Monday, November 22, 2004
Seeing the Music
Some of the most powerful music I've ever seen was complete silence. And I do mean "seen," not "heard."
On Friday night, as Shelly and I were getting dinner on the table, we heard an ad on the radio for the Deaf West production of "Big River," a Broadway musical based on the story of Huckleberry Finn. We both stopped dead in our tracks and stared at each other. "We have to go," we said to each other simultaneously.
During the summer of 2003, we were in New York City and happened upon this production on Broadway. Both of us agreed it was one of the most incredible theater experiences of our lives. So when we heard it was in Boston, there was no question. We rearranged our schedule and made it to the Saturday matinee.
Half of the cast of this show is deaf. All of the actors sign all of their lines and songs. The deaf actors who cannot speak have another actor onstage (usually (but not always) standing unobtrusively off to the side of the stage) who speaks their lines for them. Therefore, everything is simultaneously spoken (or sung) and signed.
The signing adds a new element to the theater. It's like a different level of acting, adding more meaning to the words. It's part choreography (especially in the stylized, fluid, whole-body-movement signing in the big musical numbers), part pantomime (especially when the sign visually reflects what the character is talking about, like when Jim tells Huck, "Whatever road I go on, you'll be there beside me" and makes two people with his hands, walking down a road together), part symbolism (as when Huck and Jim put their hands together to make the sign for "sun"), and part additional expression (not only does an actor's voice and facial expression convey his emotion--the manner in which his hands are moving (hesitant, smooth and fluid, harsh and jumpy, bouncy and excited) does too).
Maybe a picture could help explain what I'm getting at. These aren't "jazz hands"; they're words.
Huck and Jim sing a song called "Worlds Apart," in which they talk about how although they have similar experiences, their lives are completely different because Huck is white and Jim is a slave. I've seen this song interpreted as a love song, and it makes no sense whatsoever (if it's a boy and a girl, as opposed to a white man and a slave, what's the significance of saying "I see the same skies through brown eyes that you see through blue"?). But when Huck is deaf and Jim is not (as is the case with these actors), it also sheds light on the situation of people with disabilities. Our lives are the same, but we're worlds apart.
In the stirring climactic song, "Waitin' For the Light to Shine," Huck is standing in front of the entire company as they all sing-sign, "I am waitin' for the light to shine / I'm waitin' for the light to shine. / I have lived in the darkness for so long / I am waitin' for the light to shine." After a refrain or two of that chorus, the singing stops and the theater goes silent. But the music continues; they are still signing. Sometimes when I hear extraordinarily beautiful music, I get a tingle all up and down my back. I got that feeling both times I watched (not listened to) that music in silence.
Shelly and I have tried to explain to many people why the signing improves the show so much, but no one who has not seen it seems to understand. So check the schedule of the national tour (coming soon to Philadelphia, Cleveland, Tucson, L.A., Sacramento, ...), and if you can possibly make it, please go see this show. You won't regret it.
On Friday night, as Shelly and I were getting dinner on the table, we heard an ad on the radio for the Deaf West production of "Big River," a Broadway musical based on the story of Huckleberry Finn. We both stopped dead in our tracks and stared at each other. "We have to go," we said to each other simultaneously.
During the summer of 2003, we were in New York City and happened upon this production on Broadway. Both of us agreed it was one of the most incredible theater experiences of our lives. So when we heard it was in Boston, there was no question. We rearranged our schedule and made it to the Saturday matinee.
Half of the cast of this show is deaf. All of the actors sign all of their lines and songs. The deaf actors who cannot speak have another actor onstage (usually (but not always) standing unobtrusively off to the side of the stage) who speaks their lines for them. Therefore, everything is simultaneously spoken (or sung) and signed.
The signing adds a new element to the theater. It's like a different level of acting, adding more meaning to the words. It's part choreography (especially in the stylized, fluid, whole-body-movement signing in the big musical numbers), part pantomime (especially when the sign visually reflects what the character is talking about, like when Jim tells Huck, "Whatever road I go on, you'll be there beside me" and makes two people with his hands, walking down a road together), part symbolism (as when Huck and Jim put their hands together to make the sign for "sun"), and part additional expression (not only does an actor's voice and facial expression convey his emotion--the manner in which his hands are moving (hesitant, smooth and fluid, harsh and jumpy, bouncy and excited) does too).
Maybe a picture could help explain what I'm getting at. These aren't "jazz hands"; they're words.
Huck and Jim sing a song called "Worlds Apart," in which they talk about how although they have similar experiences, their lives are completely different because Huck is white and Jim is a slave. I've seen this song interpreted as a love song, and it makes no sense whatsoever (if it's a boy and a girl, as opposed to a white man and a slave, what's the significance of saying "I see the same skies through brown eyes that you see through blue"?). But when Huck is deaf and Jim is not (as is the case with these actors), it also sheds light on the situation of people with disabilities. Our lives are the same, but we're worlds apart.
In the stirring climactic song, "Waitin' For the Light to Shine," Huck is standing in front of the entire company as they all sing-sign, "I am waitin' for the light to shine / I'm waitin' for the light to shine. / I have lived in the darkness for so long / I am waitin' for the light to shine." After a refrain or two of that chorus, the singing stops and the theater goes silent. But the music continues; they are still signing. Sometimes when I hear extraordinarily beautiful music, I get a tingle all up and down my back. I got that feeling both times I watched (not listened to) that music in silence.
Shelly and I have tried to explain to many people why the signing improves the show so much, but no one who has not seen it seems to understand. So check the schedule of the national tour (coming soon to Philadelphia, Cleveland, Tucson, L.A., Sacramento, ...), and if you can possibly make it, please go see this show. You won't regret it.
Comments:
Just to add my own support to this musical. As Matt said, it is amazing. I have loved it both times I've seen it.
The part where Matt says he gets that tingle up and down his back is the part where I find myself so emotionally involved that tears roll down my face. It is a whole new understanding of what it is like to be deaf and to see music through the gestures and signs of others.
Truly, the best theater experience I've ever had. I generally oppose going to a show more than once, but I would see this one again and again. I only hope something like this exists years down the road when I have kids and so I can take them to enjoy this moving experience.
I cannot endorse it enough. It is fabulous!
Shelly
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The part where Matt says he gets that tingle up and down his back is the part where I find myself so emotionally involved that tears roll down my face. It is a whole new understanding of what it is like to be deaf and to see music through the gestures and signs of others.
Truly, the best theater experience I've ever had. I generally oppose going to a show more than once, but I would see this one again and again. I only hope something like this exists years down the road when I have kids and so I can take them to enjoy this moving experience.
I cannot endorse it enough. It is fabulous!
Shelly
