Sandbox Series
Apple Time
Presented by Globe Theatre
Apple Time is a bridge to all realms. It is a magical space where Deaf, Hard of Hearing, newcomers, oral communication and signing come together to create entire new worlds. Blending puppetry and ASL poetry with traditional Deaf storytelling, mime, mask, magic, and even a little bit of circus arts, the Apple Time ensemble invites you on a visually stunning, funny, and poignant mythical journey of immigration and migration on the Deaf high seas. Apple Time is a contemporary, youth-driven vision of the future Deaf community.
A talkback with cast and crew will follow each performance.
Cast | |
Ilhan Ahmed Abdi | Boat Story |
Mustafa Alabssi | Immigration Story |
Alex Bristow | Moose Story |
Sable Fink | Huntress Story |
Fatima Tun Nafisa | Tiger-Dragon Story |
Richard Pangman | Eagle Story |
Shayla-Rae Tanner | Eagle/Wolf Story |
Kainat Wahid | Needle Story |
Creative Team | |
Chrystene Ells | Director |
Joanne Weber | Director |
Michelle Grodecki | Director |
Mooky Cornish | Guest Director, Clown/Circus Consultant |
Allard Thomas | Performer, Deaf Elder & Prop Design |
Camry Yasinowski | Prop Design |
Berny Hi | Tech, Lighting, Projections, Audio Mix |
Tyson Zacharias | Performer/Stage Manager |
Cast | |
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Ilhan Ahmed Abdi | Boat Story Globe Theatre: Debut Other Theatre: Apple Time (Artesian, SoundOFF Deaf Theatre Festival, 2017/2019). Other: My name is Ilhan Ahmed Abdi. I am 21 years old. I am from Somalia. My language is American Sign Language. I want to bring my family to Regina from Somalia so I can spend time with them. I like building things. I would like to thank my uncle for bringing me here. |
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Mustafa Alabssi | Immigration Story Globe Theatre: Debut Other Theatre: Apple Time (Artesian, SoundOFF Deaf Theatre Festival, 2017/2019). Film & Television: Black Summer (Netflix 2019). Other: My name is Mustafa Alabssi. I am 19 years old. I am from Syria. My languages are American Sign Language, Arabic Sign Language and English. My goals for the future are I want to be acting. I would like to thank Mrs. Weber, Chrystene Ells and Mrs. Grodecki for their support and patience. In summer 2018 I was lucky to have a role as a Deaf character in a Netflix zombie series called Black Summer. I performed with movie star Jamie King. Watch for Black Summer on Netflix in early 2019. |
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Alex Bristow | Moose Story Globe Theatre: Debut Other Theatre: Deaf Crows, Apple Time (Artesian, SoundOFF Deaf Theatre Festival, 2017/2019). Other: I am Alex Bristow from Regina, Saskatchewan. I am Deaf Métis. I have two languages one is English, the second is American Sign Language. My future is about to study to become a teacher to teach the arts with the Deaf kids to improve their language and their education. I want to prevent language deprivation and improve education. I want to say thank you to my mom, grandma and my teachers for supporting me. |
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Sable Fink | Huntress Story Globe Theatre: Debut Other Theatre: Deaf Crows, Apple Time (Artesian, SoundOFF Deaf Theatre Festival, 2017/2019). Other: My name is Sable Fink. I am 19 years old. I am from Edmonton but now live in Regina. My first language is English. My second language is ASL. I was in a professional award-winning movie called Der Glockner. I want to travel to California. I would like to thank Mooky and Chrystene for all your hard work. |
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Fatima Tun Nafisa | Tiger-Dragon Story Globe Theatre: Debut Other Theatre: Deaf Crows, Apple Time (Artesian, SoundOFF Deaf Theatre Festival, 2017/2019). Other: I am 17 years old. I am hard of hearing. I am from Bangladesh. I have been here for six years. I speak Bengali, English, and ASL. My goal is to design buildings as an architect when I finish University. I would love to thank my family for allowing me to become an actress, and Chrystene and Mooky for showing us how to express ourselves in theatre. |
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Richard Pangman | Eagle Story Globe Theatre: Debut Other Theatre: Apple Time (Artesian, SoundOFF Deaf Theatre Festival, 2017/2019). Other: I am 20 years old. I am First Nations. I recently graduated high school. I am training to be a welder. I enjoy being involved in Deaf Crows Collective and performing. I want to say thank you to Mrs. Weber and Mrs. Grodecki for helping me and supporting me. And also I want to say thank you to Chrystene because I’ve been in the performance with Deaf Crows Collective and that made me feel great with other Deaf people and I really like that so thanks for everything that you doing. |
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Shayla-Rae Tanner | Eagle/Wolf Story Globe Theatre: Debut Other Theatre: Deaf Crows, Apple Time (Artesian, SoundOFF Deaf Theatre Festival, 2017/2019). Other: I am 20 years old. I am hard of hearing. I am enjoying drama and working hard for my school and I will never give up! I graduated in the June 2018. I am planning for College or University but first I would love go to travel before starting College or University at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf in Rochester, New York or Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. I would like to become to Teacher Assistant or Artist. I would like to thank you Mrs. Weber, Mrs. Grodecki, Chrystene, and Mooky who helped out with Apple Time. |
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Kainat Wahid | Needle Story Globe Theatre: Debut Other Theatre: Apple Time (Artesian, SoundOFF Deaf Theatre Festival, 2017/2019). Other: My name is Kainat Wahid. I am 19 years old. I am from Pakistan. My languages are Urdu, ASL and English. I want to become a policewoman or a teacher. Thank to Michelle Grodecki, Joanne Weber, Chrystene Ells and Mooky. |
Creative Team | |
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Chrystene Ells | Director Globe Theatre: KaleidoCycle (2012). Other Theatre: Director of Deaf Crows, Apple Time, and dozens of plays in San Francisco, including: Dirty Laundry, Dark Circus and Babae at Bindlestiff Studio, and Pounds and Pounds of Dirt, chain reaction, and One Who Walked Away at various San Francisco venues (1988–2005). Performer and puppeteer in Puppet Sideshow (MacKenzie Art Gallery); The Eviction (Magic Theatre, San Francisco); Memento Mori (Bindlestiff, San Francisco); a staged reading of Dracula directed by Francis Ford Coppola, among dozens of others. Other: Chrystene Ells (MFA) is an award-winning artist and director of film and theatre, and a certified art therapist. As a hearing person, she is honoured to be so warmly invited into the Deaf Space created by Joanne Weber, Michelle Grodecki, and the Deaf Crows. Chrystene is looking forward to her upcoming collaboration on Joanne’s one-woman show, 1000 Ladders Down, presented by Deaf Crows, and is currently in development on her next project, a performative installation featuring handmade wooden puppets and automata. |
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Joanne Weber | Director Globe Theatre: Debut Other Theatre: Deaf Crows, Apple Time (Artesian, SoundOFF Deaf Theatre Festival, 2017/2019); 1000 Ladders Down (2019). Other: Joanne Weber (PhD) is a Deaf teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) at Winston Knoll Collegiate. She earned her B.A. Honours in English Literature and a B.Ed. at the University of Saskatchewan, and a Master’s in Library Science from the University of Alberta. She also attended a graduate studies program in Deaf Education at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. She is certified by the Canadian Association of Educators of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CAEDHH). Recently, Joanne obtained her PhD at the University of Regina, specializing in Language and Literacy with a focus on the education of the deaf. Her books, The Pear Orchard (poetry) and The Deaf House (creative non-fiction) were finalists in the Saskatchewan Book Awards (2007, 2013). She is currently developing her own one-woman performance. Joanne is also a leader in the Deaf community at provincial and national levels. Her lifelong passion is to improve the quality of education for DHH students. |
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Michelle Grodecki | Director Globe Theatre: Debut Other Theatre: Deaf Crows, Apple Time (Artesian, SoundOFF Deaf Theatre Festival, 2017/2019). Other: Michelle Grodecki is a teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at Winston Knoll Collegiate. She earned her B. Ed at the University of Regina and is currently completing her final year of a post-baccalaureate Diploma in the Education of Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing from York University. She is also the proud mom to twin boys, James and Oscar. Having a Deaf child herself, Michelle is a strong parent advocate and supporter of Saskatchewan’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community. She currently serves on the board of directors for Saskatchewan Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services and Deaf Crows Collective. |
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Mooky Cornish | Guest Director, Clown/Circus Consultant Globe Theatre: Debut Other Theatre: Lead Clown and creator for Cirque du Soleil’s Varekai, plus hundreds of performances at London’s Royal Albert Hall, the Sydney Opera House, Off Broadway New York, and the Bobino in Paris. Other: Acclaimed physical comedienne Mooky Cornish has performed for over three million spectators worldwide. A master of physical comedy, puppetry, piano and performance, Mooky is one of the funniest ladies working the international circuit today. Thanks to the Deaf Crows for laughter-filled days and your courageous, generous, revolutionary voices. I am in awe of you. |
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Allard Thomas | Performer, Deaf Elder & Prop Design Globe Theatre: Debut Other Theatre: Apple Time (Artesian, SoundOFF Deaf Theatre Festival, 2017/2019). Other: I am the Deaf Elder at Thom Collegiate Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program. My goal is to encourage Deaf and/or Hard of Hearing students to learn American Sign Language (ASL) in order to gain their English skills as their second language. ASL is a natural language created and used by Deaf people in both Canada and USA, much different from spoken English in grammatical rules and structure. I am involved in various organizations of/for the deaf locally, provincially, and nationally as an advocate and supporter. |
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Camry Yasinowski | Prop Design Globe Theatre: Debut Other Theatre: Apple Time (Artesian). Other: I’m 17 years old, I am hard of hearing. I am Saulteaux from the Muskowekwan First Nation. I enjoy reading and art. Designing props has been an enjoyable experience. My dream is to be a vet or an artist. I would like to thank my parents for supporting me and Chrystene, Mrs. Weber and Mrs. Grodecki for introducing us to drama and art. |
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Berny Hi | Tech, Lighting, Projections, Audio Mix Globe Theatre: KaleidoCycle (2012) Other Theatre: Deaf Crows, Apple Time (Artesian, SoundOFF Deaf Theatre Festival, 2017/2019); Performer and puppeteer in Puppet Sideshow (MacKenzie Art Gallery); Ruya (SK Arts Awards Gala); Punch and Judy (Calgary International Festival of Animated Objects). Other: Filmmaker, performer, and visual artist Berny finds working with the Deaf Crows a life-fulfilling experience. Berny is honoured and humbled to be welcomed into their world, to be made part of the beautiful moments of creative explosion from the tenacious human spirit present in each student, and their mentors, Allard and Joanne. |
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Tyson Zacharias | Performer/Stage Manager Globe Theatre: Debut Other Theatre: Deaf Crows, Apple Time (Artesian, SoundOFF Deaf Theatre Festival, 2017/2019). Other: My name is Tyson Zacharias. I’m 18 years old and I am a hard of hearing student. I am here in Regina. The languages I use are ASL and English. My dream is to get a job doing computer work or making amazing stuff out of metal for money. I also want to learn more languages and become a translator. I want to thank Mooky, Chrystene, Joanne Weber and Michelle Grodecki for helping me find a place in Apple Time. |
Gold coloured squares represent days with performances. Click on the date to see show times for that date.