Attending a performance of Alcestis 2020 at Gallaudet University — a world premiere play set in the year that will go down in infamy as the world was rocked by COVID — ended up being a lesson in what storytelling can look like when people with disabilities, such as being Deaf or hard-of-hearing, are able to tell their own stories, instead of having stories told about them.
Well before the show started, I appreciated navigating Gallaudet in relative silence. Used to the hustle, bustle, and noise of a college campus, especially one in Chocolate City, I had to pay more attention to body language and lip-reading than I usually do.
After all, as a hearing person, it’s easy to overlook nonverbal communication when the world is catered to you, while other, differently-abled individuals have to be accommodated.
Written by Garrett Zuercher and directed by MoMo Holt, Alcestis 2020 explores family dynamics, politics, and trauma through the lens of a queer couple, Hal, who is Black (Pierre Butler), and Chad, who is white (JJ McManus), and their adopted son, Bo (Hardy Jones).
The play begins during the pandemic in New York City, then shifts to a small town in the rural Deep South about an hour and 30 minutes from Atlanta, where Hal and Chad and their young son seek solace from the spread of disease. The quaint, homey scenery (designed by Ethan Sinnott) of Chad’s Grandma and Grandpa’s house (Marcia Freeman and Kevin Dauphin) is simple yet warm and inviting, reminiscent of Southern farmhouse-style homes.
I can relate to this as a South Carolina girl living in the Bronx at the time, wondering whether I should, like many of my classmates, go back home where there’s less risk and fewer restrictions, but afraid of infecting my aging parents.
The exaggerated gestures, whispered, heated disagreements behind the back of a precocious, curious child, annoyed body language, and strongly worded ASL all pointed to a looming family secret I was eager to have revealed. As the show progressed, I wondered, “Why isn’t Hal welcomed at his mother- and father-in-law’s house? Oh, I hope it’s not because he’s Black; that’s too cliché, although it would make sense, given the Trump hat on Uncle Toofer [Abigail Wagner].” The plot twist at the end was the embodiment of “expected the unexpected.”
In just under 90 minutes, Hardy Jones as Bo has many standout moments, entertaining the audience with near-perfect comedic timing and natural chemistry with his castmates. At some points, one could even think that the characters are all legitimately related, and not just acting, as family ties are challenged by the weight of grief, loss, and medical trauma.
In 2020, a rapidly spreading infectious disease tore families apart and disrupted everyday life as simple pleasures, like indoor dining and Starbucks, were paused. If nothing else, Alcestis 2020 reminds us that, sometimes, family is all we have, so it’s important to hold the ones still here a little tighter.
Running Time: Approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.
Alcest 2020 plays through November 8, 2026 (Saturday and Sunday), presented by Gallaudet University Performing Arts in the Eastman Blackbox Studio Theatre (adjacent to the Elstad Auditorium) on the campus of Gallaudet University, 800 Florida Ave. NE, Washington, DC. Tickets (non-Gallaudet students, $10; staff and faculty, $15; Gallaudet students, free with discount code; general admission/adults, $20) are available online, by email (theatre.tickets@gallaudet.edu), or by calling 202-651-5501.
Performed in spoken English and American Sign Language (ASL), with open captioning.
Adult themes. Recommended for ages 13 and up.
Alcestis 2020 (world premiere)
by Garrett Zeurcher
Directed by MoMo Holt
The program with complete credits is online here.
