Making Waves Fall Fest Presents

CHANGER: A HAND TELLING

Public Screenings + Special Events 

ID: Film still from CHANGER: A HAND TELLING. Coyote (played by Roberto Sandoval), an indigenous person, standing in the grass and sand on the beach. His head is tilted up, and his hands are lifted to the sky. End ID.

[ID: Film still from CHANGER: A HAND TELLING. Coyote (played by Roberto Sandoval), an indigenous person, standing in the grass and sand on the beach. His head is tilted up, and his hands are lifted to the sky. End ID.]

Join Sound Theatre Company, for the first public screenings of CHANGER: A HAND TELLING, the award winning, accessible filmed version of a contemporary storytelling and radio play by Fern Naomi Renville and Roger Fernandes.

CHANGER: A HAND TELLING A story told for families across generations The beloved Coast Salish tale of Changer takes new form as an innovative film presented in Native Sign Language. Renowned Deaf storyteller Howie Seago worked with original adapters Fern Naomi Renville and Roger Fernandes (Lower Elwah Klallam/ Makah)  to create this first-of-its-kind, sign-language-based film featuring two Deaf Native storytellers. This film takes the original radio play audio and augments it with gorgeous Lower Elwha S’Klallam landscapes and visual storytelling created for the screen. Central to this project is Dr. Melanie McKay-Cody (Cherokee), serving as Director of Artistic Sign Language and Native Cultural Consultant. 

Drawing source material from Coast Salish and Dakota origin stories to imagine a sovereign future, the film earned laurels from over 15 film festivals. During the COVID-19 digital shift, we created an experience that was deeply artistic, enduring and culturally authentic with Deaf, Indigenous and CODA film makers. We believe this approach to storytelling is the future and CHANGER defined what we mean when we claim our work is “intersectional”. CHANGER was filmed on location in August 2021 on the Lower Elwha sʼKlallam tribal lands. Dr. Melanie McKay-Cody, (Cherokee) a Deaf Indigenous expert on endangered Indigenous sign languages of North America provided critical support. CHANGER was included in the UNESCO program: International Decade of Indigenous Languages (IDIL 2022-2032) as part of International Deaf Week in 2022. It has been viewed at festivals from Berlin to Mexico.

Accessibility: This production runs 1 hour and 5 minutes. The entire film is signed and has closed captions.

 

[ID: clickable YouTube thumbnail with the title “Changer: A Hand Telling | Official Trailer | Sound Theatre Company,” featuring an Indigenous man sitting beside a seashore in daylight, smiling as he leans forward on his knees towards another man who’s slightly off-camera. He’s wearing a low top hat, an elbow-length sleeved flannel button-up beneath a brown leather vest, and jeans. He appears to have a fuzzy pelt slung over his thigh, as well. End ID]

ID: Film still from CHANGER: A HAND TELLING. Changer (played by G. Christian Vasquez) and Coyote (played by Roberto Sandoval), two indigenous people, walking on a forest path full of greenery. Changer is wearing a cedar hat, a red tunic, and a long beaded necklace. Coyote is wearing a brown top hat, a brown vest, a plaid shirt, and a bolo tie. Coyote is signing “huckleberry pie” in ASL, as Changer watches. End ID

[ID: Film still from CHANGER: A HAND TELLING. Changer (played by G. Christian Vasquez) and Coyote (played by Roberto Sandoval), two indigenous people, walking on a forest path full of greenery. Changer is wearing a cedar hat, a red tunic, and a long beaded necklace. Coyote is wearing a brown top hat, a brown vest, a plaid shirt, and a bolo tie. Coyote is signing “huckleberry pie” in ASL, as Changer watches. End ID.]

Film Showing of CHANGER: A HAND TELLING
and special events November 11th & 12th, at The Black Box at Seattle Center

November 11 and 12, 7PM Screening, 8:15PM Artist Discussions

  • ASL Film Characters perform in Artistic Sign Language, American Sign Language and Native American Sign Language 
  • Simultaneous Spoken English embedded in film (Original Radio Play) 
  • Simultaneous English Captioning embedded in film 
  • Assistive Listening Devices
  • ASL Interpretation for post show discussion
  • Cart Captioning for presentations on November 11, 12.
  • Front row floor flexible seating for people who use mobile devices and their companions.  
  • Other seating requires stairs with minimal banister support
  • Wheelchair Accessibility (entrances, seating, restrooms, pathways, amenities, etc.)

We use Radical Hospitality Ticket Pricing, invitees can select their preferred ticket price: $5, $25, $50, $75!

    Tickets For Both Nights Available Here
    ID: film still from CHANGER: A HAND TELLING. Sonny (played by G. Christian Vasquez) and Johnny (played by Roberto Sandoval) sitting on logs on the beach. They are an indigenous grandfather and grandchild. Sonny is dressed in dungarees and rubber boots, while Johnny is wearing casual clothes. Johnny is signing “Changer” in the foreground as Sonny watches. End ID.

    [ID: film still from CHANGER: A HAND TELLING. Sonny (played by G. Christian Vasquez) and Johnny (played by Roberto Sandoval) sitting on logs on the beach. They are an indigenous grandfather and grandchild. Sonny is dressed in dungarees and rubber boots, while Johnny is wearing casual clothes. Johnny is signing “Changer” in the foreground as Sonny watches. End ID.]

    Learn More

    ID: Film still from CHANGER: A HAND TELLING. Sonny (played by G. Christian Vasquez) is in silhouette as he digs for clams in the shallow water of the Lower Elwha beach during a sunny day. End ID.

    [ID: film still from CHANGER: A HAND TELLING. Sonny (played by G. Christian Vasquez) is in silhouette as he digs for clams in the shallow water of the Lower Elwha beach during a sunny day. End ID.]

    About the Lower Elwha s’Klallam Tribe “The Strong People” Here

    About Dam Removal in the Coast Salish region

    River Restoration | Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe

    Elwha River transformed 10 years after dam removal – OPB

    The Elwha River: A wild ride through a decade of dam removal

    Since Time Immemorial, Tribal Sovereignty Curriculum for Washington State

    Washington State Tribes

    Map of Native lands: https://native-land.ca/

    For other access questions or requests, contact Teresa Thuman directly:
    teresa@soundtheatrecompany.org, or call (206) 856-5520.