Not Another Deaf Story
Burbank, California | Theatre
Other
Help us bring ASL stories to the forefront of theater! This theatrical experience is being devised in sign language by a diverse ensemble of Deaf actors. We aim to break down barriers, promote cultural understanding and introduce audiences to extraordinary new talent.
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This campaign raised $18,690 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
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Help us bring ASL stories to the forefront of theater! This theatrical experience is being devised in sign language by a diverse ensemble of Deaf actors. We aim to break down barriers, promote cultural understanding and introduce audiences to extraordinary new talent.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The scariest things aren't ghosts, but are the fears we need to face.
Not Another Deaf Story is an original multimedia theatrical experience devised and performed in American Sign Language by an ensemble of Deaf actors. Hilari Scarl was awarded the prestigious Creative Capital 2023 grant that will allow us to develop the first phase of this production this August at the Group Rep Theater in North Hollywood. The play will be filmed and edited for regional theater consideration for our world premiere next year.
Funds are urgently needed to fulfill the vision of this project during this critical developmental stage and filmed performances this August. Stretch goals include additional resources to edit and caption the filmed version of the play with the potential to make it available online to our supporters in 2024.
WAIT - YOU DON'T HAVE A SCRIPT?
That's the beauty of company devised theater! A lot of work and thought goes into the casting (ability to act, tell stories, improvise and collaborate - and our cast has to be Deaf and fluent in ASL.) With Hilari's "casting first" approach, the ensemble unites around an original theme (this play's theme is "fear") and develops the story together. We have an outline that the ensemble will expand and personalize as they create their own characters and dialogue in ASL. Hilari, MoMo and Gail will craft the improvisations, group discussions and brainstorming sessions into a cohesive narrative play that fits each actor like a glove.
WHAT IF I DON'T KNOW SIGN LANGUAGE?
The script will be translated into English for voicing actors to make fully accessible. You'll be watching the Deaf actors perform while hearing the voicing actors (kind of like how the voice over actors in animated films time their performance with their characters.)
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO ALL THIS?
Our unique team has been working in devised theater for decades. Hilari developed, rehearsed and filmed her TV pilot The Whatever Years with an ensemble of teens in only 6 days - we have 20 days! We have three weeks of development, one week of rehearsal/teach and one week of performances for a total of five weeks.
WHO IS LEADING ALL OF THIS?
Hilari Scarl (co-director/producer and Creative Capital grant recipient) has been creating devised plays, TV shows and films with diverse casts around the world since college. Previous company-developed plays include New York (with a young Liz Feldman who went on to win Emmy Awards and create the hit show Dead to Me on Netflix), Northern Ireland (the entire process was filmed for the documentary Northern Ireland Now), Maine (with teens from around the world that ended up touring with their production) and China (for the short film Magic Fountain that was filmed on the studio lot). Her last devised production was the TV pilot The Whatever Years that Hilari developed with a diverse group of teens in Los Angeles that received studio attention.
Monique "MoMo" Holt (co-director) is an accomplished actress, director, translator, storyteller and acting instructor. MoMo's specialty is translating Shakespeare into American Sign Language. She was a co-facilitator for Theatre Communications Group and currently teaches theater at Gallaudet University.
Gail Winar has produced/directed/managed/marketed over 50 theatrical productions at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. Her experience with devised theater work culminated in the award-winning verbatim play Trans Scripts with playwright Paul Lucas which explores the lives of transgender women. Gail's passion for social justice driven theater includes Silent Voices in West Africa focused on raising awareness of violence against women.
THAT'S AWESOME! SHOW ME MORE.
NOT ANOTHER DEAF STORY kicked off January, 2023 with a multimedia announcement.
Co-Directors Hilari Scarl (See What I'm Saying: The Deaf Entertainers Documentary) and Monique "MoMo" Holt (Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Gallaudet Theater Professor) held immersive workshops and auditioned over 75 Deaf actors from around the world.
Auditions were highly competitive, and ultimately 8 dynamic Deaf actors have been cast from around the country.
The short film cast will create and perform the 3-minute film that will be part of the multimedia live stage performances.
We were warmly welcomed by Artistic Director Doug Haverty at the Group Rep Theater in North Hollywood who added our developmental production as a "Bonus Show" to their 2023 season.
Our goal is to have our world premiere at a regional or Off Broadway theater in 2024/2025.
Thank you for helping us get to our goal! We have some incredible perks (hello VIP tickets!) but every dollar truly helps. We're also looking for frequent flyer mile donations, additional sign language interpreters, captioners and funds to make this critical stage of this production the success it deserves. Additional funds will allow us to stream the filmed stage production in 2024.
We are thrilled to have you join us! Thank you for supporting Deaf actors and authentic sign language content.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Sign Language Interpreters
Costs $2,000
Additional ASL interpreters will be needed for tech week for our blended Deaf/hearing crew.
Frequent Flyer Miles
Costs $3,600
We need your miles! Please help fly our out-of-town actors and staff to and from Los Angeles.
Projection Graphic/Video Designer
Costs $1,400
Seeking artist to create graphics/video/image projections to enhance our minimal set.
Lighting Designer
Costs $800
Funds for our creative lighting designer for the theatrical stage production.
Film Sound Engineer
Costs $800
Need production sound engineer to record audio of filming the live theater performance in August.
Editorial Assist/Caption Assist
Costs $2,000
Seeking assistant editor/caption assistant to edit/caption filmed recording of the play.
Marketing and Publicity
Costs $1,000
Help us reach a wider audience with social media, targeted ads and our website.
Voicing Actor Fees
Costs $2,400
Voicing actors to make the show accessible. Deaf actors are funded by the grant.
Share this update!
About This Team
We are a strong, diverse team with decades of combined experience from around the world! Our team is 80% Deaf, 55% female, 60% LGBTQ and 35% BIPOC.
Our strengths are diverse as we are!
Hilari Scarl (Producer/Co-Director/Writer) - Los Angeles
Hilari is an award-winning writer/director/producer chosen by Steven Spielberg out of 12,000 filmmakers to appear his television show On the Lot. Her first feature film See What I'm Saying: The Deaf Entertainers Documentary received Critics’ Pick in the New York Times and was shown on Netflix and Amazon. Hilari became fluent in American Sign Language after total immersion on tour with the National Theater of the Deaf. She is the founder of The Young Players Ensemble working with teens in communities around the world to create original theater productions based on their lives.
Monique "MoMo" Holt (Co-Director) - Washington, DC
MoMo is an actress, director, translator, storyteller and acting instructor. Her specialty is translating Shakespeare in American Sign Language (Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Shakespeare in the Park). She was a sign language coach for Deaf West's Big River at the Ford Theatre and Clybourne Park at Woolly Mammoth Theatre. MoMo was a co-facilitator for Theatre Communications Group and currently teaches theater at Gallaudet University.
Gail Winar (Creative Producer) - New York
Gail has produced, directed, managed marketed and consulted on more than 50 theatrical productions at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. She worked with Paul Lucas to develop and produce his critically acclaimed verbatim play Trans Scripts which explores the lives of transgender women that premiered at the American Repertory Theater. Gail serves as a theater educator and dramaturg at the Roundabout Theatre Company.
Vaibhav "Vai" Kothari (Associate Producer) - India
Vai is the founder of OMVAI, an e-commerce store that sells exquisite pashmina shawls and fashion apparel in Jaipur, India. Vai earned his MBA at the University of Denver, a BSc in Engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester and an MS in Technological Entrepreneurship from Northeastern University. Born in Kota, Rajasthan and raised in New Delhi, Vai is profoundly Deaf and is fluent in American Sign Language, Indian Sign Language, English and Hindi. He produced the short documentary Not Anymore.
Nick Zerlentes (Associate Producer) - Los Angeles
Nick produced the six-episode series Reverse Polarity and several ASL music videos including Idina Menzel's Let it Go and Bruno Mars' The Lazy Song. Nick has worked with Deaf West Theater in Los Angeles and teaches ASL full time at East Los Angeles College in Monterey Park, CA.
Chase Chambers (Film Team Director/Editor) - Los Angeles
Chase's student film Deaf Code won the College Television Award and was recognized in Variety for his outstanding work. He was hired by Shoshannah Stern and Josh Feldman to work on This Close on the Sundance Channel. Chase works crew on big budget projects in between his personal film projects. (All the videos in our Seed&Spark campaign were directed and edited by Chase!)
Brandon Simmoneau (Cinematographer) - Los Angeles
Brandon is a deaf photographer whose works have been featured in several high-profile online magazines including the Advocate. Brandon worked as the production coordinator at DPAN (Deaf Professional Artists Network) and currently photographs shows for Deaf West Theatre.
Michaela Delaney (Stage Manager) - Philadelphia
Michaela is a hard of hearing dance artist, actress and stage manager. She was the lighting designer for Conwell Dance Theater and Performance Garage. She also works on the social media team for Boyer College and is the event coordinator for In Motion Dance Team. She currently studies dance and American Sign Language at Temple University.
Jordan Tennison (Assistant) - Washington, DC
Jordan is currently a junior at Gallaudet University majoring in theater production. She assisted stage managed Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and is pursuing a career as a film and theater writer/director.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The scariest things aren't ghosts, but are the fears we need to face.
Not Another Deaf Story is an original multimedia theatrical experience devised and performed in American Sign Language by an ensemble of Deaf actors. Hilari Scarl was awarded the prestigious Creative Capital 2023 grant that will allow us to develop the first phase of this production this August at the Group Rep Theater in North Hollywood. The play will be filmed and edited for regional theater consideration for our world premiere next year.
Funds are urgently needed to fulfill the vision of this project during this critical developmental stage and filmed performances this August. Stretch goals include additional resources to edit and caption the filmed version of the play with the potential to make it available online to our supporters in 2024.
WAIT - YOU DON'T HAVE A SCRIPT?
That's the beauty of company devised theater! A lot of work and thought goes into the casting (ability to act, tell stories, improvise and collaborate - and our cast has to be Deaf and fluent in ASL.) With Hilari's "casting first" approach, the ensemble unites around an original theme (this play's theme is "fear") and develops the story together. We have an outline that the ensemble will expand and personalize as they create their own characters and dialogue in ASL. Hilari, MoMo and Gail will craft the improvisations, group discussions and brainstorming sessions into a cohesive narrative play that fits each actor like a glove.
WHAT IF I DON'T KNOW SIGN LANGUAGE?
The script will be translated into English for voicing actors to make fully accessible. You'll be watching the Deaf actors perform while hearing the voicing actors (kind of like how the voice over actors in animated films time their performance with their characters.)
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO ALL THIS?
Our unique team has been working in devised theater for decades. Hilari developed, rehearsed and filmed her TV pilot The Whatever Years with an ensemble of teens in only 6 days - we have 20 days! We have three weeks of development, one week of rehearsal/teach and one week of performances for a total of five weeks.
WHO IS LEADING ALL OF THIS?
Hilari Scarl (co-director/producer and Creative Capital grant recipient) has been creating devised plays, TV shows and films with diverse casts around the world since college. Previous company-developed plays include New York (with a young Liz Feldman who went on to win Emmy Awards and create the hit show Dead to Me on Netflix), Northern Ireland (the entire process was filmed for the documentary Northern Ireland Now), Maine (with teens from around the world that ended up touring with their production) and China (for the short film Magic Fountain that was filmed on the studio lot). Her last devised production was the TV pilot The Whatever Years that Hilari developed with a diverse group of teens in Los Angeles that received studio attention.
Monique "MoMo" Holt (co-director) is an accomplished actress, director, translator, storyteller and acting instructor. MoMo's specialty is translating Shakespeare into American Sign Language. She was a co-facilitator for Theatre Communications Group and currently teaches theater at Gallaudet University.
Gail Winar has produced/directed/managed/marketed over 50 theatrical productions at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. Her experience with devised theater work culminated in the award-winning verbatim play Trans Scripts with playwright Paul Lucas which explores the lives of transgender women. Gail's passion for social justice driven theater includes Silent Voices in West Africa focused on raising awareness of violence against women.
THAT'S AWESOME! SHOW ME MORE.
NOT ANOTHER DEAF STORY kicked off January, 2023 with a multimedia announcement.
Co-Directors Hilari Scarl (See What I'm Saying: The Deaf Entertainers Documentary) and Monique "MoMo" Holt (Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Gallaudet Theater Professor) held immersive workshops and auditioned over 75 Deaf actors from around the world.
Auditions were highly competitive, and ultimately 8 dynamic Deaf actors have been cast from around the country.
The short film cast will create and perform the 3-minute film that will be part of the multimedia live stage performances.
We were warmly welcomed by Artistic Director Doug Haverty at the Group Rep Theater in North Hollywood who added our developmental production as a "Bonus Show" to their 2023 season.
Our goal is to have our world premiere at a regional or Off Broadway theater in 2024/2025.
Thank you for helping us get to our goal! We have some incredible perks (hello VIP tickets!) but every dollar truly helps. We're also looking for frequent flyer mile donations, additional sign language interpreters, captioners and funds to make this critical stage of this production the success it deserves. Additional funds will allow us to stream the filmed stage production in 2024.
We are thrilled to have you join us! Thank you for supporting Deaf actors and authentic sign language content.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Sign Language Interpreters
Costs $2,000
Additional ASL interpreters will be needed for tech week for our blended Deaf/hearing crew.
Frequent Flyer Miles
Costs $3,600
We need your miles! Please help fly our out-of-town actors and staff to and from Los Angeles.
Projection Graphic/Video Designer
Costs $1,400
Seeking artist to create graphics/video/image projections to enhance our minimal set.
Lighting Designer
Costs $800
Funds for our creative lighting designer for the theatrical stage production.
Film Sound Engineer
Costs $800
Need production sound engineer to record audio of filming the live theater performance in August.
Editorial Assist/Caption Assist
Costs $2,000
Seeking assistant editor/caption assistant to edit/caption filmed recording of the play.
Marketing and Publicity
Costs $1,000
Help us reach a wider audience with social media, targeted ads and our website.
Voicing Actor Fees
Costs $2,400
Voicing actors to make the show accessible. Deaf actors are funded by the grant.
Share this update!
About This Team
We are a strong, diverse team with decades of combined experience from around the world! Our team is 80% Deaf, 55% female, 60% LGBTQ and 35% BIPOC.
Our strengths are diverse as we are!
Hilari Scarl (Producer/Co-Director/Writer) - Los Angeles
Hilari is an award-winning writer/director/producer chosen by Steven Spielberg out of 12,000 filmmakers to appear his television show On the Lot. Her first feature film See What I'm Saying: The Deaf Entertainers Documentary received Critics’ Pick in the New York Times and was shown on Netflix and Amazon. Hilari became fluent in American Sign Language after total immersion on tour with the National Theater of the Deaf. She is the founder of The Young Players Ensemble working with teens in communities around the world to create original theater productions based on their lives.
Monique "MoMo" Holt (Co-Director) - Washington, DC
MoMo is an actress, director, translator, storyteller and acting instructor. Her specialty is translating Shakespeare in American Sign Language (Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Shakespeare in the Park). She was a sign language coach for Deaf West's Big River at the Ford Theatre and Clybourne Park at Woolly Mammoth Theatre. MoMo was a co-facilitator for Theatre Communications Group and currently teaches theater at Gallaudet University.
Gail Winar (Creative Producer) - New York
Gail has produced, directed, managed marketed and consulted on more than 50 theatrical productions at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. She worked with Paul Lucas to develop and produce his critically acclaimed verbatim play Trans Scripts which explores the lives of transgender women that premiered at the American Repertory Theater. Gail serves as a theater educator and dramaturg at the Roundabout Theatre Company.
Vaibhav "Vai" Kothari (Associate Producer) - India
Vai is the founder of OMVAI, an e-commerce store that sells exquisite pashmina shawls and fashion apparel in Jaipur, India. Vai earned his MBA at the University of Denver, a BSc in Engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester and an MS in Technological Entrepreneurship from Northeastern University. Born in Kota, Rajasthan and raised in New Delhi, Vai is profoundly Deaf and is fluent in American Sign Language, Indian Sign Language, English and Hindi. He produced the short documentary Not Anymore.
Nick Zerlentes (Associate Producer) - Los Angeles
Nick produced the six-episode series Reverse Polarity and several ASL music videos including Idina Menzel's Let it Go and Bruno Mars' The Lazy Song. Nick has worked with Deaf West Theater in Los Angeles and teaches ASL full time at East Los Angeles College in Monterey Park, CA.
Chase Chambers (Film Team Director/Editor) - Los Angeles
Chase's student film Deaf Code won the College Television Award and was recognized in Variety for his outstanding work. He was hired by Shoshannah Stern and Josh Feldman to work on This Close on the Sundance Channel. Chase works crew on big budget projects in between his personal film projects. (All the videos in our Seed&Spark campaign were directed and edited by Chase!)
Brandon Simmoneau (Cinematographer) - Los Angeles
Brandon is a deaf photographer whose works have been featured in several high-profile online magazines including the Advocate. Brandon worked as the production coordinator at DPAN (Deaf Professional Artists Network) and currently photographs shows for Deaf West Theatre.
Michaela Delaney (Stage Manager) - Philadelphia
Michaela is a hard of hearing dance artist, actress and stage manager. She was the lighting designer for Conwell Dance Theater and Performance Garage. She also works on the social media team for Boyer College and is the event coordinator for In Motion Dance Team. She currently studies dance and American Sign Language at Temple University.
Jordan Tennison (Assistant) - Washington, DC
Jordan is currently a junior at Gallaudet University majoring in theater production. She assisted stage managed Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and is pursuing a career as a film and theater writer/director.