DIRECTOR'S NOTES
SHANNON CHRISTY
**Director's notes was printed in the program book***
To join/connect. Easy to say, but how do we accomplish this task?
Children of A Lesser God is the brilliant product of Mark Medoff's
three-year "labor of love" to join life with art. His personal
experiences with Phyllis Frelich (who later played the role of Sarah
on Broadway) moved him to create a work that would not only
SHOW the joining of two people, one deaf, one hearing, but would
actually ACHIEVE the joining while DOING the production.
In mounting this play for the West T. Hill Community Theatre,
many people have joined together, deaf and hearing, to learn and
grow from their shared experience. We are bringing our "labor of
love" to fruition. For many deaf people, this show marks their first
experience with "mainstream hearing" theatre. For many hearing
people, this is their first in-depth exposure to deaf people, sign
language, and interpreters. My goal was to join/connect all my
loves of language, theatre, and people into this production.
So, while you enjoy the show, also know that what you see is only
the external manifestation of the real human drama happening
every day. I hope you take some time tonight to talk with someone
different from yourself and continue what this play has only begun:
to join/connect.
