| Introduction | About James Caverly | Trailers | Production Notes |
| Cast | Production Team | Special Thanks |
Performance Dates (2019)
Kent Trumbull Theatre
Oct. 18 & 19 (7:30pm); Oct. 20 (3:00pm)
Oct. 25 & 26 (7:30pm); Oct. 27 (3:00pm)
Written by Ammauri Peters & James Caverly with help from members of Deaf Theatre of Ohio (Pamela Beish, Kurt Cullison, João Ciuba Dos Santos, Farah Kish-Leland, Lauren Lemley, Mark Myers, and Carol Robinson)
Introduction
This began as venture of Deaf Theatre of Ohio: a group effort to create and write a play during the spring and summer of 2019. We decided to take inspiration from the French fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast, written in the 17th century by Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve. We studied various adaptations of the story, made lots of notes, and then debated vigorously as to how to adapt it into a Deaf culture story.
Then, Kent Trumbull Theatre received support from then KSU Trumbull Campus Dean Lance Grahn to invite James (“Joey”) Caverly to serve as KSU Trumbull’s first Guest Artist. Caverly had several jobs as Guest Artist at KSU Trumbull. In addition to serving as the play’s Director, he also provided several presentations and workshops to local high schools and on the Kent and Trumbull campuses of Kent State University. Caverly also helped to create the play’s story. Caverly worked with Amauri Peters (a KSU Trumbull student), to merge the fairytale story of Beauty and the Beast with the true story of the Second International Congress on Education of the Deaf (a.k.a. “the Milan Conference”).
The Milan Conference happened in Milan, Italy in 1880. Edward Minor Gallaudet was there, as was his rival, Alexander Graham Bell. Gallaudet was an advocate for the Deaf using sign languages and helped to found Gallaudet University — a liberal arts university for the deaf. Bell was a strong advocate for oral education: no sign language, students were not permitted to use sign language and instead had to go through the highly stressful and often impossible task of learning to lipread and speak. After deliberations from September 6 to 11, 1880, the conference declared that oral education (oralism) was superior and passed a resolution banning the use of sign language in school. “A formal apology was made by the board at the 21st International Congress on Education of the Deaf in Vancouver, BC, Canada, in 2010 accepting the dangerous ramifications of such ban as an act of discrimination and violation of human and constitutional rights” (Deaf History – Europe).
About James Caverly
James “Joey” Caverly
James (“Joey”) Caverly was born on June 16, 1989 in Royal Oak, Michigan, USA. He is an actor, both on-stage and on-screen. After graduating from Gallaudet University, Caverly joined National Theatre of the Deaf, where he both directed and acted in plays for two years. He directed William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet in both American Sign Language and spoken English for Community College of Baltimore County Community Theatre. He has also performed the lead character, Billy, for three different productions of Nina Raine’s Tribes (SpeakEasy Stage Company, Studio Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre) and was nominated for the Helen Hayes Award (one of the country’s most prestigious cultural honors) for his Studio Theatre performances. In 2018, he was the understudy for the character Orin for the Studio 54 (Broadway) production of Mark Medoff’s Children of a Lesser God. He has appeared on screen for Chicago Med (2018-2019), Only Murders in the Building (2021), and Rescue: HI-Surf (2024). Caverly sees a problem with most portrayals of deaf people on stage and screen: “That they’re the problem, they’re the issue in the story that needs to be fixed, and frankly I’m just not feeling that that’s the lens that the world needs to see” (James Caverly).
Trailers
Production Notes
Director’s Notes
When a topic comes up around Deaf education, it’s no secret that there is a division of opinions. There are various ways of education for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing students–no one system is flawless and the degree of hearing loss and speaking ability vary from child to child. The animosity of opinions can be traced far back as 1880, where our play’s story is set. On one side, we have Alexander Graham Bell, widely known as the inventor of the telephone, who is a campaigner of the oral method, an approach where Deaf children are taught how to speak and/or lip-read. On the other, we have Edward Miner Gallaudet, a teacher of the Deaf and is an advocate of teaching sign language, “the natural language of the Deaf”. Their methods are still being used today and the bad blood between them still remains. The one factor that ensures a Deaf child’s growth is the strength of the community’s support. Regardless of education, if the child has a language and a foothold in the foundation of their community, they can prosper. Community, to me, is the strongest component because of what I’ve experienced during my time at the Trumbull campus of KSU. This play has been devised by members of the Deaf community and performed by Deaf and hearing members of the community with support from the KSU community. The backbone of this play has been formed by this unique family–without them, this play wouldn’t stand on its own two feet. If you’re not a member of the Deaf community, it’s understandably difficult to relate to the experiences of Deaf education which is why the writers have drawn inspirations from Beauty and The Beast. The theme of seeing one’s “inner beauty” is parallel to what our play’s main characters, Bella and Dennis, are examining as the story unfolds. Using the themes of “Deaf education”, “community”, and “Beauty and The Beast” I present to you a play of discovering what it truly means to be a Deaf person.
—James Caverly
Mr. Caverly would like to thank his friends and family for all the drama in his life.
Caverly encouraging eager actors in one of the several workshops offered at Kent State University Trumbull (March, 2019 & August-October, 2019).
Co-Producer’s Notes
It has taken over three years to bring this project into production, and a lot of hard work was done by inexperienced writers and actors. Bringing James “Joey” Caverly to our off-off-off-off-off-off-off-off-[okay, you get the idea]-Broadway community theatre production has meant bringing a unique opportunity for members of both local professional, educational, and community theatre to experience true Deaf theatre: a play written by Deaf people in the traditions of Deaf drama and poetics, featuring Deaf members of the community, and directed by a Deaf theatre professional. Mr. Caverly put his full commitment, his passion, and his extraordinary talents into this production right from the start. You should know that most of the actors (Deaf and hearing) have had very little (if any) stage experience, and while several have been involved in ASL/English productions before (at this very theatre, actually), this particular production is the most original, the most authentic to Deaf theatre ever done here. I am very grateful to Willy Conley for recommending Joey Caverly to serve as our first Guest Artist here at Kent State University Trumbull, and I am extremely honored to have had the opportunity to work with such a creative and energetic theatre professional. Thank you, Joey!
—Carol L. Robinson, Ph.D. (Kent State University Trumbull)
Cast
| Dennis | Shane Glaeser |
| Bella | Ammauri Peters |
| Gastron | Judas Glassmeyer |
| Alexander Graham Bell | Robert Ellway |
| Edward Minor Gallaudet | Kurt Cullison |
| Witch | Courtney Baumer |
| See No Evil | João Ciuba Dos Santos |
| Hear No Evil | Ariel Simones |
| Speak No Evil | Jeremy Strong |
| Mime Parent | Becky Robinson |
| Mime Parent | Nicholas Lilly |
| Mime Parent | Judas Glassmeyer |
| Mime Parent | Delaney Fox |
| Judge | Samantha Cox |
| Teacher #1 | Becky Robinson |
| Teacher #2 | Nicholas Lilly |
| Teacher #3 | Samantha Cox |
| Dennis’ Mother | Becky Robinson |
| Trinity’s Parent | Nicholas Lilly |
| Bella’s Students: | |
| Logan | Jeremy Strong |
| Mae | Ariel Simones |
| John | João Ciuba Dos Santos |
| Dennis’ Students: | |
| Trinity | Kisha Leland |
| Tom | Kurt Cullison |
| Amelia | Delaney Fox |
General Ensemble
(Congress, ASL Ghosts, Voiceover Ghosts, etc.):
Samantha Cox, Kurt Cullison, João Ciuba Dos Santos, Delaney Fox, Robert Ellway, Judas Glassmeyer, Kisha Leland, Nicholas Lilly, Becky Robinson, Ariel Simones, Jeremy Strong
Production Team
- Co-Producers: Carol L. Robinson, Eric Kildow, and Kurt Cullison
- Director and Resident Guest Artist: James Caverly
- Assistant Director: Carol Robinson
- Stage Manager: Tina Janis
- Sign Master Team: Lauren Lemley, Pamela Beish, Lizzie Petrey, Steve Leland
- Theatre Specialist: Tony E. Kovacic
- Props Design: Kathi Kovacic
- Lighting Design: Leslie Brown
- Costume Design: Eileen Janis Larson
- Sound Design: Jacob Glosser
- Stage Crew: Willow Carroll, Rachael Channell, Aisha Khulifat, Aidan Scot, Willie B. Stevenson, Lauren Steward
- Construction/Lighting: Rachael Channell, Amber Fry, Amy Ronyak, Kurt Cullison, Willow Carroll
- Rehearsal Interpreters: Meagan Albani, Nicole Babb, Julia Finocchi
- Captioning Team: Jessica Brumfield, Steve Leland, and Carol Robinson
- Childcare Volunteers: Dr. Laurie Hines (Organizer), Elizabeth Wood, Rachel Katzenberger, Jenna Baugh, Ashlyn Riggs, Dr. Carol Robinson
Special Thanks
The Cast, Crew, and Staff Kent Trumbull Theatre would like to extend thanks to the following organizations and individuals for their help and support throughout the production process.
- Organizations:
- Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley
- Youngstown Playhouse
- Coling Dragon Chinese Kung Fu Studio
- Youngstown Hearing and Speech/Easter Seals
- Hounding Productions
- Kent State University College of Education, Health, and Human Services—School of Health Services
- Kent State University Trumbull Diversity in Action Council
- Individuals:
- Lydia Brown-Payton
- Barb and Scott Ancell
- Beverly and Larry Warfel
- Interim Dean Daniel Palmer
- Interium Assistant Dean Josna Neuman
- Elaine Petrosky
- Dawn Cook
- Ken McElravy
- Dave Smith
- Bill Burgess
- Brenda Augusta
- Teddy Humberger
- Robin Kuzenko
- Donna Rood
- Sean Melnik
- Chris Popadak
- Bob Rhine
- Gary Bateman
- Frank Lindsay
- Benjamin Darby
- the Switchboard Staff
- the Maintenance Staff
- the Security Staff
- Larry Shlachter
- Benjamin Tipton
- C. Richard Costes
- Dr. Peter Byrne
- Dr. Laurie Hines
- Dr. Nathan Ritchey
- Dr. Alfreda Brown
- Dr. Lance Grahn
- Dr. Scott Randby
