Theatre company’s holiday production features return of ASL

The classic holiday showing A Christmas Story: The Musical will hit the Chrysler Theatre this month, with the rare inclusion of sign language interpreters.

For one of the six scheduled performances, two members of Stage Hands Windsor will aim to share every noise, expression and song through American Sign Language.

Matthew Dumouchel, the director of the Windsor Light Music Theatre performance, said the inclusion of interpreters was a long time coming.

“So, I know that the organization itself has had the opportunity to work with interpreters before, and the last time was back in the 80s,” Dumouchel said.

He added they first attended a Stage Hands Windsor show after hearing about their work from another theatre organization.

The theatre company jumped on the opportunity to make theatre more accessible to those in Windsor-Essex.

“So, creating the relationship with an organization such as Windsor Light and another organization such as Stage Hands has revitalized that accessibility feature that I do think that we were missing.”

Stage Hands will present platform interpretation for the Nov. 22 performance. The theatre said a specific seating section has been reserved for those in need of interpretation.

Beth Marontate, co-owner of Stage Hands, told CTV News the venture began last year after another theatre company asked for interpretation at two productions.

Marontate, who began learning ASL from her mother who worked with individuals that were deaf, said it has long been her dream to interpret theatre.

“At this time, we thought we'd pursue it and we're so happy and so lucky that we were able to do this,” Marontate said.

Stage Hands read through the entire script to assign each other characters and “understand the true essence of what they were saying” in order to translate.

The company has also worked with an ASL coach to ensure all of their interpretation is accurate.

“She is going to be watching us tomorrow night for dress rehearsal again, just to make sure that what we're putting out in our hands is message equivalency,” Marontate said.

Marontate said their hope is to use Stage Hands to make theatre more accessible for those who are interested.

“Doesn’t matter if you're deaf or hearing you can always be involved in a production, whether you're on the stage or you're enjoying from the audience,” she said.

After about four decades without interpretation, both Marontate and Dumouchel said they hope to see the collaboration continue for future performances.

The first performance of A Christmas Story: The Musical is set for Nov. 15.