Arts & Culture

San Antonio’s Miscast Theatre Company puts ASL interpreters center stage

Texas Public Radio | By Jackie Velez

Published August 1, 2025 at 12:53 PM CDT

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The shadow interpreters for "Do You Feel Anger?" (Top row left to right) Robert Cardoza interpreting for Howie, Derek Ramirez Escobedo interpreting for Jordan, William Nabors interpreting for Jon. (Bottom row left to right) Tiresheka Gullage interpreting for Eva, Elisabeth Giminiani interpreting for Sofia’s Mom/Janie, Emily Arriaga interpreting for Sofia.

Nicole Rey Phoenix. / Courtesy photo

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"Do You Feel Anger?" Full cast & ASL cast photo. (Left to right, top to bottom): Tiresheka Gullage, William Nabors, Sa’Nyah Crockett, Godwin Balogun, Nicholas Ramirez, Derek Ramirez Escobedo, Samuel Egger, Giavana Herrera, Robert Cardoza, Elisabeth Giminiani, Emely Valladares-Orellana, Emily Arriaga, Lyla Vasquez

Nicole Rey Phoenix / Courtesy photo

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During a traditional theater stage performance, American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters are often off to the side to sign the show. That leaves deaf audience members out of enjoying the entire event. One theatre company is rectifying that problem by collaborating with an interpreting organization where the interpreters join the action on stage.

San Antonio’s Miscast Theatre Company has partnered up with Stage Hands, an organization that gives its interpreters a chance to be live on stage incorporating something called shadow interpreted performance.

Performers of "Do You Feel Anger?" (left to right) Nicholas Ramirez playing Jordan, Sa’Nyah Crockett playing Eva, Lyla Vasquez playing Sofia, ASL director, Robert Cardoza (interpreting for Howie) and Samuel Egger playing Howie

“So being on stage with the actors, shadowing what they're doing on stage, then the deaf patrons can look at the stage itself, look at the actors and look at the interpreter at the same time,” said Stage Hands ASL director, Robert Cardoza.

Director of the production Do You Feel Anger, Luke Stout, says even non-deaf audience members can enjoy the shadow interpretation.

“Our ASL crew are so talented, and because they are not able to vocalize and say what their characters are thinking,” said Stout. “They have to do double the amount of work and put it into their facial expressions, their movements, their gestures. And so they're very emotive and so fun to watch.”

Performers for the ASL Shadow Performance of "Do You Feel Anger?" lead, Lyla Vasquez, playing Sofia (right) and shadow interpreter, Emily Arriaga also playing Sofia (left).

Stout and Cardoza previously worked together on the play Bright Ideas.

“He was my shadow interpreter,” said Stout. “So we played the same characters, and … we both had to dress up … in a beaver costume.”

"Do You Feel Anger?' director Luke Stout (left) poses with Stage Hands ASL director Robert Cardoza (right) for last year's play "Bright Ideas."

Both actors have a tremendous respect for each other and their craft and envision a long-term relationship to give the deaf community a chance to enjoy the arts.

Cardoza would love to see more ASL interpreters perform on stage for the deaf community.

“Whether it's having the interpreters on the side of the stage, but still at a level to where the deaf patrons don't have to physically turn their heads to be able to get a full view of the performance,” said Cardoza. “If not that, then actually getting shadow performers on stage.”

Stage Hands will perform at Miscast’s play Do You Feel Anger? Friday, Aug. 1 and Saturday, Aug. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Palo Alto College Performing Arts Center, 1400 W. Villaret Blvd.