signstage version of “Beauty and the Beast” is not the Disney version most audiences are accustomed to, though the storylines are the same. It was, however, written for family enjoyment and it incorporates silliness and humor, Morgan said. For deaf audiences, it is a chance for them to watch an actual production without the aid of an interpreter.
“It”s a different cultural approach to performance,” said Department Chair Rodger Sorensen. “For me, as I watched both the audience and the performance, there is a renewed awareness and appreciation that there are people who see life differently, and I hope audiences perceive that.”
Scheduled performances are March 3, 2006, at 7:30 p.m. and March 4, 2006, at 2 p.m. in the Pardoe Theatre. Tickets are $7 or $5 with BYU student ID and can be purchased at the ticket office or online at artstix.byu.edu.
(For comments, e-mail Josie De Leon at )
