The musical theatre piece was written by composer Dave Clarke and describes his experience growing up as the hearing child of two deaf parents. The play aims to take an accessible approach, with songs performed through voice simultaneously with American Sign Language, although without interpretation or subtitles, and is accompanied by other media such as video projection. Promotional material for the show emphasizes the relatable nature of the story:
“It’s a poetic story that is complex and multi-layered, but at its heart quite simple. It’s a story of a boy and his mom and the diverse ways in which individuals can communicate.”
The cast includes Elizabeth Morris, Scott Olynek, and Kate Ryan, with Caroline Howarth and Mieko Ouchi serving as co-directors. The show is aimed at a family audience, and is appropriate for anyone 5 years old and above. Concrete Theatre commissioned the play and will be performing it as a miniature tour across Western Canada, with stops in Saskatoon and Calgary coming after St. Albert. Musicals and plays often use eye-catching flyer printing and viral online clips to help attract a local audience.
The Concrete Theatre performance of “Songs My Mother Never Sung Me” will take place in St. Albert on February 2 and 3 at the Arden Theatre.