LOS ANGELES -- Three of the theater's most distinguished deaf actors, Phyllis Frelich, Linda Bove and Freda Norman, will star in Federico Garcia Lorca's tragedy, The House of Bernarda Alba, opening May 9 at the Ventura Court Theatre and running through June 13. The production marks the opening of Deaf West Theater Company's 1999 season.
Lorca's play, set in rural Spain at the turn of the century, deals with five emotionally repressed sisters kept virtual prisoners from the outside world by their just-widowed, domineering mother.
Directing is Larry Arrick, from an English translation by Carmen Zapata, founder and artistic director of The Bilingual Foundation for the Arts.
The cast features deaf and hearing actors and will be presented in American Sign Language with voice interpretation for hearing members of the audience.
The ensemble also includes Antoinette Abbemonte, Margaret Arnold, Deanne Bray, April Shawhan, Cami Varela and Tali Dagan. Voice actors are Lynn Milgrim, Francine Sama, Jennifer Snipstad, Laurie Woolery and Dashia Quintero. Frelich won a Tony Award for her portrayal of Sarah in Children of a Lesser God and an Emmy nomination for Hallmark Hall of Fame's Love is Never Silent.
Bove is marking her 30th year as Linda the Librarian in TV's "Sesame Street."
Norman recently co-starred in Sweet Nothing in My Ear at the Fountain Theatre.
Deaf West Theatre Company will be moving into its new, permanent home in the NoHo Arts District in the fall.
The Ventura Court Theatre is at 12417 Ventura Court in Studio City. Call (818) 762-2883 (voice); (818) 762-2782 (TTY).
-- By Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent
