|
Pinky Aiello
|
Pinky was born deaf in the Bronx, NY and currently lives in Portland, OR. She
has worked with many different groups, including theatre and a deaf dance group called Dancers in New York City, in Cleveland at the Sign Stage Theatre, NTD's Little Theatre of the Deaf, as well as at
Universal Studio in Los Angeles and Six Flags. Pinky is also one of a few professional
deaf female jugglers.
Pinky has traveled throughout the United States and Europe studying Deaf Culture
and American Sign Language & International Sign Language. Pinky recently
starred in the DVD, "Pinky Tells The Real Story: Videophone & Video Relay
Service," which explores the world of video relay interpreting from both the deaf
and interpreter perspectives with her own special brand of humor. Check it out on
her Web site:
www.PinkyVRS.com
She is working on ASL Fairy Tales performed in video. She is producing ASL DVDs
for the new publisher, ASL Tales. Her first book, Princess and the Pea, will be
available October 2008. Check out that and 5 other titles scheduled for 2008-9 at
www.ASLTales.net.
Pinky has performed numerous times at DeaFestival, most recently she was the
Emcee for the SpotLights stage in 2006. The Emcee role fit her so well that she
decided to do it again this year!
|
|
Clay and Levi Anderson
|
The Anderson Twins, Clay and Levi, grew up in a small town in New Mexico. Not only
were they the only set of twins in town but Levi was the only deaf child. Being
boys, they always managed to find some kind of trouble to get into!
It appears that they find pleasure and satisfaction in making their audience roar
with laughter, but it is obvious that they like having fun with each other! Boys
will be boys…no matter how old they are!!
They delighted us in 2006 and we are thrilled they are making their second visit to
DeaFestival.
|
|
Burton Bird
|
Burton Bird, from Northern Saskatchewan, Canada, is a member of the Montreal Lake
Cree Nation. Burton lived on the Montreal Lake Reserve and attended public school
there until he was a sophomore in high school. When he was 17 years old he went to
Saskatoon, Canada, for a hearing evaluation and saw deaf students using ASL for the
first time. He decided that he wanted to learn ASL. He then began attending the
school for the deaf half a day and a Native American school for the other half of
the day. Burton made many new friends at the school for the deaf and began learning
about hoop dancing while at the Native American school.
For the last 18 years, Burton has traveled across Canada and the United States
performing his Native American Hoop Dances at Pow Wows, Native ceremonies and
special events. This will be his second visit to DeaFestival.
|
|
Linsay Darnall, Jr.
|
Linsay Darnall Jr. is a staunch advocate
for the rights of deaf and hard of hearing Americans. He led
the march to the U.S. Capitol from Gallaudet University campus
to speak out for the rights of closed-captioning on TV. He is also
a writer and director and has a passion for government and
history.
|
|
Rosa Lee Gallimore
|
Rosa Lee is a performance artist and instructor who has been involved with a
variety of theatre arts projects over the past twelve years. She created her first
one-woman show during the fall of 2004 and has since performed in front of
thousands of hearing and deaf onlookers all over the country to rave reviews. Rosa
Lee incorporates all aspects of her artistic talents and her experiences as a deaf
woman from a deaf family into her shows, which include music, video, and
performance art.
Rosa Lee prominently appears on various DVDs, CD-ROMs, and VHS tapes. She is a featured poet on “ASL Poetry: Selected Works of Clayton Valli”, a narrator in DeafHope’s, “Till Domestic Violence Do Us Apart”, ASL Rose’s “Have You Ever Seen an ASL Handshape DVD/Book?”, “Do? TELL! Kids Against Child Abuse” and a language model for “American Sign Language Video Dictionary and Inflection Guide CD-ROM”.
As a teacher and instructor, Rosa Lee has guided students in the art movement and drama at the Indiana School for the Deaf, for Pah! Deaf Youth Theater Camp, and The Magical Literacy Camp. She also worked as a skit coordinator for the Youth Leadership Retreat 2005 in Peacable Kingdom, Texas.
Rosa Lee currently lives in New England.
We are excited to have The Rosa Lee Show on our SpotLights
stage for the first time.
http://rosaleeshow.com |
|
Paige Hawkins
|
Paige was born into a deaf family in 1995. At 10 she was bitten by the acting bug
and began performing in school talent shows. She quickly became a favorite and in
the last 4 years she has won several awards for literary and ASL Poetry.
Paige attends Indiana School for the Deaf where her favorite subjects are Math,
Art and of course, Drama!! Paige is currently involved in a deaf TV series
titled, “Dr. Wonder’s Workshop”. She is 12 years old and a little person
with big dreams. She wants to go to Hollywood.
Let’s welcome her to her first DeaFestival as she performs “Pinky Pink” on
the SpotLights stage.
|
|
Monique Holt
|
Monique Holt, a storyteller/actress/director/ASL translator/theater producer... -
was born in Seoul, South Korea, and was adopted by a white American deaf family.
Being an Asian was not cool until the late 1980s and it took her a long time to
embrace her origins. Monique realized it was okay to be Asian through reading many
Asian stories.
Monique resides in Washington, D.C. She is now in her final semester at Towson
University and expects to graduate in December 2008 with an MFA in Theatre. She
is, also a Gallaudet University Presidential Fellow and Adjunct Professor. She
teaches for the Theatre Arts Department.
Monique is paying her first visit to DeaFestival and will be performing on the
Spotlights stage as well as the Children's Program, "Around the World in 80 Minutes."
|
|
CJ Jones
|
CJ is known primarily as CEO, producer, director, writer, actor, comedian, and
motivational speaker. He has traveled with the National Theatre of the Deaf and
toured with “Children of a Lesser God” on Broadway. He has also appeared on
NBC’s “Frasier,” ABC Family’s “ Lincoln Heights,” the PBS television
shows “ Sesame Street” and “Rainbow’s End,” and was the host of “Happy
Hands Kids Klub.” His latest job was a “voice over” for a Deaf Indian (played
by a hearing actor) in a movie called “PathFinder” from 20th Century Fox.
When not pursuing these goals, he takes his one-man show (www.cjjoneslive.com) on
the road! For more than 30 years, CJ has shared his talents with Deaf and hearing
schools, events, and universities across the country and around the world.
www.cjjoneslive.com
|
|
Mindy Moore
|
The passion of theater has always been in Mindy Moore’s blood. She has flourished
all the way through the years in her performing arts calling. Her resume includes
numerous leading roles in productions such as high school theatre, and Gallaudet
University cable TV shows, Florida Avenue and Deaf Moonlite. She has also worked as
writer and producer. She currently teaches drama, deaf studies and art at the Texas
School for the Deaf and also directs plays and gives workshops. Mindy is now ready
and determined to make her dream come true of being a professional entertainer.
Mindy has been involved in DeaFestival several times in the
past in many different roles. She has been Emcee for the
SpotLights stage, performed for the
Children’s program and in the SpotLights program. She has also
performed with her husband Theron Parker.
www.justmindy.com |
|
Theron Parker
|
When Theron Parker was 10 years old, he got the role of the Prince in the Christmas
story "The Nutcracker." It was then that he fell in love with drama. In high
school, he had many lead roles in many plays. When he moved to Seattle, Washington,
after graduation, he had the opportunity to delve deep within himself and that was
when he found that acting and art came quite naturally to him. For him, ASL
storytelling is the most beautifulmusic imaginable. Because of its natural beauty
and expressiveness, he wants to expose ASL to as many generations of deaf children
as he can.
Theron has performed at DeaFestival several times in the past and joins us again.
www.justmindy.com
|
|
Sammy Ruiz
|
Sammy Ruiz, Jr. started practicing magic at the tender age of 10. He has been
performing magic shows for the last 16 years and won first place in Illusion Magic
at the World Deaf Magic Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia, last year. He is a two-time National Deaf Magician champion and continues to travel the world to perform
and compete.
|
|
Bobbie Beth Scoggins
|
Dr. Bobbie Beth Scoggins graduated from Texas School for the Deaf, attended
Gallaudet then transferred to California State University at Northridge for her
Masters and obtained her doctoral degree at Pepperdine University. She served as
administrator of a drug and alcohol recovery center before relocating to Kentucky
as the Executive Director of the Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of
Hearing (KCDHH). In October 2007 Bobbie Beth left KCDHH to return to her home state
of Texas and spend time with family. However, in January 2008 CSD coaxed her into
becoming its Chief Operations Officer (COO) in Sioux Falls, SD.
Dr. Scoggins served as President of the USA Deaf Sports Federation from 1998 to
2005 and is admired nationwide for her career as an actress. Along with her
business success, she has been recognized by many professional and philanthropic
organizations for her achievements. She has received many awards but one of her
proudest moments was carrying the Olympic flame representing the deaf and hard of
hearing community for the 2004 Olympic Games. She was elected President of the
National Association of the Deaf in 2006 and continues to serve in that capacity.
We welcome her back to Kentucky as she performs with CJ Jones on the SpotLights
stage in a Hillary Clinton-Barack Obama debate that you won’t want to miss!
|
|
Warren "WAWA" Snipe
|
This consummate entertainer has been performing since childhood and has and does
nearly everything imaginable in the entertainment world. Acting, dancing, singing,
modeling…you name it. He has also traveled the globe for the past dozen years
performing with the Wild Zappers. He has written powerfulpoems and songs and his
passion for music grew to a point that he had to share with the world. Warren
Snipe, affectionately known as WAWA, intends to introduce the world to a new kind of
music…DIP-HOP…what’s that you ask? It’s Hip-Hop through DEAF EYES!!
DeaFestival has had the pleasure of hosting WAWA many times in the past when he
has performed with the Wild Zappers but this will be his first solo performance
on the SpotLights stage.
|
|
The Wild Zappers
|
The Wild Zappers, originally an all deaf male dance company, was founded by Irvine
Stewart with the support of Fred Michael Beam and Warren "WAWA" Snipe in 1989. It
was originally created to give deaf male dancers an opportunity to dance together
and promote cultural and educational awareness through entertainment within the
deaf and hearing community. The company has performed throughout the country and on
various television programs helping enrich professional arts for the deaf.
Members include Fred Beam—Director, Warren Snipe—Assistant Director, Tara Downing,
Ronnie Bradley, Marc Bowman and Kobina Duncan. They lead audiences in a joyous and
uplifting celebration of the arts and communication.
Members of WZ, mostly Jazz/Funk/Hip Hop dancers, have wide variety of performing
experiences including Gallaudet Dance Company, Rochester Institute of Technology
Dance Company, DuPont Alley Dance Company, National Theatre of Deaf, PennVision
Dance Company, Center Stage at Baltimore, MD, John F. Kennedy Center, Arena Stage,
Deaf West and many theatrical affiliations. Some members went on and became
professional performing artists, directors and choreographers for many
organizations.
The Zappers have become a mainstay at DeaFestival and we are excited to have them
back on the SpotLights stage!
http://invisiblehands.com |
|
