National Theatre of the Deafand

The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center

in association withConnecticut’s Old State House, Hartford, CT

presents

The First Public Reading of a New Play byGarrett Zuercher

J O U R N E Y S o f I D E N T I T Y

Saturday, May 22, 2010 7:30 P.M.

Rose Barn

Eugene O’Neill Theater Center305 Great Neck Road, Waterford, CT 06385

From the executive Director/PresiDent oF national theatre oF the DeaF

Almost a year of planning and here we are. The National Theatre of the Deaf and the Old State House began our talks about how the education for the Deaf in this country began in that first Connecticut legislative building. We shared research, our resources, got a Deaf playwright, and brought our cast together with the goal of bringing this project from “idea” to “stage.”

During the past two weeks, we’ve worked on developing our script. You’ll see different color pages in our script. Each color page shows a different script revision. This fall, we will present this play. We will perform at the Old State House, be in the actual space where the bill was passed to create the first school for the Deaf in the United States.

Tonight is our next step in our adventure. Through the process of bringing the script to the stage, we’ve worked on the exploration of the beginnings of American Sign Language and discovered how much American Sign Language has changed in a little more than two hundred years. We found, too, that in doing our research, we’re working with six (yes, 6!) different languages in the course of our work. See if you can name them.

To those of you who may not know, the National Theatre of the Deaf has its roots at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. The National Theatre of the Deaf began in 1967 and our first rehearsals were in this very room. It has been inspiring for us to work in this space again and we thank the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center for hosting our residency here. We are mirroring the history of our own reading by being here.

Bringing our play to you this evening has been a journey, and our play this evening is about a journey that brought about a change that altered the course of history. I have been privileged to direct this work with a wonderful cast and playwright. I have been honored by the work, our collaboration with the Old State House, and our relationship with the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. Welcome to our journey. Thank you for joining us. Bon Voyage!

Aaron M. KubeyExecutive Director/PresidentDirector of Journeys of Identity

From the Playwright Writing this play was a daunting yet welcome challenge for me due to the historical element of it. While there are many well-known versions of this story, I did not use any of them for inspiration or guidance. Instead, my primary source was the multitude of actual and historical documents—period letters, newspaper articles, journals, and the like—graciously provided to me by the Old State House of Hartford, Connecticut.

Using these documents only, I was able to formulate a general outline of events and proceeded to fictionalize my own account of what happened. Thus, though the events you see in the play, such as the exhibition in the State House, actually occurred and parts of some lines are verbatim from the source material, the majority of the dialogue was invented. A disclaimer: in the politically correct society of 2010, the use of certain language such as ‘Deaf and Dumb,’ ‘heathens,’ ‘barbarians,’ and so on might seem offensive to many. However, I had to remain true to the history of the material and, no matter how we may feel today, these were the actual terms used in the 1800’s. Even though I use these terms freely throughout this work (just as they can be found throughout my source material), this does not mean I support their use. Instead, I embrace them as part of our cultural history and am thankful that we, as a people, have come far enough to understand that we no longer need to use them apart from an historical context.

Finally, even though I am myself a Deaf American, I must admit that I was not thoroughly familiar with my own cultural history. Even though I knew a few general things here and there, most of what I learned through my research was both new and fascinating to me. As a result, I went through a personal journey of my own in the writing of this play (which gives another layer of meaning to the title), a journey that took me back in time and gave me a greater

understanding of what it took to give, not just me, but Deaf Americans what we have today. For this opportunity and privilege, I am most appreciative and hope that you enjoy and learn from this play as much as I did. Garrett ZuercherPlaywright

Little Theatre of the Deaf2010 - 2011 TOURING SEASONN O W B O O K I N G

CALL TO BOOK YOUR PERFORMANCE TODAY!

PoCkeTPoCkeT

StorieS in My Pocket too!

Scene from original cast of Stories in My Pocket

860-236-4193 • tour@ntd.org

National Theatre of the Deafin association with

The Eugene O’Neill Theater Centerand

Connecticut’s Old State House, Hartford CT

presents

Journeys of Identity*A new play by

Garrett Zuercher

Featuring Craig Fogel, Jenilee Simons Marques, Ian Sanborn and Skyler Sullivan

Production ManagerBetty Beekman

Directed byAaron M. Kubey

“Without instruction, the Deaf and Dumb are absolutely heathen” Connecticut Courant, November 3, 1818

“Every creature, every work of God, is admirably well made; but if any one appears imperfect in our eyes, it does not belong to us to criticize it…The Deaf and Dumb are everywhere, in Asia, in Africa, as well as in Europe and America. They existed before you spoke of them and before you saw them.”

Laurent Clerc

*Development of Journeys of Identity was supported by the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center during a residency this May 2010

This production was funded in part through the generous contributions of our donors to The NTD Production Fund.

2010 SPONSORS Beatrice Fox Auerbach Foundation of the Hartford

Foundation for Public Giving, SBM Charitable Foundation

Edward T. & Anne E. Roberts Foundation

BiograPhies Craig Fogel (Dr. Mason Cogswell; English Headmaster; Abbe Sicard; Passenger; Steward; Interpreter) Craig is so honored to be working with the National Theatre of the Deaf for this exciting new piece. He joins the company straight from the national tour of SignStage’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in which he played Charlie in spoken English and ASL simultaneously. A recent graduate of NYU Tisch (CAP21, Playwrights Horizons), some of his credits include numerous plays, musicals, and new works at Weston Playhouse, Hofstra USA, the New York and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals, and more. Special thanks to Garrett, Aaron, Betty, this amazing company, and the wonderful people at the O’Neill Theater Center!

Jenilee Simons Marques (Alice Cogswell; Juliette -French School Girl; Interpreter) Jenilee is presently an 8th Grade Student at the American School for the Deaf. She has been involved in several school productions, and most recently in The Miracle Worker at the Ivoryton Playhouse. Jenilee appreciates the great support from her family and friends, which allows her to continue her dream of becoming an actor. She is grateful for the opportunity to work with the National Theatre of the Deaf during this residency.

Ian Sanborn (Laurent Clerc; Interpreter) Ian is now a seven year veteran of the National Theatre of the Deaf where he finds his passion onstage and among his wonderful colleagues. Not only an actor, Ian enjoys putting his efforts into the company workshops based on ASL. He has directed the LTD productions Beware of the Brindlebeast, and Ladybug. He also had the opportunity to perform in those productions at the end of the tour season. His truly unforgettable memories would be the all the years on tour as well as performing on the PBS children’s show Sesame Street with the company. Most of his life following his high school graduation at American School for the Deaf has been enriched by the National Theatre of the Deaf. Ian hails from Concord, New Hampshire and currently resides in Austin, Texas. Ian enjoys skiing, hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, canoeing and fly fishing.

Skyler Sullivan (Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet) Skyler is thrilled to be making his NTD debut in Journeys of Identity. He started off studying at Emerson College where he earned his B.F.A. After meeting mime, Tony Montanaro, his path changed to physical theatre. His love of movement theatre and circus landed him in San Francisco where he worked with the San Francisco Mime Troupe, and trained at the Circus Center. Skyler currently lives in New York City, and makes his living as an artist. He has worked with such companies as: Bread and Puppet, Sesame Street, and the American Mime Theatre. He also teaches for the New Victory Theatre, and is the acting coach on the current series the Electric Company on P.B.S.. Skyler is also a graduate of the international school of comic acting, in Reggio Emelia Italy. Ongoing residencies include, Lexington School for the deaf, and the Oddfellows Children’s Circus, in Middletown CT. He is most happy working with ensembles creating original movement based theatre. Skyler will be working on his M.F.A. in Acting at Brooklyn College in the Fall.

Garrett Zuercher (Playwright) An actor, playwright and director, Garrett’s work has been seen in theatres across the United States, including the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, and around the world in places as varied as Australia and Japan. His acting roles include the lead of Huckleberry Finn in the Broadway national tour of Deaf West’s Big River and the murderer on an episode of Law And Order: Criminal Intent, among many others. A magna cum laude graduate of Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Garrett now calls New York City home. He is both proud and honored to be working with Aaron and the National Theatre of the Deaf once again, especially at the O’Neill Center where NTD was born, and thanks them for the opportunity.

Betty Beekman (Production Manager) Through the years in working with the National Theatre of the Deaf, Betty has played a part in many different areas of the NTD creative as well as management teams. In addition to being the company Tour Director, she has taught Sign Language techniques at the NTD Professional Theatre School. Betty has also written the Little Theatre of the Deaf’s new adaptation of Stories In My Pocket and the Learn and Study Together Guide for the past six seasons. Betty has directed Little Theatre of the Deaf performances since 1983, including the current Stories in my Pocket and Un-Brella (a piece which she also wrote). She has designed lighting for the NTD national tour of All the Way Home, directed by Colleen Dewhurst and A Christmas Carol. Betty has Stage Managed eighteen of the NTD national main stage tours, twelve foreign tours and three television programs for WGBH “Festival of Hands Series: The Silken Tent”, the “Road to Cordoba” and “Issa’s Treasure,” for which she also did the voice-over work.

Aaron M. Kubey (Director, Interpreter) Aaron is the first Deaf Executive Director/President of the National Theatre of the Deaf, earned his B.F.A degree in Theatre Studies at DePaul Theatre School in Chicago, Illinois. Aaron was the first Deaf student to graduate from this prestigious institution. Aaron co-starred in Breaking Through (now known as After the Silence) with Kellie Martin and Jo Beth Williams and he also appeared on “Ellen”. He toured with the Model Secondary School for the Deaf’s Road Show to the Netherlands, Belgium, Puerto Rico, as well as the eastern seaboard of the US. Mr. Kubey also ran the New York Deaf Theatre Company. He has directed Tree Wise for NTD and will be directing Each of Us for Teatteri Totti, a Deaf Finnish theatre company, fall of 2010, in Helsinki, Finland.

connecticut’s olD state house

It is the mission of Connecticut’s Old State House to reawaken civic engagement and awareness through authentic, educational and inspiring visitor experiences; to serve as a physical and virtual classroom, teaching citizenship past and present; and to enrich Connecticut’s communities as a laboratory where people of all ages can interact and discover that their voices matter, and that words, ideas, persuasion and debate really can change minds – and quite possibly, the world.

The founding of the American School for the Deaf and the development of American Sign Language were indeed ideas that helped change our world: ones that our state government helped to nurture when the Old State House served as Connecticut’s state capitol. All of us at the museum who are charged with keeping the building’s legacy of democracy and civic engagement alive are proud to welcome the stories of Thomas Gallaudet, Alice Cogswell and other pioneering citizens back to “the people’s house.”

(On the Cover: Statue of Alice Cogswell, Hartford, CT. The daughter of a founder of the Connecticut Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb Persons, now called the American School for the Deaf, and its first pupil. This statue honors Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, Mason Fitch Cogswell, and Laurent Clerc, the school’s founders. Sculpted by Frances L. Wadsworth.

welcome to the o’neill!On behalf of the board of directors and staff, I am thrilled to welcome the National Theatre of the Deaf back to the O’Neill this month. NTD was born at the O’Neill, and created groundbreaking original work that landed on Broadway and toured the world. I’m delighted to have them back “home.” Thank you for coming tonight to see their new work, one still in development as fits the O’Neill, and for being instrumental in guiding what the piece will become.

Please join us for our exciting summer season, launching on June 18 and continues through August 14. The box office opens June 9, with online ticketing available at www.theoneill.org. A wonderful lineup of new plays, musicals, puppetry, and cabaret is on tap. Just this month, we received news that the O’Neill has been awarded the 2010 Tony Award for Regional Theater. As key supporters, you share in this award, and I hope you can watch the broadcast on June 13 on CBS!

Preston Whiteway

Where we are tonight

The O’Neill, founded in 1964 in honor of Eugene O’Neill, four-time Pulitzer Prize Winner and America’s only playwright to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, is the country’s preeminent organization dedicated to the development of new works and new voices for the American theater. The O’Neill has been home to more than 1,000 new works for the stage and 2,500 emerging artists. Scores of projects developed at the O’Neill have gone on to full production at other theaters around the world, including Broadway, Off-Broadway and major regional theaters.

O’Neill programs include the National Playwrights Conference, National Music Theater Conference, National Critics Institute, National Puppetry Conference, the Cabaret & Performance Conference, and National Theater Institute, which conducts semester-long, fully accredited intensive theater training programs and Theatermakers, a six-week accredited summer program. In addition, the O’Neill owns and operates Monte Cristo Cottage as a museum open to the public. Childhood summer home of Eugene O’Neill, the Cottage is a National Historic Landmark.

The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center has received a special Tony Award, the National Opera Award, the Jujamcyn Award for Theatre Excellence and the Arts and Business Council Encore Award. For more information, visit the O’Neill website, www.theoneill or email theaterlives@theoneill.org.

national theatre oF the DeaF

BoarD oF Directors

Dr. Harvey Corson, ChairmanLaurence Moskowitz, Interim Vice-President Jeffrey Amell, SecretaryJohn Schuyler, Treasurer

John BasingerJeffrey Bravin Joan HannaSheila MullenRaymond RodgersMartha RogersRosa Lee Timm

staFF

Aaron M. Kubey, Executive Director/PresidentBetty Beekman, Tour Director\Dr. Jonathan H. Spinner, Development DirectorGeorge Ghista, AccountantandWilliam C. Martin, Marketing and Production Consultant

The National Theatre of the Deaf (NTD) operates under the following comprehensive mission:

To produce theatrically challenging work of the highest quality, drawing from as wide a range of the world’s literature as possible; to perform these original works in a style that links American Sign Language with the spoken word; to seek, train and employ Deaf artists; to offer our work to as culturally diverse and inclusive an audience as possible; to provide community outreach activities that will educate and enlighten the general public, opening their eyes and ears to Deaf culture and building linkages that facilitate involvement in our methods of work.

Special ThanksBoard of Directors National Theatre of the DeafPreston Whiteway, Jill Mauritz and the entire staff of Eugene O’Neill Theatre CenterGeorge White and the Board of Directors of Eugene O’Neill Theatre CenterSally Whipple, William Bevaqua and the entire staff of Connecticut’s Old State HouseTodd Petersen and Deborah Colon, T&D CateringAll rehearsal photography by Garrett Zuercher

NTD Production Fund Donors -- May 17, 2010

The Production Fund – Building Future NTD Programs

The Production Fund campaign offers supporters of NTD a way to provide financing for all of its programs. The Fund is a revolving fund, which NTD can draw down for various productions and use income obtained through other gifts or tickets sales to refill the Fund.

Funds must be raised for Main Stage pre-production and production costs, and any national or international tours. Funding for future productions must be created as well. Funds must also be raised for continuing the excellent presentations and tours of the Little Theatre of the Deaf, and a wide range of educational programs, including the Professional Theatre School.

To ensure that ongoing operations are secure, 25% of the funds raised are set aside for general expenses. The balance of the funds will be used on Main Stage, LTD, and educational programming as determined by the Executive Director/President and the Board of Directors. We invite you to learn more about the Production Fund and how you can be a part of it by contacting our Development Director.

With Great Appreciation

Our thanks to our “Angels Get Together” hosts: Harvey Jay and Mary Ann Corson, Carole and Laurence Moskowitz, Marilyn Rogers, Raymond Rodgers and Liz Tannebaum, and John Basinger and Sheila Mullen.

DIVASJ. Walter Bissell FdnCrown FoundationRaymond Rodgers

SUPERSTARSJohn BasingerHarvey Jay CorsonMaximilian E & Marion O Hoffman FdnDavid Holdridge

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERSJohn HambyDaniel HurleyMary Sue OwensJim & Mary PedersenKathleen StraussWade & June Terry

ANGELSJeff AmellJeff BravinSara BiancoJoan HannaJeff BravinMartha RogersJames RooneyJohn SchuylerDavid & Crystal Schwartz

CHERUBSSteve & Elaine BankHarry FreemanSheila MullenPatti Wilson

Over Forty Dramatic YearsBy entertaining, enlightening and educating our audiences, we change lives through the arts

Founded in Connecticut in 1967, The National Theatre of the Deaf (NTD) is the oldest continually producing and touring theatre company in the United States. It was the first theatre company to perform in all 50 states, has toured to all seven continents and in 32 countries. NTD’s professional acting company is made up of both Deaf and Hearing artists working together as an ensemble. The audience Sees and Hears every word through the NTD’s signature performance style, which combines American Sign Language (ASL) and the Spoken Word. This unique double-sensory experience has expanded the boundaries of theatrical expression and is considered to be the only new art form to be developed in the 20th Century.

In addition to being the recipient of the prestigious Tony Award for Theatrical Excellence, NTD has long served as an artistic ambassador for the United States. The NTD has staged well over 8,000 live performances as part of over 100 national and international tours. These performances have touched the lives of over 3.5 million people, along with millions more through award-winning television specials.

NTD is a striking example of the power of art to transform lives. It has served as a catalyst for dramatic cultural and social changes for Deaf people by bringing sign language out of the shadows and onto the worldwide stage. It has given birth to over 40 Deaf theatre companies worldwide, and counts among the alumni of its professional training programs and touring companies, many of the most successful members of our country’s Deaf culture, who proudly tout NTD as a shining representation of the accomplishments of Deaf individuals.

Among the artists who have lent their talents to NTD are John Lithgow, Marcel Marceau, Colleen Dewhurst, Jason Robards, Sir Michael Redgrave, Chita Rivera, Peter Brook, Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, Bernard Bragg, Phyllis Frelich, Linda Bove, Mary Martin, Max Showalter and Joe Layton among others.

The National Theatre of the Deaf has adapted classic and contemporary works as Shakespeare and Voltaire, to Ogden Nash, Dylan Thomas and Shel Silverstein. In addition, the National Theatre of the Deaf has adapted and produced numerous original works by new Deaf and Hearing playwrights.

Check our website, www.NTD.org, for upcoming touring schedules of the National Theatre of the Deaf, Little Theatre of the Deaf, and all of our on-going programs.