Special SPRING AWAKENING Debut of the Month Series: Miles Barbee

Deaf West Theater's production of Spring Awakening is currently in previews at Broadway's Brook Atkinson Theater, with opening night set for Sunday, September 27. As BWW recently reported, an extra two weeks of performances have been added to the limited engagement, extending the show's run through Sunday, January 24th.

When did you know you wanted to become an actor - was there a specific show or actor that influenced that decision?

I grew up thinking theatre was lame because I wasn't really exposed to theatre until I met Russell Harvard and Joann Benfield through ASL Films, a deaf owned filming production. Russell and Joann suggested me to audition for Spring Awakening. I told them I didn't have any interest in being on stage. They wouldn't leave me alone for three days so I gave in and auditioned, and thanks to Joann's help with audition video, I got into Deaf West. Spring Awakening changed my life. I am a professional actor now.

Did you have any hesitations about doing a musical theater production?

I did have some hesitation because I had never learned a whole lyric from a song before. Spring Awakening helped me with that. I did my first music video several months after our first run. It's called "Lazy Song," directed by Jules Dameron, a deaf woman film maker, script writer, you name it.

What have been some of the biggest challenges you have faced with this production?

All of the challenges go back to our first run in a church in North Hollywood, Los Angeles. Not everyone in this production was there. We had two months to rehearse. It was rough in some ways because there were echoes that we didn't know about; learning choreography was awkward because almost everyone was new to Spencer Liff's style; and all the hearing actors had to learn ASL.

In what ways is the story of SPRING AWAKENING a perfect fit for a Deaf West production?

Deaf West Theatre always wanted to break barriers for the deaf. The story of Spring Awakening is a perfect fit because the adults want all of the kids to concentrate and fit into society, just like our modern society. Deaf community is the size of a quarter in the hearing world. Deaf West likes to think outside of the box, and show the world what we can do - like the kids in the story.

In what ways does adding American Sign Language to the show intensify the conflicts at the heart of the story and deepen the theatrical experience?

American Sign Language brought a lot more layers to the story because it shows that we, deaf people, are humans too. We don't show any sign of deaf issues. We go through the same problems that the hearing characters do. Sign language also definitely deepened the theatrical experience in choreography because of the musical movement combined with signing movement that is still clear to the audience, both deaf and hearing.

SPRING AWAKENING is truly a coming of age story. As a young person, in what ways can you relate to these characters?

I relate a lot to these character because I have been there before. My parents weren't religious but they had rules that my brothers and I always broke. Also as a deaf person, I know the feeling of being oppressed from the hearing world. I love performing "The Bitch of Living" - I feel good because I am able to break out during that moment.

Was it difficult to integrate the choreography with sign language?

No, it wasn't hard to integrate those two because Spencer made sure I was comfortable doing the movement with his choreography. There were many times where the sign was awkward to do. Of course that has been changed to something cleaner. Also, I feel like adding some movement to the sign language gave the sign language more meaning to me.

Frank Wedekind's play was written in 1891. Why does the story still resonate with today's audiences?

The story still resonates with today's audiences because there are many things that people relate to. I could list many here but to keep this short, I will say everything from sexual exploration to suicide. Adults went through many things that happened in the show, but I think the teens have a lot more relation to the show than the adults - because they see what they are going through now or recently.

What has it been like to make your Broadway debut in this production?

I feel so good making my Broadway debut with Deaf West Theatre and with this wonderful cast. I am glad I said yes to making an audition video for Deaf West. If I had been too stubborn and said no, I wouldn't be here. Everything happens for a reason. I never once thought that this would be part of my path in life. I owe it to my parents - love you, Mom and Dad.

About Miles Barbee: Miles Barbee has had amazing role opportunities, like getting punched on ABC Family's "Switched at Birth" and more recently, being flung around as Ildefonso in the In/Visible Theatre (NC) premiere Without Words.

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus