Pinky Aiello: First Deaf Woman Professional Juggler & "Pinky tells the Real Story" a Video Relay Service Comedy"

Pinky was born in the Bronx, NY and currently lives in Portland, Oregon. Born Deaf, Pinky has worked in New York City with a Deaf Dance group called Dancers, Theatre etc., in Cleveland at the Sign Stage Theatre, NTD's Little Theatre of the Deaf, at Universal Studio in Los Angeles, Six Flags. She is also one of a few professional Deaf women jugglers.

Pinky has traveled throughout the United States and Europe studying Deaf Culture and American Sign Language & International sign language and is an enthusiastic supporter of Deaf-Hearing Team interpreting. Pinky recently starred in the DVD, "Pinky Tells The Real Story: Videophone & Video Relay Service" which explores the world of video relay interpreting from both the Deaf and interpreter perspectives with her own special brand of humor. Check it out on her website:

www.PinkyVRS.com

She is working on ASL Fairy Tales performed in video. She is producing ASL DVDs for the new publisher, ASL Tales. Her first book, Princess and the Pea, will be available October 2008. Check out that and 5 other titles scheduled for 2008-9 at www.ASLTales.net.

Right now, she is touring full time as a Deaf entertainer/storytelling/presenter about VRS perspectives which she enjoys sharing with everyone.

How often do you get to see Deaf and hearing twins on stage talking about their experiences as individuals or ... perhaps as twins? Hence, the Anderson twins, with their tad heavy, bald Deaf men coming in to provide the humor perspective to entertain the Deaf Communities, hearing or deaf alike, across the nation!

Levi and Clay Anderson grew up in the small New Mexico town of Milan. They were the only twins in the town, and Levi was the only Deaf child. They tried as hard as they could to be saints, but unfortunately trouble seemed to find them. And being in such a small town, their father would always be the first to know!

“This is where the boys get their sense of humor, they have been trying to impress people since they were in diapers!” said their dad, Frank Anderson.

Clay and Levi have come up with a show that will have you laughing out loud. Of course, the show is based on real-life events, made-up imaginations (realistic, of course!) and stuff that is impossible to be told but someone has to do this, right?

They join us again in 2010 for the third time and will appear in the Children’s program and SpotLights Main Stage.

Ed Chevy is a veteran performer and instructor in the field of pure entertainment. He also has achieved great success with the all-deaf rock band, Beethoven’s Nightmare, as a bassist and composer. His work as a deaf musician brought a new category, Deaf Rock, in the Mainstream.

Chevy lives in Oahu, Hawaii. He is recognized as a highly acclaimed American Sign Language (ASL) performing artist, captivating the audience with his music, storytelling and humor in the Pacific Rim and on the Mainland. Currently, Chevy is teaching ASL music and storytelling at a community college in Honolulu.

Welcome him to the SpotLights stage as he performs comedy with Bob Hiltermann and then appears in the Jam Tent as Beethoven’s Nightmare band rocks the house!

Robert is an actor, educator, and ASL transliterator, and is a Connecticut native. He currently resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Robert happily travels across the country acting, educating, and consulting in both theatre and film projects. He possesses skills in American Sign Language, British Hand Alphabet, Clowning, pantomime and sign dancing.

He appears in the Deaf documentary “See What I’m Saying” and this is his first time performing at DeaFestival 2010 so welcome him to the SpotLights stage and be sure to see the movie on Friday or Saturday night in Horse Cave.

www.robertwhere.com

A Deaf Man walks with the style of Stand-Up comedy, signed songs and visual skits. You are along the road of his 10 year World Tour!

"Robert Roy Farmer (“Rob Roy”) grew up near the popular beach suburb of Scarborough in Western Australia. After starting a career in bricklaying, which he found didn't quite satisfy his natural flair for the dramatic, he moved to Sydney and successfully auditioned for an acting position with the Australian Theatre of the Deaf (ATOD) in 1993. Rob Roy remained with the company for 4 years and developed his natural talent via workshops and training opportunities ‘on the job', including studying at the National Theatre of the Deaf summer school in USA.

In 1998, Anthony Clews from Sydney and Rob establish a one-man show – the “Rob Roy Show”. The first show was performed at Shepherds Bush Deaf Club in London , UK on 3 January 1998. The show was taken on the road, and appearances have been made in more than150 shows in 70+ cities and in 25 countries.

Over the past few years he has managed to take his exciting and unique brand of visual theater, including skits, signed songs, storytelling and jokes which are all visually imaginative and make them appeal to audiences in numerous countries. One of the highlights of Rob Roy's career was performing in front of 9,000 people at the Deafway II conference in Washington DC in 2002. The audience went wild after his outstanding performance!

We welcome Rob Roy to his first DeaFestival KY as he performs in the Children’s program and on the SpotLight’s stage.

www.facebook.com/pages/Rob-Roy-Show/111189545646016

TL Forsberg is a Canadian-born singer, actor and fashion stylist whose art and life story is currently featured in “See What I’m Saying: The Deaf Entertainers Documentary.” As a singer TL uses avant-garde fashion and sign language in her musical performances. Due to her captivating live show, TL and her band “The Kriya Project”, were chosen to perform at the Alanis Morissette and Tori Amos concert, featured on Much Music, MTV (Fuse), City TV, The New Music and voted one of “LA’s best kept secrets” by Music Connection Magazine.

TL recently appeared on FUSE TV performing with rappers “CEE-LO” and “T-PAIN” in their new single “Language of Love.” TL is currently recording more songs with award winning producer Glenn Jordan, including recording and performing the theme song “Deafinitely” for the first ever Miss Deaf International Pageant in Las Vegas 2010.

As a fashion stylist she appeared on VH1’s reality TV series, “SUPERGROUP” as the rock bands celebrity stylist with rock stars Sebastian Bach (Skid Row) , Scott Ian (Anthrax), Evan Seinfeld(Biohazard), drummer Jason Bonham and the infamous Ted Nugent. Do to her success on the show she made guest appearances at Ozzfest 2006, San Diego’s 105.3 Rock Radio and Hollywood music tv.

Acting credits include: Gene Rodenberry’s “Earth: The Final Conflict,” Warner’s “La Femme Nikita”, “His Bodyguard”, Columbia’s “Falcone”, “ “Exhibit A: Forensic Files.” and MGM’s “Hendrix. Sarah in Children of a Lesser God (Rubicon Theatre), Pippin (Deaf West Theatre) and many more. For bookings and to learn more about TL’s work please contact her at www.TLForsberg.com

Welcome TL to her first DeaFestival as she performs on the SpotLights and Jam Tent stages. Be sure to check her out in the movie “See What I’m Saying” on Friday or Saturday night at 8 pm.

CJ has performed numerous times at DeaFestival and appears again in 2010 on the SpotLights stage and the Jam Tent.

www.cjjoneslive.com

This consummate entertainer has been performing since childhood and has and does nearly everything imaginable in the entertainment world. Acting, dancing, singing, modeling…you name it. He has also traveled the globe for the past dozen years performing with the Wild Zappers. He has written powerfulpoems and songs and his passion for music grew to a point that he had to share with the world. Warren Snipe, affectionately known as WAWA intends to introduce the world to a new kind of music…DIP-HOP…what’s that you ask? It’s Hip-Hop through DEAF EYES!! He also teaches Karate and is starting his own business.

DeaFestival has had the pleasure of hosting WAWA many times in the past when he has performed with the Wild Zappers and he performed solo in 2008, so let’s welcome him back to the SpotLights stage and the Jam Tent.

Raised orally in Los Gatos, California and in a speaking only hearing family, Roger Vass did not learn American Sign Language until 1987 when transferred to CSD Fremont. He literally managed to learn ASL overnight, a rare feat. This was the seed that nurtured his personal growth through sign language and a hidden talent. Roger has not shut up ever since acquiring his natural language. Despite learning ASL in a short period of time, Roger managed to win 3rd place for best ASL storytelling contest at CSD Fremont, much to the surprise of everyone as well as himself.

His first foray into ASL theatre was at Ohlone College in California, with the 1989 play "Where our Dreams have Gone?" before he transferred to RIT in 1990. At RIT, he balanced his love for ASL with his inner geek and within the booming field of computer technology and media. Roger was the lead role actor in the 1995 Mosdeux production of "Vital Signs" which won accolades worldwide. He was involved with the play "Meta" directed by Patti Durr and won Best Supporting Actor in 1992.

Roger wore many hats during his five year tenure at Arizona State School for the Deaf and Blind in Tucson as a Vocational Instructor in media as Yearbook advisor for the students, Web/Media developer and TV/film producer. His first breakout on the national scene came with the PBS Special as ASL Narrator "Through Deaf Eyes." Other credentials include Director of Photography of the film "Wrong Game." Last National competition, Roger won 2nd place for Deaf Idol in NYC in 2008. Roger participated in the first round of ASL Live contest at the 2008 National Association of the Deaf convention in New Orleans.

Roger believes ASL is much like the written English language that it changes, adapts and morphs according to the person and environment. Roger Vass currently resides in Clearwater, Florida and happily works for ZVRS as Multimedia Director. He's the proud and loving father of two ASL fluent children Hunter and Ireland.