By Cary Simowitz
Directed by Fran Pesch
ASL. ASMR. TUT. A Deaf of Hearing individual, raised in a caustic 1990s household where sign language is forbidden, secretly navigates three different communities that are united by a passionate belief that communication (and love) can ignite from all the sparks alive in your fingertips. This coming-of-age story poses the question: “Would you rather be a ‘different’ person in a ‘normal’ world… or a ‘normal’ person in a different world?”
This production contains adult language.
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Cast
Cal – Tyler Fortson
Cal’s Interpreter – Jesse Dorland
Mother – Cassandra Engber
Father – Jamie McQuinn
Lydia – Kyra Nicole Ayala
Lydia’s Interpreter – Anne Lumpkin
Margo – Maddie Fears
Margo’s Interpreter – Chris Hammond
Pediatrician/Doctor – Stacey Brewer
Deaf Roommate/Student/Remy – Yolanda Ford
Remy’s Interpreter – Hope Smith
Hearing Persons – Becky Milligan
Production Staff
Director – Fran Pesch
Associate Directors – Annie Pesch & Laura Wild
Videographer/Editor – Annie Pesch
Actor/Interpreter Liaison – Laura Wild
ASL Consultant – Laura Wild
Sound Designer – Fran Pesch
Sound Editor – Annie Pesch
Graphics Designer – Kat Timm
Props – Fran Pesch
Specialty Props Designer/Builder – Brian Huggins
About the Playwright
Cary Simowitz (He/Him/His) is a thirty-year-old playwright and lawyer hailing from Coral Springs, Florida, currently serving as the Dramatists Guild’s Regional Ambassador for St. Louis. In 2019, he graduated from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television with his Master of Fine Arts in Playwriting. Cary’s plays have collectively garnered him modest recognition in over two-dozen competitions across the country. His play, Djarum Vanilla, was developed at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC in August of 2018 and later at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta, Georgia as an Alliance/Kendeda Finalist Play in April of 2020. His play, A Wolf’s Mother, was developed at the Garage Theater in Long Beach, California in October of 2019, as a winner of Panndora Production’s 12th Annual New Works Festival. His most recent project, All the Oxytocin in Your Fingertips, was a finalist in the 2019 Tennessee Williams/ New Orleans Literary Festival. It further achieved finalist status in the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s 2020 and 2021 National Playwrights Conference. He is thrilled to see it further developed at the Dayton Playhouse. Find his full work and leave recommendations at: https://newplayexchange.org/users/22364/cary-simowitz.
Special Thanks
Laura Wild, Kat Timm, Brian Huggins, Charles Larkowski, Russell Florence, Jr., Meredith Moss, Don Thrasher, Matt Lindsay and Todd Rohrer
top row: Jesse Dorland, Tyler Fortson, Kyra Ayala, Anne Lumpkin
middle row: Maddie Fears, Cassandra Engber, Jamie McQuinn, Yolanda Ford
bottom row: Chris Hammond, Stacey Brewer, Becky Milligan, Hope Smith
Bios
Kyra Nicole Ayala was born in California but grew up in California and Oregon. She is a freelance artist, but she is still working towards her dream of becoming a stop motion animator. Kyra is a self-taught artist and is really interested in doing body painting, SFX makeup, costume design, performing arts, and many things that she loves to collect artistic skills.
Stacey Brewer is honored to be part of such a groundbreaking show in her first FutureFest production. She is grateful to Fran Pesch for casting her, and to her mom Stella, who taught her to love the theatre.
Jesse Dorland is an ASL interpreter from Dayton, Ohio, excited to be part of such a groundbreaking production with amazing Deaf talent from around the U.S. When not interpreting, Jesse currently spends most of his time at home, trying to keep two small dogs away from delicious cicadas.
Cassandra Engber is thrilled to be in such an innovative, wonderful play with this fine cast, crew, and directors. Cassandra has performed on a variety of Dayton stages and now the online one as well! Some of her most recent, favorite roles have been “Alice” in STILL ALICE, “Francine” in NICE GIRL, and “Cindy” in LUNA GALE. She has also enjoyed being an online reader for the Ohio Playwrights Circle. Cassandra would like to thank her friends and family for their continued support for her love of the theatre in whatever form it takes!
Maddie Fears is in Tucson, Arizona. She participated in theater while growing up. Maddie loves acting and is grateful to have the opportunity to be part of this play.
Yolanda (YoYo) Ford was born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Maryland. Her foray into dancing began at the early age of two. She has had formal training in several dance forms, preferring afro, contemporary and modern dance. During her time at Rochester Institute of Technology, she was briefly involved with several dance troupes: RIT Velocity, Dance Place, Capitol Movement and Dance Makers. One of her favorite quotes is by the Irish novelist Samuel Beckett, “Dance first. Think later. It’s the natural order.”
Tyler Fortson, originally from Jackson, Mississippi, is the first deaf generation in his family. He performed on Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist and a Music video with Kelly Clarkson’s “I Dare You.” He is thankful for his lovely family who support his dreams. “Never let your disabilities stop you from what you love to do.” After all, he is very proud of who he has become- a young, black, hard-of-hearing man who desires to make a better world for everyone.
Chris Hammond has been involved in theatre for 40 years in Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana. She is elated that her ASL world and theatre world are coming together. Chris has always had a love for ASL. She grew up signing and using print on palm with her Deaf-blind cousin, Gus. Chris graduated RIT for the Deaf in 2017, getting her certification in c-printing.
Brian Huggins has been involved in the performing arts for almost two decades from lighting design and haunted houses to directing to acting. Preventive medicine physician by day, he uses theater as a creative outlet when he needs a break from research and statistics. Just don’t ask him to watch a musical.
Anne Lumpkin is participating in her first online production, and she’s thrilled to be with this incredible cast. She has been a community based freelance ASL interpreter for five years, which has opened up opportunities to work locally and abroad. Anne loves theater interpreting, especially when working alongside incredible Deaf talent. A huge thank you and congratulations to the cast and crew! You all did so wonderfully, and I am very proud of our production.
Jamie McQuinn has appeared on the Dayton Playhouse stage in the musicals, MAN OF LAMANCHA, MY FAIR LADY, and 1776. In addition, he has performed at the Dayton Theatre Guild, Beavercreek Community Theatre, XACT, and TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE for the Young at Heart Players.
Becky Milligan has been involved with FutureFest for the past five years. She’s been onstage, backstage, in the booth, and on the FutureFest Reading Committee. To be even the tiniest way involved in this beautiful script is an honor.
Annie Pesch is editing her sixth Zoom show. It has been an exciting challenge to sync up interpreters with performers from multiple states. Virtual credits include Young at Heart Players, DP, and Arts After Hours. Acting credits include Actors Theatre of Louisville, Cleveland Play House, Urban Stages, American Blues Theater, Chicago Dramatists, and HRTC. Love and thanks to her family. Proud member of AEA. www.anniepesch.com
Fran Pesch has been actively involved with FutureFest since directing the first production in 1991 in addition to being affiliated with professional/educational/community theatre as an actor and director. Fran is the Founder of Young at Heart Players (Dayton’s award-winning senior theatre that recently celebrated its 20th anniversary), Acting Coach for UD’s School of Law, and a member of the Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame.
Hope Smith is a recent graduate from Cincinnati State’s Interpreter Training Program. She has also earned a bachelor in Linguistics from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She enjoys knitting, is a Betta fish enthusiast, and lives with her spouse and two cats.
Kat Timm, as an artist at heart and anthropologist by education, loves the transformative power of art and performance to tell stories and bring people together. She enjoys painting, acting, photography, design, directing, the whole shebang. She knows every word to JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR and will sing it for you if you ask.
Laura Wild has a BS in American Sign Language Interpreting. She has interpreted numerous plays from children’s performances to Broadway productions prevalent on cruise ships. The profession of interpreting is taking Laura all over the world. Laura’s first love is books and creations of the imagination. The mind has no limit.
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