Deaf cast challenges musical theater norms in production of ‘The Music Man’

PBS has a video report (below) on what the deaf cast of "The Music Man” is doing at the Olney Theatre Center in Maryland.

image: PBS video

James Caverly plays the main character in the production and explains why a deaf performance adds an interesting twist:

So if you compare Harold Hill as a hearing man, he's selling musical instruments. That's believable. He doesn't have to work additionally or extra hard to convince people that he could lead a musical band. Now, a deaf Harold Hill is a different story. He's a guy who really has to turn it up, really become a charmer to be able to convince a community of people that, hey, you should buy these musical instruments because, guess what, I can lead a musical band, right? Hah-hah. So I think it amplifies the character in a way, and you have to really, really increase that art of deception.

For ticket information click here.