He was 18, deaf, and trying to figure out how to ‘come out’ during one of Australia’s most divisive periods of social progress.
Equal parts humour, honesty and hope, ‘Sam I Am’ is a new work from the young film-maker, directed by neurodiverse theatre director Dan Graham, and set to be presented to the public for the first time later this month.
A poignant and uplifting story, Sam draws upon his rawest, coming-of-age moments for a rare insight into the experience of a gay deaf millennial trying to find his identity during the marriage equality plebiscite.
The shows will be made fully accessible, including Auslan interpreters and live captioning, thanks to a GoFundMe campaign that raised 100 per cent of funds in just one hour.
“Telling my story is important to me because I’ve heard so few stories from queer, deaf artists,” Sam explained.
“I’m thrilled to be able to do it with the support of so many people, and to be able to present it with the kind of accessibility I feel every theatrical production should be able to offer.”
Catch it at East Sydney Community Arts Centre from 8pm on Friday and Saturday, November 29-30.
Tickets: $20 from brandx.org.au/Event/sam-i-am-sat.
