the world is not silent

THE world is not silent

Comedy/Drama (2M, 1F)

Don, an astrophotographer, returns home to reconnect with his Vietnamese father only to discover that the communication gap between them has grown even wider in the wake of his father’s recent deafness. Hoping that sign language will provide a bridge to overcome that distance, Don begins taking lessons. But the closer he gets to being able to communicate with his father, the further he seems to get from actually understanding the man, leaving Don to realize that mastering a language means very little if you’re not willing to speak from the heart. Performed in English, Vietnamese and Sign Language, The World is Not Silent is a multilingual play that explores how language simultaneously divides and unites us.

WINNER – Laurents/Hatcher Award 2024

THE WORLD IS NOT SILENT was originally commissioned by East West Players (Snehal Desai, Artistic Director)

PRODUCTION &
DEVELOPMENT HISTORY

Northern Stage

FEB 2026 – Regional Premiere

Director: Rebecca Wear

Production Stage Manager: Julia Egizio

Asst Stage Manager: Elizabeth Sarsfield
Asst Director: Luke Gerdeman
VSL Consultant: Long Nguyen
ASL Consultant: Luane Davis Haggerty

Scenic Designer	Frank J. Olivia
Lighting Designer	Jennifer Fok
Costume Designer	Alicia J. Austin
Sound Designer	Nicholas Drashner
Projection Designer	Dylan B. Carter

CAST
DON	Paul Yen
DAU	Peter Trinh
LINH	Mai Le

Alley Theatre

MAR 2024 – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Marya Mazor

VSL Consultant: Long Nguyen
ASL Consultant: Travis Guise Nguyen

Scenic Designer	Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams
Lighting Designer	Jennifer Fok
Costume Designer	Sara Ryung Clement
Sound Designer	Melanie Chen Cole
Projection Designer	Victoria Sagady

CAST
DON	Tony Vo
DAU	Long Nguyen
LINH	Mai Le

Read the Program

Review – Houston Chronicle (Paywall)

Review – Houston Press

Preview – Houston Press

Local Theater Local Lab 12 Reading Series

APR 2023

Director: Marya Mazor
Stage Directions: Lennox T. Duong
VSL Consultant: Long Nguyen
ASL Consultant: Luane Davis Hagerty

CAST
DON	Tony Vo
DAU	Long Nguyen
LINH	Kathy Huyn-Phan

Geva Theatre Workshop

DEC 2022

Director: Marya Mazor
Stage Manager: Grace DiMatteo
VSL Consultant: Truc Nguyen
ASL Consultant: Luane Davis Hagerty

CAST
DON	David Huynh
DAU	Long Nguyen
LINH	Kathy Huyn-Phan

New York Stage & Film

JUL 2022

Director: Marya Mazor
Stage Manager: Kara Kaufman
VSL Consultant: Tina Ari

CAST
DON	Jon Norman Schneider
DAU	Vien Hong
LINH	Tina Ari

Alley All New Festival

JUN 2022

Director: Marya Mazor
Stage Manager: Jocelyn A. Thompson
VSL Consultant: Tina Ari

CAST
DON	Jon Norman Schneider
DAU	Long Nguyen
LINH	Mai Le

First Look: The World Is Not Silent