CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va (CBS19 News) — Victory Hall Opera is pushing boundaries with their production of Orpheus and Erica, and is including performers of all kinds in their opera, including hearing actors, deaf actors, opera singers and UVA Chamber Singers.

“As you can imagine, it’s a very complex process,” added Brenda Patterson, who plays Orpheus in the production.

After years of discussion and collaborating, Victory Hall Opera added a new play within it to further their storytelling.

Along with sign language interpreters and the cast learning ASL, this production allows all the actors to come together to tell a beautiful piece of art.

“We’re trying to create a piece of theater that will speak to deaf and hearing audiences alike, in different ways. But, we’re very conscious of making it entertaining, engaging, and moving to both audiences,” added Patterson.

The reason for Orpheus and Erica is to be able to tell a story people are familiar with, but having audiences leave with a newfound appreciation of communication and all the ways people can show their emotions, expressions, and words without speaking. 

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