JONESBOROUGH REPERTORY THEATRE

Jonesborough Repertory Theatre actors, directors get chance to meet with playwright of upcoming production.

Meeting a play’s writer is something few small town theater actors get a chance to do. However, the cast chosen to perform "The Signal Season of Dummy Hoy" at the Jonesborough Repertory Theatre were able to not only meet a co-writer of the script, but were also able to receive advice and instruction so that they might have a better understanding of how the script was intended to be interpreted and performed.

Allen Meyer co-wrote "The Signal Season" with Michael Nowak in the mid-1980s.

The play tells the story of William Hoy, a deaf baseball player who was instrumental in creating the signals used in baseball today.

The genesis of the play, Meyer said, is the fact that he has a deaf daughter. In searching for a television program suited for a deaf person like his daughter, Meyer came across a series created by Gallaudet University — a worldrenowned liberal arts college for the deaf.

In one of the episodes there was a small vignette about Hoy and thus began the years of research and writing that culminated in the production of "The Signal Season."

Meyer said he came to Jonesborough because he wanted to make sure the actors and the directors had an opportunity to ask any questions.

"This play, because it’s not what people think it is, needs to be as funny as possible," Meyer said. "I would say 50 percent of the reason that I am here is to make sure that the actors know … what lines are funny. The script is two dimensions … I really came to make sure the actors know the third dimension of certain lines and certain scenes that are critical, especially the funny lines because truthfully, when lines aren’t said that are funny I cringe. It’s like nails on a chalk board."

Meyer said because the play was not meant to be the "conventional handicapped person, poorold-me play," the comedic aspect is key.

Saturday, Meyer made himself available to the actors and directors, answering any questions they had and offering advice, suggestions and direction with the script.

"I’m not here to direct the play but I’m going to make sure to the best of my ability that people know which lines get the most impact," Meyer said. "I have a bias so it’s going to be hard for me not to tell the line the way I think it should be said but I’m not here to direct."

The show will be produced by JRT’s Stage Hands program — a group that uses both spoken English and American Sign Language to communicate dialogue while acting out each play.

The play’s production assistant, Janette Gaines, started the Stage Hands program last year and was responsible for bringing "The Signal Season" to Jonesborough.

Gaines said she was searching for a new play that could incorporate the theater company’s deaf actors as well as sign language interpreters and interpreting students involved with JRT.

"I found this and fell in love with the script," Gaines said.

Meyer and Nowak typically insist that the main character, Dummy Hoy, be played by a deaf actor. Exceptions are generally made for high school and university productions, Meyer said, but of the four professional productions of the play a deaf actor was used.

In the JRT production, Hoy will not be deaf but rather hard of hearing. Gaines said there are other deaf and hard of hearing people involved in the play as well.

Also, much of the play will be signed to the audience, another criterion Meyer and Nowak insist on when their play is produced.

"It’s politically incorrect, it’s morally incorrect to put this play on and make it unavailable to deaf people," Meyer said.

The play opens Aug. 6 and will run for two weekends. Meyer plans to come back to town on Aug. 14-15 to watch the JRT cast’s performance and to hold a question and answer session after the play.

For information on tickets or to make a reservation, call the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center at 753-1010.

Article and photo courtesy of johnsoncitypress.com