Hands Up Silent Theatre brings ASL Newsies to Millville stage
An ASL-centered Newsies will turn the Levoy Theatre into a shared stage for Deaf and hearing audiences, with two June 20 shows and $22 tickets.
An ASL-centered version of Newsies will turn the Levoy Theatre in Millville into a shared stage for Deaf and hearing audiences, with performances set for 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on June 20 at 130 N. High Street. General admission is $22, keeping the production within reach for Cumberland County families looking for an outing that combines entertainment with access.
The show’s defining feature is its silent-theatre format, which uses expressive signing, visual storytelling, movement and choreography to carry the story. That approach makes accessibility part of the performance itself, not a side accommodation. In a county where many arts events still assume a hearing audience, the Hands Up Silent Theatre production broadens who can sit in the seats and understand every beat of the story.
Newsies carries a built-in social message that fits that mission. Disney Theatrical Licensing ties the musical to the real-life Newsboy Strike of 1899 and to themes of social injustice, exploitative labor practices and David-versus-Goliath conflict. For a youth-driven company built around inclusive participation, that history gives the Millville staging extra weight. The production is designed to let deaf, hard-of-hearing and hearing students create theater together, with room for every actor to stand out.
Hands Up Silent Theatre is rooted in the experiences of Kristy Whilden and her daughter Hailey, and the program has grown steadily across South Jersey. VisitNJ.org says the company has produced 9 theatrical productions over the past 6 years, taught more than 500 students basic ASL through theater and reached thousands through annual productions, shows and classes. Kristy Whilden and Hailey Whilden have also been featured by NJ PBS, and Kristy Whilden was named a 2024 Russ Berrie Making a Difference Award honoree, underscoring the community impact behind the curtain.
The Levoy adds a second layer of local significance. The Levoy Theatre Preservation Society says the century-old Millville landmark reopened in 2012 after restoration, and its mission includes performing arts education for all ages and abilities. That makes the June 20 Newsies staging more than a one-day performance stop. It is a test of how fully Millville’s downtown stage can serve the people of Cumberland County, a county of 154,152 residents spread across 483.4 square miles, with access and inclusion built into the art itself.
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