Caustic Effect. Image Design by Rebecca Smit, 2022.
Caustic Effect
Calgary, Alberta
Presented by
Inside Out and re:Naissance Opera
Caustic Effect is a new experimental opera work-in-progress by Monique Holt and Landon Krentz in a partnership between Canadian, US, and Swedish deaf artists.
The production explores how language is seen, heard and understood by combining the movement, rhythmic structure, and metre present in Visual Gestural Communication (VGC), American Sign Language and music.In addition to the opera, there is a Visual Vernacular performance to be developed by Visual Vernacular specialists Jamila Ouahid and Amina Ouahid (Sweden). They will be developing and performing with Landon Krentz as a part of the process. Therefore, there are two workshop shows in one sitting.As part of Nordic Bridges, sign language theatre artists from Sweden, led by Mindy Drapsa (Sweden) (Artistic Director of Riksteatern Crea), have been mentoring the core-creative team. Combining online sessions and in-person mentorship to support the creative process, development work, and providing much needed theatre training access to Deaf artists in Canada.Debbie Rennie (Sweden) is a Sign Language Arts Master to provide Landon Krentz specialised professional sign language theatre training prior to the workshop.
Event Supporters
Landon Krentz is a bilaterally profoundly Deaf artist who is completely bilingual in American Sign Language (ASL) and English. As a Deaf artist, he brings a unique perspective to his roles as Director of Artistic Sign Language and an ASL performer for theatre.
His work has allowed him to advocate for artists within the larger community so that Deafness is looked upon as a reflection of diversity and culture. As a result of his work, he has presented the Award of Merit for Inclusion and Access from the Western Institute of Deaf and Hard of Hearing in 2018. Currently, Landon is working on a Deaf-led ASL Opera, a bi-lingual ASL/ENG production, and a combined vertical ASL dance project that is being created as a theatre creator and performer.
Monique ‘MoMo’ Holt, librettist of Caustic Effect. Her plays varied from the theatre of the absurd, short play, children’s fable, detective, and one-person show. Her works: Please UNtranslate Me (2020-present), Wag Tale (2018), Zeer Durr’s Locket (2008), Are Your Ears Blind? (Thesis: 2008), The Night Was So Hungry That Ate The Moon (2005), The Dark Room (2003), and The “OR”bit (1996 – Mabou Mines/Suite: Fellowship). Monique has helped others develop their plays and musicals: Snow Queen for trapeze/aerial piece for Inflight Theatre, Undesirable Elements: Inside/Out for Ping Chong + Co., Meat Expectations, theater musical for New York Deaf Theatre. She is one of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Company members. She is playing the Queen in Cymbeline, and currently filming in her home in New York City. July 2021 – she co-chaired the virtual festival: Deaf Short Play Festival for MAP-DTF.com. This year she directed Teenage Dick for Open Circle Theatre/Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Welcome to Hell for Transformation Theatre, and The Christians for Phamaly Theatre. She has a BFA in Acting from New York University and an MFA in Theater from Towson University. She is an Assistant Professor for the Theatre and Dance Program under the School of Arts & Humanities at Gallaudet University.
Jules Dameron (she/he) is a deaf queer film & theatre director, working with both deaf and hearing actors. She graduated from Gallaudet University with a B.A. in TV/Cinema and then obtained an MFA in Film Production/Directing at one of the leading film schools in the world, the University of Southern California. Shifting between both deaf and hearing cultures, Jules has a strong insight into how the deaf community has a different way of sharing information. Mediating between two cultures has helped Jules harness a direction, style and vision that is unique and unparalleled.
Recently, Jules has worked on several videos with Sesame Street, helping provide the same experience and amusement to young viewers through a deaf lens. Jules is also currently the writer and director of the soon-to-be-made feature film, Deaf President Now, a film illustrating the events of the Deaf President Now protests at Gallaudet University in 1988. Jules is also co-writing / co-directing a play called What is Emily Drawing, highlighting the effects of language deprivation in deaf children. When not in the director’s chair, Jules extends her talents to the stage playing various roles in notable shows like Romeo and Juliet, Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Lés Miserables. Jules aspires to work more with hearing creatives to pave the way for more authentic representation in the media.
Jamila and Amina Ouahid are twin performing artists and Visual Vernacular specialists from Sweden.
Jamila Ouahid has worked in theatre, children’s theatre, music and creating her own poetry, Visual Vernacular, and visual storytelling.
Mindy Drapsa is Artistic Director of Riksteatern Crea which is staged both nationally and internationally, with productions written and performed by artists who are either deaf or members of the sign-language community.
Mindy Drapsa is the first deaf artistic director of Riksteatern Crea in Sweden and has been a part of Riksteatern Crea’s team since 2017. Mindy Drapsa has directed theatre performances and documentary and short films for Swedish Televisions where she received awards for. In Sweden, Mindy Drapsa is also well known as co-founder of the media company Dramaski where she still is president.
The poet Debbie Rennie is a drama teacher and has worked with, among other things, acting, theatre, film, television, directing, drama training, screenwriting and sign language poetry in the USA, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Ireland. She has worked with theatre world for more than 30 years. Presently, she works with Sign Language Arts at Riksteaten Crea.
