The classic American musical. The music Man has been a big hit this
year, with its revival on Broadway and on many regional and local
stages across the country.
John Yang went to see a novel take on the standard and how art can
be a model for a more inclusive society. Note that American sign
language interpreting was done simultaneous to the interview.
That live process may affect that complete accuracy of the English
interpretation. This story is part of our arts and health coverage
on canvas.
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spirited musical numbers. Sly scam
Midwestern Americana. All the familiar touches of the music man are
on display in this production at the only theater center in Maryland.
Remember, my friends with a handful of trumpet players did the famous
fabled walls of Jericho.
But take a closer look. This isn't your grandfather's River City.
It's envisioned as a place where the deaf and hearing communities
live side by side and not being able to hear isn't a barrier.
Oh, half. The cast is deaf or hard of hearing.
They were see through covid masks. So the non hearing actors could
read lips and facial expressions. American sign language interpreters
well positioned across the stage.
That Gates
was created by a deaf designer with a minimum of stairs. So deaf
actors don't have to take their eyes off their signing Castmates
special lighting system with the non hearing cast members know when
there was a problem.
Is going to be a certain title screen, which would be particularly
helpful for those in the balcony. Jason Longworth is in his 10th
years artistic director at only one of the country's leading regional
theaters.
His philosophy lets the art lead We heard there's a pool table in
town. Words are almost nonsense. But listening and watching the words
be translated into a SL was revelatory.
I thought this is a brilliant new way to experience the musical and
then, of course, our desire to create a community that is more inclusive
by doing theater that is more inclusive.
You know, it felt like the scribe was the limit.
He wasn't quite so enthusiastic about six years ago and first approached
by James Caverly was akin to Frankenstein's monster approaching the
scientist and saying, Make me a new wife, right? Same concept. I
think in my pitch
But I would say that the pitch itself was different. Never mind pumping
any water. Tell your parents are from birth Cavalry was working as
a carpenter in the theater scenery shots.
After seeing deaf West Theatre's production of Spring Awakening on
Broadway he went too low with with an idea. Let's do the music man.
Let's do this.
And I don't think that he was totally convinced on the idea at the
moment. It took a few, Maybe three odd years of really pursuing it
to convince him Hey, hey, hey.
The music man. Hey, don't forget the music man
Lines of P and that stands for pool music Man is an American Musical
Theater Classic tells the story of Harold Hill with charming traveling
salesman and early 20th century Iowa who dupes counts people into
buying instruments for a non existent Children's band.
Mary in Peru, the town piano teacher and librarian sees through him
immediately but then begins to see another side of him. By the time
the final song is sung, they've each been transformed by love.
What I really wanted was, let's shatter that perception that disabled
people can only play roles that are designed or written for disabled
people
Trouble the world that is River City and the music man is a perfect
choice for that.
After testing. The idea in 2019 workshop with a hearing actor is
Harold Hill, another twist. What if he was deaf?
Compare Harold Hill as a hearing man, he's selling musical instruments
that's believable.
He doesn't have to work, additionally or extra hard to convince people
that he could lead a musical band. Now a death. Harold Hill
is a different story. He's a guy who really has to turn it up really
become a charmer to be able to convince a community of people that
Hey,
You should buy these musical instruments because guess what? I can
lead a musical band, right? Ha ha! So I think it amplifies the character
in a way, and you have to really, really have increased That art
of deception makes Harold Hill not only the ultimate conman in a
way but also
What you were saying before the ultimate salesman of dreams.
Absolutely.
Caverly, fresh from his breakout role in Hulu's only murders in the
building was cast in the lead role artistic director Low with estimates
this production cost about 40% more than a traditional staging.
Among the added expenses, Dozen sign language interpreters, director
of artistic sign language or dazzle from the top two directors. One
hearing. One depth deaf director is Sandra May Frank, a star of the
2016 Broadway revival of Spring Awakening.
She wanted this staging to be different. I wanted to include American
sign language, but I didn't want it to be anything that I've seen
done before. We've had deaf and hearing mixed productions in the
past, but they're usually shadow hearing individuals voicing for
deaf individuals speaking their lines in English.
And actors would then sometimes sym Com, which is speaking and signing
at the same time speaking English and signing at the same time.
And that's very commonly what you see in the world of theater. And
with this, I wanted to do something different.
So while all musical numbers are sung allowed, some scenes have dialogue
only in sign language with supertitles aid hearing audience members.
For Frank and director of artistic sound language. Michelle Banks,
who had the same job for this year's Broadway revival of for Colored
Girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enough for
telltale signs. It's that combination of signed and spoken words
to tell a story that's both groundbreaking and promising. This is
not just a one off.
This is not just for the arts. This can be a part of who we are as
a humanity as society that this is how we can interact and engage
with each other to look at one another fully completely as our intersection.
Identities presents how we each navigate the world.
Yes, This is beyond theater. You have to attend to the show. You
may not know what's coming next, You're going to constantly have
to be attuned and your eyes. It's going to be a lot to absorb right.
Your eyes are a muscle and they may feel stretched. But that's what
the experience should be.
Do you hope directors, producers and casting directors will take
something away from this too?
Absolutely.
My hope is that through this this is not the last
It's
a diverse cast of actors unites their voices and hands in harmony
show is to run through July, 24th.
The PBS news hour. I'm John Yang in Maryland.