Review: If These Hands Could Talk… And They Do In The BROADWAY SIGNS! TWILIGHT ZONE SPOOKTACULAR At 54 Below

Heigh-Ho, My Merry Rainbow readers! Bobby Patrick (We/Us/Our), your RAINBOW Reviewer here. Putting the silent T in cabareT to bring you ALL the Tea!

Director/Performer Russell Harvard Brought some of the most gifted voices and hands (as in American Sign Language Hands) to the stage at 54 Below on Halloween Night for a BROADWAY SIGNS! TWILIGHT ZONE SPOOKTACULAR. Using a mixture of live piano and musical tracks over the club's sound system, and employing the deaf theatre technique of Shadowing (a live hearing singer as the voice and a deaf actor performing the songs in sign language) this Halloween festival was more than a treat to the eyes and ears - it was a total blast, a party, in fact. Broadway SIGNs! is a project created by Signmation, and their producer Jo-Ann Dean, that creates Theatrical Off-Broadway Productions LIVE!, performing at places like the Triad Theater, 54 Below, and Stellar Livestream. Created in collaboration by Deaf Artists & Broadway talent to celebrate American Sign Language (ASL) in Musicals, Theater, Dance & Comedy - so says their website.

What Bobby saw on Halloween night was more than all of the words in that description. It was a transformational experience of music, coupled with movement communication. Director Harvard brought in several of his colleagues from Deaf West Theatre (the folks that brought their SPRING AWAKENING to the Broadway in 2015), along with other sign language performers and veteran voices from our NYC stages, and tasked them with bringing the fun for All Hallows Eve. Kicking off the night with THIS IS HALLOWEEN from THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, Harvard, himself, performed to the original soundtrack recording, and, in his adorable skeleton togs, set the costume party tone for the denizens of 54. The second number, Screamin' Jay Hawkins' I PUT A SPELL ON YOU, established the other performing style of the night with superb actress, Ashlea Hayes, signing, coupled with Jared Wayne Gladly's live singing voice. Each number executed in this fashion brought to the stage 2 performers, so that the audience got to experience the layers of collaboration that filled the room. Stand-out shadows of the night (see what Bobby did there?) included LIFE OF THE PARTY, performed with abandon by Joey Antonio and Mary Hould, PIRATE JENNY, sung in Noax's silky but powerful voice, and Joshua Castille's hands, as well as his entire limber body. So expressive was Castille that each word from his singer's mouth seemed to reform his shape, giving a dancer's choreography look and feel to it all. This was immediately followed by Russell Harvard taking the stage again to sign SWEEN TODD's uber eerie paean to his razor's, THESE ARE MY FRIENDS, accompanied by the basso profundo vocals of the marvelous Antwayn Hopper, and, in the vernacular of the theatre, the number dripped blood - literally. Both men were on fire for this song, which elicited so much excitement from the audience, for a moment it felt like an encore would have to be delivered. It was not yet the end of the show, however, for the room was then charmed to see Sandra Mae Frank of TV's NEW AMSTERDAM perform (sans vocals of any kind) Lydia's lament from BEETLEJUICE - DEAD MOM. Though the lyrics rolled across the monitor screens stage left & right, they were superfluous, as this young actor's style, talent, and interpretation of the words, with her body, conveyed all the hurt and teenage angst that the composition needed.

And so, my lambs, whether deaf or hearing, a FAB Halloween was had by all, thanks to the supreme talents of players, directors, and music director Don Pardo. It will be worth it, indeed, to keep an eye out for any more BROADWAY SIGNS* performances, as the entertainment is well worth the time and the ticket to walk across their bridge between the deaf and the hearing worlds, and for that, more than anything else, Bobby gives BROADWAY SIGNS! TWILIGHT ZONE SPOOKTACULAR At 54 Below a rowsing...

4 ½ Out Of 5 Rainbows

To Read About The Full Company From This Holloween Extravaganza Go: HERE

For More Info on Broadway Signs Visit The SIGNmation Website: HERE

*Broadway SIGNs! is an Off-Broadway Production of Deaf Artists and Broadway Talent creating performances in American Sign Language (ASL) for stage, dance, theatre, and comedy both virtually and live. As a Theatrical Cabaret, Broadway SIGNs! debuted NYC Off-Broadway with sold-out performances at The Triad Theatre. Our vision is to create a space and platform for visibility, authenticity, and collaborations by Deaf Creatives, Actors, Dancers, and Choreographers within the Broadway Community. Deaf Hosts, Actors, and Dancers choose and develop their own musical, dramatic and comedic performances and translate them into ASL/English. All performances are in American Sign Language and accessible in Spoken English. Art is for everyone, so recorded performances are also captioned. Music Direction and Piano Accompaniment by Henco Espag. Produced by Jo-Ann Dean, SIGNmation L.L.C.

All Photos By Yours Truly, Bobby Patrick

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