ABOUT STEPCHILD~
On a tiny island called Costa Bella, on the threshold of the Italian Renaissance, Massimo is a poor widowed father. He and his young daughter, Orella, make a meager living as shadow puppeteers in the streets of the village. Orella is deaf, and unbeknownst to her new stepmother and two stepsisters, Massimo has been secretly escorting Orella to a mystical cave deep in the forest, where they can both learn sign language.
Their enigmatic teacher, Allegra, is a brilliant Deaf fortune teller who has learned sign from observing the future in her crystal ball for many years. Allegra also predicts that unless they keep their teachings a secret, darkness and danger will fall upon them. For, it is widely known that the King Ottavio has hard rules for anyone speaking any other language, let alone using what he calls “The Devil’s Handwork”.
Tragically, Orella loses her father. After years spent locked away from society by her hardened and fearful stepmother, Orella embarks on a dark yet powerful spiritual journey of self -discovery. She is searching for her courage, fighting for her kingdom to overcome prejudice, all while discovering a new meaning of family. Inspired by Grimm classics including “Cinderella”, “Hansel and Gretel” and “Bluebeard”, STEPCHILD tells a new story of a new heroine.
__________________________
Originally developed by IRT Theater, STEPCHILD has also received generous developmental support from The Lark Play Development Center, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, LaGuardia Performing Arts Center, Wallis Annenberg Center For The Performing Arts and NYC Department of Cultural Affairs.
Book writers Chad Kessler and David James Boyd at The Rough Draft Festival, LaGuardia Performing Arts Center. April, 2018, New York City. (Dir. Kim Weild, Dir. Artistic Sign Language, Alexandria Wailes.)
Photo by Nina Wurtzel
Amelia Hensley.
(Standing L-R) April Lavalle, Melissa van der Schyff and Alexandra Mazzucchelli.
(Standing L-R) Nicole Vande Zande, Dickie Hearts, Amelia Hensley and Johnny Link.
Writer’s workshop commissioned by IRT Theater, with dramaturge Kalen Feeney. January, 2019, Portland, Oregon.
(Top Picture: L-R) Chad Kessler, Kalen Feeney, David James Boyd, and interpreters Richard Hall and Sarah Daegling. (Bottom Picture) Chad Kessler, Kalen Feeney and David James Boyd.
Department of Cultural Affairs CreateNYC Disability Forward Fund sponsored work -in- progress presentation at IRT Theater. May, 2019, New York City. (Dir. Kim Weild, Dir. Artistic Sign Language, Terrylene Sacchetti)
(L-R) Nicole Vande Zande, Christopher Isolano, Johnny Link, Tamra Hayden, April Lavalle, Zina Ellis, Alexandra Mazzucchelli, Amelia Hensley, Dickie Hearts and Craig Fogel. (Photo: Suzanne Fiore)
Catalene Sacchetti -Manganelli and Christopher Isolano. (Photo: Suzanne Fiore)
Alexandria Wailes. (Photo: Suzanne Fiore)