Most Peter Pan plays performed at schools will have the usual sights: Flying characters, clapping hands, and a pirate. But what audiences don’t normally expect to see are students in these plays using sign language to communicate.
That’s exactly what an audience at St. Mary’s School for the Deaf got to enjoy earlier this year, and it was a hit.
The success of the play has a lot to do with the school’s inclusive drama program, which has been in place since 2003. “It was the first musical theater program of its kind in the country designed specifically for school-age d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing students,” the program’s current director, Julie Stoll, explained.
However, the final result was not without its challenges. “Not only do our Deaf students have to learn the English meaning of scripts and then translate them to ASL, many of the shows we choose are set throughout the world, and phrases from other languages also have to be taught, translated into English, and then to American Sign Language,” explained Kristen Helm, the music director for the play.
Julie Stoll noted another barrier for her students to tackle in the months leading up to opening night. “Another challenge is using levels to create a clear story that can be followed visually,” she said. “I am proud to say we get better at this every year, because we are always discovering a new way to utilize our equipment to be more visual and easier to follow for our audience.”
Shannon Hackford, choreographer for the school’s drama department, noted other challenges. “Along with learning the ASL for the show, the students learn dances for each song. They rise to the challenge of learning the different tempos for each song as well as different choreography styles and dance steps. The students use Woojer Belts that vibrate to the beat of the music as well as learning the counts for the music that match the steps in order to perform involved dance numbers.” She added, “Many of our shows include some sort of physical conflict. We hire a professional stage combat director to work with our students and choreograph the fight scenes for them. For many of our students, this is their favorite part of drama.”
“Because our program is so inclusive, we have a variety of students with disabilities other than their Deafness involved in each show,” Helm pointed out. “Students need to learn how to navigate their blocking around wheelchairs, those in wheelchairs adapt the dances so they can participate in the numbers, and students with vision impairments much advocate for themselves to they can see the others on stage.”
Working on creating a live play that includes students with disabilities can be so intensive and take so much time that Stoll noted it can take up to a year. “Each production goes on a journey throughout the year—starting in the classroom with ideas and dreams, then moving into rehearsal spaces and work areas for building and preparation. Finally, everything comes together on stage during the last ten days. Those final days are filled with energy and anticipation as we watch the dreams we’ve built together as a program come to life. We always joke and say we are nomads because our classroom moves throughout the year.”
Despite having several months to put together a successful play, Helm recognized that time management presented another challenge for the class. “Because we are a school with a small population (about 102 students age birth-21), many of them are involved in multiple activities. Their day begins at 8:00 am when they go to breakfast. Classes are from 8:25-3. From there they have athletics; either practice or a game, and dinner is from 5-6. Drama rehearsals run from 6:00-8:00 pm and then students return to their homes or dorm to do homework.”
Thanks to the devotion of these three school staff members, along with the students’ dedication and energy, they were able to make it work.
“This year, during our final run, I stood aside and watched the students run their show,” Stoll commented. “They hit every cue on their own, a huge achievement for this program. Many of them said, ‘I really can’t believe we did it!’ After, they shared how much they loved the dancing, the action, and all the laughter along the way. One student described it as the hardest, but most wonderful experience she’s ever had. The students are incredibly proud of themselves.”