Deaf West Theatre has announced its next production, Spring Awakening, and has launched a Kickstarter Campaign to raise $25,000 in financial support. The production brings together an impressive creative team and huge cast of twenty three Deaf and hearing actors – including Daniel Durant who starred in the TerpTheatre/Oakland University 2012 production of Police Deaf Near Far (PDNF).
Like the TerpTheatre/OU production of PDNF, Spring Awakening is looking to Kickstarter supporters to make the production possible. In 2012, TerpTheatre raised more than $13,000, to cover production costs like interpreting. So far, fifty-five supporters have pledged more than $10,000 toward Deaf West’s goal of $25,000.
In Deaf West’s Kickstarter video, members of the creative time and others describe their inspiration for this production, and how the campaign dollars will be used. The video includes an introduction from Jonathan Groff, the original Melchior in the Broadway cast of Spring Awakening. Groff also starred on Glee with Lea Michele, who originated the role of Wendla in the same Broadway cast. Deaf West fans will enjoy the detailed background information in the video and on the Kickstarter campaign page.
Deaf West must meet its $25,000 goal by August 20th to receive any of the funds from the campaign. Pledges are made by credit card, and are held until the goal is met. If the goal is not met by the due date, no cards are charged and Deaf West gets nothing. It is a gutsy kind of fund raising approach, which assures supporters that the project will not be “under-funded.”
Check out Deaf West’s Kickstarter video and campaign page (below). Pledges start at just $10, and all pledge levels come with a reward or recognition.
[pl_button type=”success” link=”https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1832685006/deaf-west-theatre-presents-spring-awakening” target=”blank”]Spring Awakening Kickstarter Page[/pl_button]
Danny McDougall, PhD, CSC — “Dr. Danny” — owns and manages TerpTheatre. Since 1986, he has interpreted in hundreds of plays, musicals and other performances on stage – most in the shadowed style. He teaches and lectures on the theory and practice of theatre interpreting. Danny is the chair of Sign Language Studies at Madonna University, and holds a PhD in Translation and Interpretation from Heriot-Watt University – where his dissertation explored the relationship between space and meaning during interpreted theatre performances.