[opera captions]
captions as an actor
produced by An Opera Theatre, directed by Sequoia Hauck
First premiered in 2023 by thingNY, AOT (An Opera Theatre)’s production of [opera captions] is a newly produced iteration of the original premiere and has been guided by an Advisory Council which includes both Deaf and hearing-abled theater artists.
[opera captions] is a music-theater-film-translation-poetry performance that reimagines what captions as an “actor” can do beyond functioning as a communication conveyor and sound interpreter in audiovisual media while interacting with and personified by both Deaf and hearing humans.
Work details
Year created: 2026
Format: multifaceted performance with digital projection, live captioning, live scoring, improvisation, and audience participation
Duration: ±75 minutes
Cast
Performers
Narrator
Cindi Martin
Rodolfo Nieto
Music Director, Piano, Narrator
Jared Mikach
Saxophone and Narrator
Sage Opeña
Cello and Narrator
Rebecca Merblum
ASL Interpreter
Maria Dively
Abby Turner (Day 1 show)
Access Caption Operator
Isa Tejeda
Audio Description (Day 3 show)
Connie Fullmer
[opera captions] Team
Creator, Music Composer, Writer, and Graphic designer
Jay Afrisando
Stage Director
Sequoia Hauck
Executive Director
Kelly M. Turpin
Stage Manager
Ches Cipriano
Accessibility Coordinator
Riley Graygrove
Caption Creator
Lela Olson
AOT Business Manager
Isa Tejeda
Lighting Designer
Dante Lawrence
Rehearsal Interpreters
Alyssa Hill
Bee Valentino
Advisory Council
Cindi Martin
Cookie Brand
Maria Dively
Meryl K. Evans
An Opera Theatre (AOT) was founded in 2018 with a mission to produce socially relevant works to break down the barriers of the classical art form and bring communities together.
As the Twin Cities’ boldest opera company, guided by its core vision of Art To Action, the company returns opera to its original purpose: a platform for civic discourse that amplifies voices historically pushed to the margins. It honors the ancient, multicultural roots of the art form while boldly pushing it toward an intercultural, decolonized future, creating opera experiences that are urgent, inclusive, and deeply connected to today.
[opera captions]: An Opera Theatre is made possible by the support of the Minnesota State Arts Board.
Performance
Nautilus Music Theater, St. Paul, MN, US, 3-6 April 2026.