Support an original Deaf and hearing hybrid play!

Alley Theatre and Greater Vancouver Association of the Deaf are fundraising to mount a new ASL/English play called Catfish in Spring 2023, co-created and performed by Simran Gill and Jess Amy Shead (pictured above).

With a cast of five (two Deaf/hard of hearing, two hearing, and an Interpreter character), Catfish explores the Deaf / hard of hearing experience as well as the idea of misrepresenting yourself online.

HOW IT ALL STARTED...

• Simran Gill (hard of hearing) met co-creator Jess Amy Shead (hearing) during Alley Theatre's 2017 production of The Ridiculous Darkness.

• Simran had been wanting to write a play of her own and told her idea for Catfish.

• In the Fall of 2020, Alley Theatre commissioned the play.

• Over the past two years, through many drafts and multiple workshops and we are producing the play this Spring.

WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP

Alley Theatre rarely holds fundraising campaigns like these. We usually generate enough revenue from government grants and box office to mount our productions.

This show is different.

Simran's vision has always been to bring Deaf and hearing artists and audiences together to inspire intercultural understanding and inclusion. We need to have the right aids to support this incredible vision of hers.

• Over 1/5 of our budget will need to go toward hiring an ASL interpreting team for the rehearsal process and backstage communication for the show.

• Interpreting fees are justifiably costly. We need to make sure we provide fair compensation.

• We want to provide a vibrotactile score, which means the original music from our Juno-nominated composer Ruby Singh can be felt vibrationally by our Deaf or Hard of hearing patrons. To our knowledge, this would be the first time a Vancouver theatre production uses this accessible technology!

• Providing a healthy and equitable process for our cast and crew is essential. Although government funding bodies are making strides in access initiatives, most access-specific funding is not available to Alley Theatre, as we are not mandated specifically to work with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community.

• That said, we have almost reached our budget goal, so we are looking to you and your network for help.

HOW THE FUNDS WILL BE USED

Funds raised here will provide accessibility needs and ASL interpreting support for the production. Donations will go directly to Alley Theatre's community partner, Greater Vancouver Association of the Deaf and funds will spent on accessibility costs for Catfish.

All donors will receive a tax receipt and be thanked publicly in our playbill unless they choose not to be.

THE TEAM

Written by Simran Gill (hard of hearing) and Jess Amy Shead (hearing)

Directed by Chris Dodd (Deaf) and Gavan Cheema (hearing)

Dramaturgy from June Fukumura (hearing)

Produced by Alley Theatre in community partnership with Greater Vancouver Association of the Deaf

Full Cast & Crew to be announced!