Dear Friends,

I am so thrilled to share this powerful play by my friend and fellow poet Sofia Ghassaei. Sofia is involved in many activities, including theater, and I particularly love that she is taking on an interest in a field that doesn’t immediately seem accessible to nonspeakers. She and others like her working in theater are changing how we view performance and storytelling and voice.

I want to strongly emphasize that she is able to explore this passion through her access to communication. Communication is not just about the practical purpose of life logistics, but also about flourishing in a life we have the main voice in!

Thank you Sofia for sharing this!

Your Friend,

Danny

Introduction from Sofi

Someone asked me to put my soul out there and write a play. I did, and it was an amazing experience. I said yes to adventure. It was so hard to be on stage but all went well.

Each time I am challenged I find I can thrive.

Script

Words Unheard  by Sofia Ghassaei   

Originally produced by Theater of Possibility, Seattle, WA, 2022

Setting: high school life skills classroom

Characters:

Teacher 1, Teacher 2

Sofi1- non-speaker, uses a letterboard

Sofi 2- voiceover actor for thoughts, reading filmed poetry

Instructional aide (no lines)

Communication Partner – Eric

3-5 other students- speaking and non-speaking-Mary, Melody, Sarah, Tomas, Alex

Part 1

(Scene- Teachers are at the waste basket in front of the classroom, speaking so all the students can hear. Students are seated at the desks, sorting pens in the “task box”, totally exasperated.)

MARY:  Not again! We did this yesterday. 

SARAH: So boring. Time for my brain to rot. 

TOMAS:  No harm in skipping this time killer shit.

MELODY: (throws pen on floor)

(Teacher sighs)

T1: Really can’t wait for break, talking to these kiddos all day can stunt the brain.

T2: I know! Everyone’s acting almost crazy -they aren’t paying attention at all.

T1: One more won’t help. This new one, Sofi, has a communication partner coming after lunch. As if they don’t trust us to do our job.

T2: Pretty strange if you ask me. She’s nonverbal so what does she have to say?

(Sofi enters, really anxious, with some instructional aide)

T1: It says on the IEP that the new student likes music and poetry.

T2:  (speaking slowly and loudly) Let’s sing and clap to the elephant song to welcome Sofi to room 10! Everyone sing in time to my march!

TEACHERS AND STUDENTS: 

Let’s stomp our feet and

Swing our trunks

Time to meet and

Get out of our funks

(Sofi yells, makes a fuss, reels and walks out of room, teacher makes her sit down again)

SOFI (voiceover thought): My God, what hell is this? I’m 16, not 6. That didn’t really count as music or poetry. 

Hale High School

Most are rambling around 

with friends

I am alone

Sounds and smells 

assault my senses

They ask how I am

but no one waits

for my response

No one speaks 

my language

I’m not paying attention 

they say

Not to this class

I’m listening to a lecture  

down the hall

I’m learning lines 

in my drama

I’m composing lovely symphonies 

no one will hear

Writing stories 

with a happier ending

I’m going to school 

to learn 

but not what you think

That’s poetry.

PART 2 after lunch

(Scene-Communication partner Eric arrives. Sofi hugs him, so happy to see him. They sit at table/desk.)

ERIC Hey, how is the first day going?

(Sofi spells on letterboard)

SOFI (voiceover): The classroom is overwhelming, and the teachers are oblivious. I don’t belong here. 

T1:  What are you doing?

ERIC: She’s spelling her thoughts. This is how she communicates. I just hold the letterboard so it’s in her field of vision. She selects the letters one at a time.

 T1:  So what did she spell on that board?

 ERIC: She said,” the classroom is overwhelming, and the teachers are oblivious. I don’t belong here.” 

T2:  What? I don’t believe you. She’s not that smart. 

 T1: Here we only use signs, speech or ipad programs to express our needs. Those work, especially since we already know them.

SOFI (voiceover):  Those methods don’t work for me. No one enjoys teachers telling them their communication isn’t respected, their words not valid. 

The Weight of Words

My words

Heavy

In my mind

Unvalued

Words unheard

Worn through

Like an old rug

Wishing to be aired

Your words

Reaching

Lips and ears

Prized

Above all

Light as

A lace curtain

Blowing in the wind

Part 3 After school 

(T1 and T2 in class, no students except Sofi and Eric.)

T1: (to T2) She can’t insist on bringing her board or Eric 

 T2:  So disruptive!

ERIC (angry):  You being uncomfortable with her spelling is no excuse. She is entitled to education. 

T2: There are rules in school. 

T1:  We are the experts.

SOFI spells and ERIC says out loud- The only expert on me is me. 

SOFI (Voiceover poem)-

I Am

I am worthy

I am invincible 

I am today and tomorrow 

I am someone

I am necessary

I am powerfully resilient

I am strong

I am fuel

And you lit my fire

(End of play)

Promotional info

As part of Sound Theatre’s Gaslight Project, on Saturday July 16, 2-3:45 PM at 12th Avenue Arts, Theater of Possibility will present Words Unheard – a collection of three short plays by young adult writers on the autism spectrum.

About Theater of Possibility (TOP):

Founded in 2010 by Lauren Goldman Marshall, TOP provides a creative voice and supportive community for kids, teens and adults with autism and other neurological differences, along with neurotypical allies. TOP offers weekly classes and summer camps for ages 8-14 and 15+ TOP has previously presented at Intersections Festival, the North American Drama Therapy Association, World Affairs Council-International Visitor Leadership Program, the Washington State Arts Alliance Cultural Congress, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and Seattle Public Schools. Next up, TOP will be partnering with ArtsWest to present Spectrum Stories, an original play exploring neurodiversity through the ages, for spring 2023.