Sound Reviews and Photos

September 21, 2015  |   | News/Blog, Writing

The reviews are in for Sound and they are very good!  I’m thrilled that the Seattle community, especially the Deaf community is responding to this play so well.  My dream of a 100% accessible play has come true.

“From the opening moments of “Sound,” Don Nguyen’s intriguing and empathetic drama tackles the issue square-on.”

Seattle Times

“Sound deftly weaves American Sign Language and spoken English together in a way that makes sense, is accessible and actually enhances the story line.”

“That remarkable first fight sets a mood with its rawness, hitting the perfect notes of bitter anger and rich history between these characters. They introduced the tension between deaf and hearing so intensely that the audience invests in the fight, an emotional necessity to carry them through the rest of the play”

“Sound is a beautiful work, special because of what it accomplishes but also what it is. The greatness lies in Nguyen’s story and the direction by Chiang and Seago, and in successfully showing a future of deaf theatre that could work and should work for all audiences. It’s a rare moment when hopes for inclusion don’t over-correct, but in this case Sound hit a perfect tone.”

City Arts

http://cityartsonline.com/articles/azeotropes-thoughtful-successful-sound

“remarkable, and, probably for most people, an unforgettable theatrical experience.”

“a sophisticated exploration of broken families, modern teens, and, of course, the many conflicting concepts about deafness and the treatment of Deaf people within the lager society.”

“incredibly good acting in a powerful play on a subject that is rarely ever addressed in theatre, and is accessible to both hearing and Deaf audiences. Don’t miss it.”

Arts Stage Seattle Rage

“Sound boldly dares to stage a Deaf Theater piece, something rarely done even in culturally open Seattle, and manages to do so with great success blending a variety of different kinds of actors, including hearing actors, deaf actors who only sign, and deaf actors who also speak, into a fully integrated and fascinating show.”

Seattle Gay Scene

“This play “speaks” two languages: Deaf and Sounded English. Azeotrope was determined to learn how to accommodate an audience filled with both hearing and deaf members and they have done so with… grace! And intelligence! And success!”

Miriam’s Theatre Musings
http://miryamstheatermusings.blogspot.com/2015/09/azeotropes-new-playsound-exemplifies.html

Azeotrope’s “Sound” by Don Nguyen. This is the show I’ve been most highly recommending to everyone in person (my Writers Group, my funding panels, my friends, and even random people who just ask me what I should see), so if you haven’t already – GO SEE IT. An intimate story of a deaf man, his daughter and her hearing mother, interwoven with a fascinating through-line featuring Alexander Graham Bell (yes, that Alexander), this play’s power lies in its ability to illuminate profound truths about our society and ourselves in the most universal of ways. For anyone thinking that a show about a deaf family may not have any relevance to them, think again. All people need to see this play. Many of us hearing people go through life thinking that those who aren’t are somehow missing something, less than, not normal, “other.” But what this plays reveals, scene-by-scene in a richly nuanced way, is that this premise is completely not true. As a person of color, the play also struck a deep chord with me on another level. In this country, people often view people of color in the same way. That we’re somehow deprived because we’re not white, and yet that is also so not true. We often have a far richer connection to our heritage and culture and a deeper sense of community because we’ve been made to feel like we’re “other.” And this play made me really understand that it’s the same for the deaf community as well – that they have a far deeper pride and sense of who they are as a community and aren’t deprived of anything at all. The other thing I also appreciated about the production was in the way it allowed for both deaf and hearing to experience the production without anyone feeling left out. Their use of deaf actors who sign, deaf actors who speak, and hearing actors who sign and speak was incredibly fluid and artfully done. I’m only sorry that I haven’t had time to post this earlier so that people I haven’t had a chance to tell in person yet will do whatever they can to catch this production. It’s a unique story and a rare opportunity to see something different in Seattle. GO SEE IT. – Kathy Hsieh

“Hi Act Theatre! Just a quick note to let you know how much our family enjoyed seeing Sound on Saturday

night! My favorite kind of theatre is the kind that takes some risks and moves us a bit out of our comfort zone, allowing us to stand in the shoes of another, forever expanding our view of the world. Sound accomplishes this beautifully. I hope that many more people can experience this incredible production!” – from an audience member