NextStop Theatre Company

Production Re-Imagines Richard III As Deaf

NextStop Theatre Company in Herndon, Va., continues its inaugural professional season with a new vision for William Shakespeare's Richard III, re-imagining Shakespeare's most deliciously evil villain as an ambitious Deaf man, ruthlessly seeking power in a hearing world. Directed by Dr. Lindsey D. Snyder, the cast will be led by Ethan Sinnott (Gallaudet University) playing the title role of Richard.

“We are honored and overjoyed to be working with Lindsey and thrilled to be integrating such talented Deaf actors from Gallaudet and the D.C. theatre community into our company,” Producing Artistic Director Evan Hoffmann said in a press release. “The re-imagining of Richard as a Deaf man will bring new meaning and insight to one of Shakespeare's most complex villains. I have no doubt that Lindsey's vision for this show will have a powerful effect on hearing and nonhearing audiences alike.”

Snyder is a highly respected scholar, actor, director, and American Sign Language interpreter who has worked extensively around the Capitol Region with organizations such as the Kennedy Center, Ford's Theatre, Imagination Stage, Synetic Theatre, and Studio Theatre. She also serves as an adjunct professor at Gallaudet University and is director of access and inclusion for Faction of Fools Theatre Company.

Sinnott is an associate professor at Gallaudet University and serves as program director for the university's theatre department, where he teaches directing and scenic design and works as an advocate for Deaf theater. He has also designed for several theater companies around the city, including Faction of Fools, Imagination Stage, and Signature Theatre.

Sinnott will be joined by Daniel Corey (1st Stage, American Century, Rorschach) as Richmond/Shadow Richard, Rachel Spicknall Mulford (Faction of Fools) as Lady Anne, Carolyn Kashner (Keegan, Olney, WSC) as Queen Elizabeth, and Sun King Davis  (Shakespeare Theatre, Keegan, WSC) as Buckingham.  Rounding out the cast will be Zach Brewster-Geisz, Ben Lauer, Sandra Mae Frank, Kevin Collins, Charles Ainsworth, Bill Fleming, Marilyn Bennett, and Mary Suib.

The production is scheduled to run Jan. 30–Feb. 23.

January 24, 2014

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