Tribes – Tacoma Arts Live @ Theater on the Square (Tacoma)

By Nina Raine

Hearing does not mean understanding.

We inherit our first tribe, the family. Our tribe speaks their own language, both literally and emotionally. Billy was born deaf into a hearing family, but raised to fit into the hearing world. Her parents and siblings fiercely cling to their funny, quirky, and politically incorrect world-views, but, Billy has adapted brilliantly to her family’s unconventional ways. And yet they’ve never bothered to return the favor. It’s not until she meets Sylvia, a young woman on the brink of deafness, that she finally understands what it means to be understood, to be seen, to be honored. Comic twists mix with charged emotions in a play that universally speaks to all of us. Billy is played by deaf actress, Michelle Mary Schaefer. ASL interpretation is deeply integrated into each performance.

Location: Theater on the Square (Tacoma – downtown)

Tickets ($19+) here.