Deaf Spotlight Presents: ARCHIVES
Upper ID: teal background with white text: “Deaf Spotlight Presents: ARCHIVES” with a black and white group photo of SKIN ensemble during rehearsals, from left: Kalen Feeney, Michelle Mary Schaefer, Amelia Hensley, and Rhonda Cochran.
It all starts with a story that resonates with us.
Take a memory stroll through our past productions.
ID: a bricked wall in blue tone with yellow neon text: “Deaf Spotlight presents LIMITLESS EXPRESSIONS with a teal “X”, a month of Deaf arts on stage, 4 bullet points (Art, Dance, Visual Vernacular and Solo Performances.) April 25 - May 18, 2025, 12th Ave Arts Studio, Seattle, WA. More Information: website: DeafSpotlight.org/LX2025”
LIMITLESS EXPRESSIONS 2025
Deaf Spotlight hosted the LIMITLESS EXPRESSIONS (LX) for the 2nd time. In one month, we featured local and out of state artists and solo performers in different mediums: arts, Visual Vernacular, Dance, 8585 Fish, ASL Cabaret and Deaf Talks.
Thank you all for coming and supporting our festival! See you next time!
[ID: Flyer with a light green background with dark text overlay. On bottom left corner is a blooming of flowers and plants in dark shades of pink and purple. Across the top is small text, “Deaf Spotlight Presents”. Underneath that in large text, “Short Play Festival”. Below that in smaller text: “One floral shop. Six short stories. March 2-5, 2023, 12th Avenue Arts Studio, 1620 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122.” More Info. QR Code below. Sponsors at bottom.
2023: SHORT PLAY FESTIVAL |FLORAL SHOP
Deaf Spotlight curated the 3rd biennial Short Play Festival with a theme: “Floral Shop,” featuring six new stories by Deaf playwrights from all over the United States at 12th Avenue Arts Studio Theatre.
The plays were performed in American Sign Language with English captions to ensure accessibility for all audiences.
Thank you all for coming and supporting our festival! See you next time!
Featuring 6 original short plays:
Beautiful Boy by Rob Roth
Camilla for Camille by Heba Toulan
Fifty Flowers by Cherry Pie LaTorre
Flower Dance by Howie Seago
Plant a Kiss by Liam Coleman
Toxic Flower by Willy Conley
Festival Committee:
Alexandria Wailes | Festival Director
Guthrie Nutter | Production Manager
Patty Liang | Producer
Buddy Elledge | Creative Director
Kailyn Aaron-Lozano | DASL
Joey Antonio | DASL
Aly Boote | Access Support
Aly Dray | Festival Photographer
Rob Falk | Lighting Designer
Hannah Gibbs | Projection Designer
Jennifer Harris | Set Designer
Laura Kessler | Costumer Designer
Gabriel Silva | DASL
Jason Tang | Festival Photographer
Libby Stanley | Ticketing Manager
ID: Deaf Spotlight Presents’ Short Play Festival 2023 featuring Floral Shop short stories: Beautiful Boy by Rob Roth, Camilla for Camille by Heba Toulan, Fifty Flowers by Cherry Pie LaTorre, Flower Dance by Howie Seago, Plant a Kiss by Liam Coleman and Toxic Flower by Willy Conley.
ID: a square post with a purple brick background and a spotlighted center in purple light. Inside the spotlighted center is white text: “Deaf Spotlight Presents Limitless Expressions: a week of Deaf arts onstage. March 6-12, 2023. 12th Ave Arts Studio, 1620 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 998122”. The word “Limitless” is in neon white text outline with purple inside. “Expressions” is in bold white text with a large decorative X”.]
LIMITLESS EXPRESSIONS 2023
Deaf Spotlight hosted the first LIMITLESS EXPRESSIONS (LX) as a pilot performing arts festival. In one week, we featured local and out of state artists and solo performers in different mediums: Visual Vernacular, Dance, ASL Cabaret, Author Readings and more.
Thank you all for coming and supporting our festival! See you next time!
ID: a green background with teal unfurling toilet paper rolls diagonally on left across the screen with white capitalized/shadowed text: "Deaf Spotlight Presents Short Play Festival, Bathroom Tales, April 9 - 11, 2021.”
2021: Short Play Festival
Platform: virtual realm in partnership with Northwest Arts Streaming Hub
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Deaf Spotlight presented their biennial Short Play Festival with a theme: “Bathroom Tales,” featuring six new stories by Deaf playwrights from all over the United States. The virtual festival took place April 9 - 11, 2021.
During the weekend, six short plays starring Deaf and Hearing actors were available as short films on demand along with live stream panels. The audience watched 6 plays ANYTIME between April 9-11, 2021 from their homes.
The plays were performed in American Sign Language with English captions to ensure accessibility for all audiences.
Boy Scout by Rob Roth
Oh Sh*t by Jevon Whetter
Other by Alexandria Wailes
Plumb Crazy Pipe Dream by Aimee Chou
Surprise Guest by Joey Caverly
Whacked! by Kalen Feeney
Festival Committee:
Monique Holt, Festival Director
Patty Liang, Producer
Kellie Martin, Production Manager
Buddy Elledge, Marketing Director
Mark Weissglass, Communications
Veronica Kozlowski, Social Media Connector
Directors
Michelle Banks
Joshua Castille
Seth Gore
Dickie Hearts
Aarron Loggins
Alexandria Wailes
Zoom/ Stage Managers
Christina Marie Cogswell
Jules Dameron
Dorian Fletcher
Norah Matthews
Dana Zolli
Editors/ Cinematographers
Joshua Castille
Dickie Hearts
Amelia Hensley
Brandon Simmoneau
Roger Vass
Actors
Kailyn Aaron-Lozano
Fatimah Abdul-Rahim
Hillary Baack
Jasmine Casella
Rhonda Cochran
Christina Marie Cogswell
Seth Gore
Candi Harbison
Aarron Loggins
Jon Wolfe Nelson
Malik Paris
Anjel Piñero
Marcus Smith
Neil Sprouse
Kenton Twidt
ID: a blue sky with clouds peppered with paper airplane with a typewriter in the middle on a stack of paper on the grass. Headline: DEAF SPOTLIGHT PRESENTS, beneath: 3 split grid (3 squares) from left: SHORT PLAY FESTIVAL, FEB 15-17, 2019, and an inner split inside with the last square: ACT Theatre, 700 Union St, Seattle, WA. Sponsors at bottom. Website.
2019: Short Play Festival
Some of the best Deaf writers, actors, and directors in the Pacific Northwest and nationwide presented original ten-minute features at Deaf Spotlight’s first biennial Short Play Festival. The performances illuminated the artistry of the Deaf community and American Sign Language. All of the plays were performed in ASL with English captions. The featured ten-minute plays were never before seen works, and the writers were limited only by their imagination.
These plays were shown at the Act Theatre/ Lalie in partnership with ACTLab.
Civil Engagement by Joe Caverly
Humanly Possible by Aimee Chou
Turkey Dogs by Changer Gonzalez
Vandalism by Amelia Hensley
WAG-TALE by Monique Holt
Cerebral by Jevon Whetter
Festival Committee
Patty Liang, Executive Director
Kellie Martin, Festival Director
Buddy Elledge, Graphic Designer
Jason Eastman, Communications Manager
Directors
Jules Dameron
Monique Holt
Ryan Schlecht
Actors
Amy Ausdenmoore
Elizabeth Ayers Gibson
Joey Creek
Changer Gonzalez
Kelly Johnson
Jessica Kiely Danneker
Perseus McDaniel
Jake Merz
John Plecher
Brittany Rupik
Rogan Shannon
Christian Vasquez
Kai Winchester
Festival Crew
Thad Brown, Stage Manager
Veronica Kozlowski, Stage Manager
Kellie Martin, Stage Manager
Jason Eastman, Assistant Stage Manager
Krystal Sanders, Assistant Stage Manager
Kai Winchester, Assistant Stage Manager
Anne Danahy, Volunteer Coordinator
Theresa Halzle, Photographer
Jason Tang, Videographer
ID: a night scene of city lights in the distance with a subtle person's naked back to the camera.
Purple text at top: Rhonda Cochran, Kalen Feeney, Amelia Hensley, and Michelle Mary Schaefer. In the middle, purple text: DEAF SPOTLIGHT PRESENTS, SKIN, Written By: Crystal L.M. Roberts, and Directed By: Alexandria Wailes. At bottom, purple text: Dates, 12th Ave Arts Mainstage, Seattle, WA. On left, white block with negative text: FOR MATURE AUDIENCES. On right, white text: ALL SHOWS SUBTITLED IN ENGLISH. Sponsors at bottom.
2017: SKIN
by Crystal L.M. Roberts
This drama focuses on four Deaf queer womxn and their experiences living on the Capitol Hill. This production took place at the 12th Ave Arts Mainstage in Seattle, Washington.
Creative Team
Crystal L.M. Robert, Writer
Patty Liang, Producer
Alexandria Wailes, Director
Luce LeBlanc, Stage Manager
Monique Holt, Dramaturg
Alex Grennan, Light Designer
Changer Gonzalez, Backstage Crew
Kyna Schilling, Set Designer & Prop Master
Buddy Elledge, Marketing Director
Gabby Hopkinson, Photographer
Jason Tang, Photographer
ENSEMBLE
Rhonda Cochran
Amelia Hensley
Kalen Feeney
Michelle Mary Schaefer
ID: teal background with a playground swing in the foreground and Seattle in background, two white framed photos of two couples: from left: Billy Seago (black suit with a red tie), Anna Bracilano (pearl necklace, black dress and gray flowered cardigan), on right: Aimee Chou (striped tank top with a notepad and pen) and Reggie Scott (green top with two cups). White headline: DEAF SPOTLIGHT PRESENTS, GOD OF CARNAGE, BY YASMINA REZA, TRANSLATED BY CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON, DIRECTED BY RYAN SCHLECHT. Middle text: Dates, 12th AVE ARTS- MAINSTAGE, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON. ALL PERFORMANCES WILL BE IN AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE. Sponsors at bottom.
2015: God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza
Translated by Christopher Hampton
The play focuses on two sets of Brooklyn parents meeting together to resolve their sons’ playground altercation. The performance run was from April 16 - 19 and April 24 - 26 at the 12th Ave Arts Mainstage in Seattle, Washington.
This production was directed by Ryan Schlecht, who has an extensive background in acting and directing plays.
Creative Team
Patty Liang, Producer
Ryan Schlecht, Director
Buddy Elledge, Marketing Director
Alex Grennan, Light Designer & Stage Manager
Thor Anderson, Set Designer
Ali McGraw, Photographer
Ensemble
Anna Bracilano
Aimee Chou
Reggie Scott
Billy Seago
ID: a poster wall with two same posters: gray background with two grave markers on left and a broken spoke rested on the tree. Text at top: HOWIE SEAGO, JEREMY QUIROGA, KATIE ROBERTS. HEADLINE: BY WILLY CONLEY, broken spokes. Directed by RYAN SCHLECHT. Bottom text: November 8-10, 2013, University of Washington, Ethnic Cultural Theatre, Seattle, WA.
2013: Broken Spokes
by Willy Conley
Deaf Spotlight presented its first-ever theatrical production, Broken Spokes, playing November 8 to 10, 2013 at the University of Washington Ethnic Cultural Theatre in Seattle, Washington. Broken Spokes, written by award-winning playwright, Willy Conley, was directed by Ryan Schlecht, who has an extensive background in acting and directing theater productions.
Broken Spokes was a drama about two brothers - one deaf and one hard of hearing - explores relationships, memories, and power issues. Broken Spokes speaks to the endurance of family bonds.
Creative Team
Patty Liang, Producer
Ryan Schlecht, Director
Nat Wilson, Consultant
Danni Keller, Prop Master
Jason Tang, Photographer
Libby Stanley, House Manager
Maggie Lee, Light Designer
Shawn Broderick, Set Designer
Buddy Elledge, Marketing Director
Dawn Rose, Volunteer
Ensemble
Katie Roberts
Howie seago
Jeremy Quiroga
Backstage Crew
Anna Bracilano
Elizabeth Rothman
Lori Seago
Abbey Willman
Alex Grennan
Bottom Image ID: a black and white photo of “God of Carnage” cast (from left: Billy Seago, Anna Bracilano, Aimee Chou and Reggie Scott) and Ryan Schlecht, director during rehearsals in 2015.
