Deaf public speaker, Nathan Jesper, has arrived at his venue desperately late. As he launches into his speech, he soon realizes that things are not what they seem.
Written and performed by Deaf actor Chris Dodd, Deafy is a tragicomedy that blends ASL, the spoken word and surtitles, while leading you on an unexpected journey of what it really means to belong.
"(Nathan) is droll, wry, a master of the eye roll/shrug combo, a guy who’s in touch with the absurdities of his world.” – Liz Nicholls, 12th Night
“A play that reaches out to be more than just the sum of its parts.” – Beer Tent Reviews
“…visceral, compelling and instructive.” – Edmonton Journal
The following video, created by the IMPACT23 Festival, features award-winning Deaf actor and playwright Chris Dodd alongside ASL-English interpreter Robert Azevedo, inviting you to experience Deafy.
Chris Dodd
Chris Dodd is a Treaty 6 based (Edmonton) award-winning Deaf actor, playwright, accessibility advocate and Governor General Innovation Award finalist. He is the founder and artistic director of SOUND OFF, Canada’s national festival devoted to Deaf performance. Chris holds a degree from the University of Alberta’s Drama program and has been working within Edmonton’s theatre community, and across Canada, for over 25 years. His play, Deafy, has been touring across Canada since 2021 and recently had its first international performance in the Netherlands in October. The play has been published by Playwrights Canada Press as part of the anthology, “Interdependent Magic: Disability Performance in Canada”. Notable performances include the role of Alphonse in Ultrasound at Theatre Passe Muraille. Recent film credits include the role of Odin in the feature film, Finality of Dusk. In 2019 he was the recipient of the Guy Laliberté Prize for innovation and creative leadership by the Canada Council for the Arts.
About Deafy
Deafy was created with support from the Edmonton Arts Council and developmental support from Workshop West Playwrights' Theatre (Edmonton, AB), in collaboration with Follow the Signs Theatre (Edmonton, AB).
Written and performed by: Chris Dodd
Director: Ashley Wright
Stage Manager: Jessy Ardeen
Lighting Designer: Sarah Karpyshin
Associate Lighting Designer / Surtitles: Rory Turner
Sound Designer: Dave Clarke
Movement Coach: Ainsley Hillyard
Vocal Coach: Joshua Meredith
ASL Coach: Amorena Bartlett
