by tony reverditto –
Proud to be one of the leading ensemble-driven theatre companies in Southern California, Chance Theater has won six Ovation Awards, most recently receiving a National Theatre Company Grant from American Theatre Wing.
Their current production, Tribes, by playwright Nina Raine, tells the story of Billy, the only deaf child in a family who can hear. Raised inside the family’s peculiar and politically incorrect cocoon, his family attempts to raise him like a “normal child.” He adapts to their unconventional ways, without ever truly feeling what it’s like to be heard.
It isn’t until Billy meets Sylvia, a young woman on the brink of deafness, that he is finally introduced to the larger deaf community. As he works to find his own identity, his interactions within reveal they are the ones who truly appreciate how important it is to be “heard.
Proud to be one of the leading ensemble-driven theatre companies in Southern California, Chance Theater has won six Ovation Awards, most recently receiving a National Theatre Company Grant from American Theatre Wing.
Their current production, Tribes, by playwright Nina Raine, tells the story of Billy, the only deaf child in a family who can hear. Raised inside the family’s peculiar and politically incorrect cocoon, his family attempts to raise him like a “normal child.” He adapts to their unconventional ways, without ever truly feeling what it’s like to be heard. It isn’t until Billy meets Sylvia, a young woman on the brink of deafness, that he is finally introduced to the larger deaf community. As he works to find his own identity, his interactions within reveal they are the ones who truly appreciate how important it is to be “heard.”
The Rage Monthly caught up with Managing Director Casey Long, to discover how he got involved with the Chance Theater. “I‘ve been the managing director for over ten years now and originally got involved as a volunteer. Over the years, I have been the production manager, marketing director, technical director and just about every other position we needed to fill as we grew. The managing director position, puts me in charge of the overall operations of the company, including overseeing the budget, institutional marketing and developing relationships in the community with donors, board members and other organizations.”
When asked why they chose Tribes and what makes the script so relevant now, Long insightfully responded, “First off, Tribes is a wonderfully written piece of theatre. Nina Raine has done a beautiful job creating a family made up of bombastic, intelligent and good people who are not afraid to go against the grain of society. The conversation about being heard and whether there is a group or ‘tribe’ we belong to more than others is addressed. Can this new group be more of a family to you than your actual family? Most of the characters are striving to be heard over the roar of their home life and life outside.”
Long opined further, “Billy isn’t the only character who feels unheard in this family, but he is the one who wrestles with whether his family is the right tribe for him. His family’s well-meaning efforts to not want him to feel like an outcast, taught Billy how to read lips and speak English…instead of learning sign language. The most compelling dynamic is between Billy and his brother, Daniel, who is fighting off many inner demons. Without hearing a word, Billy knows when Daniel is hurting, while the rest of the family often remains oblivious.”
When asked what he hopes audiences will take away, Long offered this, “I hope audiences are willing to stay after the performance and have a conversation with our cast. We have discussions after every performance as a way to highlight the uniqueness of the live theatre experience and to engage our audience about the themes that are explored in this show.”
He continued, “We do not dictate what an audience should take away from a show. We just want to provoke them into a dialogue. For this play, I would like to see the dialogue focus on family and society. I would like to hear about audience members taking a closer look at what tribe they belong to, and ask themselves why that is.”
Chance Theater’s Tribes takes place from Wednesday, September 27 through Sunday, October 22 on the Cripe Stage inside the Bette Aitken Theater Arts Center at 5522 E. La Palma Avenue in Anaheim.
Specific dates are planned for American Sign Language (ASL)-Interpreted Performances, for tickets and more information, call 888.455.4212 or go to chancetheater.com.
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