Theatre Curation – Rural Arts

SYNOPSIS

A poignant and humorous storytelling piece serving as a bridge between Deaf and hearing audiences.

Deaf public speaker Nathan Jesper has arrived at his venue desperately late. As he launches into his speech, he soon realizes that things are not what they seem. Written and performed by Deaf actor Chris Dodd, Deafy is a stand-up/sit-down tragicomedy blending ASL, the spoken word and surtitles, which leads you on an unexpected journey of what it means to belong.

Written and performed by Edmonton playwright and actor, Chris Dodd. Deafy has received rave reviews across Canada and we are delighted to present it at the Festival.

CREATIVE & PRODUCTION TEAM

Featuring Chris Dodd | Director: Ashley Wright | Production Design: Sarah Karpyshin | Sound Design: Dave Clarke | Movement Coach: Ainsley Hillyard | ASL Coach: Amorena Bartlett | Vocal Coach: Joshua Meredith | Stage Managment: Erin Hayes | Associate Lighting Design & Surtitles: Rory Turner

Festival Creative Technician: Andy Sandberg | Festival Creative Producer & Curator: Jack Paterson | Festival General Manager: Trista Bassett

MEET THE ARTISTS

Chris Dodd | Playwright & Performer

Chris Dodd is a Treaty 6 based (Edmonton) award-winning Deaf actor, playwright, accessibility advocate and Governor General Innovation Award finalist. He is the founder and artistic director of SOUND OFF, Canada’s national festival devoted to Deaf performance. Chris holds a degree from the University of Alberta’s Drama program and has been working within Edmonton’s theatre community, and across Canada, for over 25 years. His play, Deafy, has been touring across Canada since 2021 and recently had its first international performance in the Netherlands in October. The play has been published by Playwrights Canada Press as part of the anthology, “Interdependent Magic: Disability Performance in Canada”. Notable performances include the role of Alphonse in Ultrasound at Theatre Passe Muraille. Recent film credits include the role of Odin in the feature film, Finality of Dusk. In 2019 he was the recipient of the Guy Laliberté Prize for innovation and creative leadership by the Canada Council for the Arts.

ABOUT SUMMERLAND’S RYGA ART FESTIVAL

www.rygafest.ca

Summerland is a rural municipality on the west side of the Okanagan Lake in Interior BC.

Every year since 2015, Summerland’s Ryga Arts Festival reimagines our small town to be a vibrant meeting place of the arts and community. For a full week, presentations, performances, new creations, concerts, readings & symposiums on contemporary social issues take place in parks, street fronts, local shops, galleries, etc. All within walking distance from each other.

We aim to bridge barriers that may prevent anyone from participating in our communities and the arts, be these ability, cultural, economic, historic, physical, regional or otherwise. We will find a role for you.

Land Acknowledgment

The Ryga Arts Festival acknowledges with respect that this event takes place on the ancestral and unceeded lands of the Sylix peoples, who have cared for these lands since time immemorial. We are grateful for their ongoing stewardship & hold ourselves responsible for listening, learning, and building right relations through the work we do.

For more information on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada click here. www.nctr.ca