Talia Dagan, as Sarah Norman in "Children of a Lesser God," makes the sign for "connect to" referring to her relationship with James Leeds, played by Lyceum Artistic Director Quin Gresham. The drama tells about the stormy relationship between Norman, who is deaf, and Leeds, who is a speech teacher for deaf students. (Eric Crump/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge]

Before one show last year at the Lyceum Theatre I overheard an Arrow Rock resident and regular at the theater tell another patron that although Lyceum productions are generally excellent there seems to be one that stands out, that has some intangible quality that makes it special.

This year, the stand-out is "Children of a Lesser God," the drama with Lyceum Artistic Director Quin Gresham starring as James Leeds, a teacher in a school for the deaf who falls in love with a deaf woman, Sarah Norman, played by Talia Dagan.

When the play was chosen for this season, Gresham knew it would be a challenge because to do it right would require casting deaf actors, introducing the complication of having to communicate in two languages, spoken and sign, as the production was developed.

But dealing with that communication problem is perfectly appropriate because it is the problem that drives the play, too.

"I think challenges are always better," Gresham said. "This has been so much more rewarding. It's not really difficult. It's fun, refreshing. It's unlike anything anybody's ever seen [here]."

Gresham put in the work necessary to become the character of James Leeds, speech therapist for deaf students. He began studying sign language in January with classes to learn the basics followed by private lessons that helped him master the script.

His signing looks impressive to those of us who are unfamiliar with it, though he is self-deprecating about his abilities, claiming to have "stupid fingers" following a run-through of the first act Sunday, Sept. 23.

And after rehearsals and two performances Wednesday, Sept. 26, he said his hands and arms are feeling the strain of carrying on a more than two-hour conversation on stage.

Gresham's performance is made more impressive by the fact that in addition to carrying on that conversation in a second language but because he has to translate into speech the signs of co-star Talia Dagan, in a sense speaking for both characters.

And that's a key to the conflict in their stormy relationship. Leeds brings to it a mission: To convince Norman to learn to speak, something she refuses to do.

Leeds has a hearing person's common assumption about deafness, that it is a handicap, a deficiency that needs to be remedied.

Norman resists every effort to remake her in the image of "normal" hearing people want to impose, insisting that she should be allowed to be herself, deaf and very capable of getting along in the world.

Dagan, who is deaf, brings an incredible expressiveness to the role.

Her hands and arms are sometimes a blur of motion, sometimes soaring gracefully, sometimes slashing with anger.

But she signs not just with her hands. Her face and body are constantly animated in a dance that is full of meaning and feeling. And at the end of the demanding performance she is still full of energy.

Quite aside from the compelling story of their relationship the physical performance is worth seeing.

Dagan said she fell in love with acting at age 13 when she landed a role in a production of "Cinderella." She has also played the supporting role of Lydia in a production of "Children of a Lesser God."

Asked whether the play held special meaning for a deaf actor, she said it wasn't the hearing/deaf aspect of it that she finds most interesting but rather the deeper issue of understanding.

"It's a love story," she said. "It's about learning to communicate. They have to break down barriers."

But those barriers are something that most people wrestle with, whether they can hear or not.

So while the communication problems are complicated by the need to use two languages, it's what the characters say and their struggle to pay close attention to each other that matters most.

The play also has interesting religious issues woven through it, as indicated by the title.

Each character to various degrees wishes to shape others to fit his or her own image, not just of self but of what the other "ought" to be, our compulsive atttempts to play God.

This play is one to see and certainly brings the Lyceum season to a satisfying conclusion.

Contact Eric Crump at

marshalleditor@socket.net