Lyric Theatre Brings Sign Language To The Stage With The Porch

As Oklahoma City's Lyric Theatre begins to welcome a beloved musical back this week, some of the actors behind the theatre's production of "Cinderella" are sharing why this show will be different.

The Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages Porch visited the theatre to meet with Sandra Mae Frank, who plays Cinderella, as well as Kailyn Aaron-Lozano, the theatre's lead director of American Sign Language.

Aaron-Lozano, who is deaf, said through the use of an interpreter that her job is to bring the visuals of sign language to the stage.

"I also work some of the choreography and the movement to make sure that the signs that are produced are really incorporated into the physical movement of the music and the songs," Aaron-Lozano said. "That's really my strength, so that everybody can see how the music and the language can all flow in a rhythm and be married. It's beautiful."

Making her Lyric Theatre debut with theatre credits including "RENT" and "Company," Sandra Mae Frank, who is also deaf, said she is excited for the changes being made to the musical.

75% of Lyric Theatre's bi-lingual production of "Cinderella," containing American Sign Language (ASL) and spoken English, is sung, danced, and spoken, just like a typical musical. The other 25% of the dialogue will be signed and displayed on a large screen, or, guests can follow along on their phone's with the Galapro app, a translation tool that displays the dialogue simultaneously.

"It's not just about Cinderella going to the ball and meeting her prince, which is part of the story, of course, but we wanted to change it," Frank said. "We wanted to give it more impact and to show how she can improve the world for her people, the land that she lives in, and really bring people into equality."

For more on the theatre's show and future shows, click here.