THEATER

Texas School for the Deaf rocks 'Grease' in a whole new way

By Ricardo Gándara
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Saturday, March 28, 2009

During the number "You're the One That I Want," Kalie Kubes and Skye Alanis are flirtatiously dancing with eyes just for each other, as well they should, because they are playing Sandy and Danny in the musical "Grease." Artistic director Russell Harvard, however, interrupts.

"You are performing for the audience. They came to see you. They want to see your face," he instructs in American Sign Language. "You're looking too much at each other." Kubes and Alanis are deaf actors in the Texas School for the Deaf's presentation of "Grease."

Harvard and co-director Don Miller, who are both deaf, do a lot teaching in rehearsals, which started back in January. It all comes to fruition Friday and Saturday when the general public can see their work. Six interpreters with microphones will read the script to correspond with action on stage. (Some of the actors are deaf, and some are hard of hearing. Also, the cast includes alumni of the school.)

During musical numbers, actors will sign and dance to recorded music. Two of the musical numbers - "Beauty School Drop-Out" and "Greased Lightnin' " - were taped earlier and will be shown on screen. Everything else is live.

The presentation is a partnership between the school and DeafACT Inc. (www.deafact.org ), an Austin nonprofit group that puts on productions by deaf and hearing children using American Sign Language.

"The actors are giving everything they have, but my only concern at this point is the media and technological aspects that we haven't had a chance to practice," Harvard says through a sign-language interpreter during a break in rehearsal last week.

"Some of the actors wanted to do `High School Musical,' " signs Franky Ramont, producer for DeafACT. "But `Grease' is a family-friendly show and people are familiar with it." The script used for the production is written to be performed by high school students. It differs in some ways from the version of "Grease" most people are familiar with - the film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.

DeafACT paid for the rights to the musical and hired Harvard, an alumnus from the school, and Miller, an associate professor at Austin Community College. The school is providing costumes, props and equipment.

The production presents Harvard and Miller with several challenges. "How can we follow the songs when some of the students are profoundly deaf?" signs Harvard. "One way is to have some of the other students who have partial hearing give out cues to the ones who are performing their parts. For instance, in `Freddy, My Love,' I am planning on having Rizzo and Frenchy sign the song and incorporate signed cues while facing Marty so that Marty, who is profoundly deaf, can follow throughout the song."

And some words in songs are near impossible to translate into sign language, such as "chang chang changity chang shoo bop" in the number "We Go Together."

"I plan to have the students do some hand movements such as shaking their hands and pointing fingers in disco style. We are still discovering how to do this," signs Harvard.

Harvard, a Texas-born and Austin-raised professional actor, is having the time of his life working with high school students. His credits include "There Will Be Blood," in which he played the son of Daniel Day-Lewis' character as an adult.

"Some of the actors are very determined and serious, and some not so much, but we're having a lot of fun," he signs.

The students are, too. "It's fun and hard work," signs Kirsten Coahran,, 17, who plays Rizzo and is a junior at the school. "Russell is great because he tries to make us feel relaxed." For many of the actors, it's their first time on stage.

Coahran, for example, has blossomed. "She was very quiet and in a shell," signs Miller of the girl. "But when we did a fundraiser at the Alamo Drafthouse and had a sing-along, Kirsten rocked out. We had to ask, `Who is that girl?' "

Coahran's mother, Terri Coahran, has seen her daughter, who has a hearing twin sister, go from being extremely shy to being very social. "She is looking at the world more brightly. Just the other day she came home to say that she had asked a boy in the production to go to prom with her," she says.

Juan Muñoz, who plays Kenickie - Rizzo's love interest - is enjoying some of the similarities with his character. "We both like to get attention, mess up our hair, laugh a lot, and yeah, there is some of that in me, being a ladies' man at school," he signs.

Harvard and Miller are demanding on stage, especially with the details involved in putting on a production that both a deaf and hearing audience can enjoy. "Don't stutter with your lines. You need to work on clarity," Harvard signs.

"Sandy," Harvard signs to Kalie Kubes, "You need to slow your dialogue down. You're signing too fast. And Marty, you need to sign bigger. Open up your signs so that the audience can see you."

As show time nears, the director is nervous but optimistic. After a recent rehearsal that concluded with a critique of each actor's work, he and Miller huddled the cast like a football team after a victory.

"I'm very inspired by all of you," he signed. "I can't wait to do all of this live."

rgandara@statesman.com; 445-3632

'Grease'

Where: Texas School for the Deaf, 1102 S. Congress Ave.

When: 7 p.m. Friday, April 3 and Saturday, April 4

Cost: $5 students, $8 adults

The cast of 'Grease'

Kalie Kubes, 17, of Georgetown - Sandy, the wholesome girl new to Rydell High

Skye Alanis, 21, of Austin - Danny, the cute and cocky leader of the T-Birds greaser gang

Kirsten Coahran, 17, of Georgetown - Rizzo , the wild leader of the Pink Ladies (greaser girls' gang)

Juan Muñoz, 18, of Houston - Kenickie, toughest of the T-Birds and second in command to Danny

Claira Oberrender, 16, of Austin - Frenchy, the high school dropout who opts for beauty school

Valeria Fuentes, 15, of Arlington - Marty, the prettiest of the Pink Ladies who likes older guys

Brennan Ruffin, 16, of Houston - Vince Fontaine, the DJ with a huge ego

Cruz Lane, 19, of Austin - Frankie Avalon and Doody, the youngest of the T-Birds

Morgan Campbell , 17, of Keller - the quirky member of the Pink Ladies

Todd Wakefield, 30, of Austin - Roger, the prankster, is one of the T-Birds

Laura Garza , 17, of Grand Prairie - Cha-Cha , the best dancer at St. Bernadette's

Jose Manrique, 16, of Houston - Eugene, the nerd

Darby Layton, 14, of Austin - Patty, the perky cheerleader

Emmanuel Treviño, 18, of Dallas - Sonny, one of the T-Birds

Crew: Merrick Lovell, Brittnee Farek, Rhiannon Farek, Amanda Weiser

Stage manager and costume designer: Kristin Granitz

Stage manager: Wendy Green

Co-directors: Russell Harvard (artistic director) and Don Miller