Braiding Histories: A Black and Indigenous Deaf Theatre Work

Braiding Histories is a bilingual Deaf theatre project led by artists Crystal Wolfe and Ebony R. Gooden, premiering as part of Inside Out Theatre’s Deaf-led Arts Incubator during the 2025/26 season at The Erratics Indie Arts Club (June 29–July 18, 2026). This work transforms the act of braiding hair into a radical performance of storytelling, resilience, and reclamation.

The piece unfolds on a stage split into two sides, one facing left and one right. From these places, Ebony and Crystal create a massive braid together as the story unfolds, weaving scenes that embody their personal and cultural histories. Ebony’s scenes will reflect Black traditions of braiding as acts of resistance and survival — such as braids used to conceal rice seeds during slavery or to map escape routes. Crystal’s scenes will honour Indigenous teachings, from the significance of braiding sweetgrass to the strength of familial memory carried strand by strand.

The work will be performed in American Sign Language, Black ASL, and Indigenous Sign Language, with visual storytelling, projection, and sound design for the Deaf and hearing audiences. Through hands, silence, and movement, the artists will explore both the violence and silencing they have endured as Deaf women, and the joy that emerges through reclamation and cultural continuity.

This collaboration is artistically vital and politically urgent. In a time of cultural erasure, commodification of traditions, and systemic silencing of marginalized voices, Braiding Histories reclaims braiding as ritual, resistance, and embodied memory. The project challenges dominant narratives by asserting presence, not asking for inclusion. It centres Deaf-led creativity outside of white, hearing norms and brings together Indigenous and Black perspectives rarely seen on Canadian stages.

Inside Out Theatre's mandate to produce and present plays that showcase the vibrancy of Deaf, Disability, and Mad culture, along with the organizations proven track record in producing transformative theatrical provides the ideal platform for both artists to share their expertise. Ebony as a multidisciplinary Black Deaf artist with national recognition in film, theatre, and accessibility; Crystal as an Indigenous Deaf interpreter, teacher, and collaborator rooted in language revitalization and trauma-informed practice. Together, they will braid their communities, stories, and lived experience into a living archive of resilience and beauty.

Braiding Histories will benefit multiple communities, each connected to the project’s themes, its accessibility, and Inside Out Theatre’s mandate.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communities
As a Deaf-led performance in American Sign Language, Black ASL, and Indigenous Sign Language, the project affirms Deaf culture as central, not secondary. Deaf audiences will see their languages and lived experiences reflected with authenticity and pride. Hard of hearing and hearing allies will gain access through captioning and inclusive design, making this an equitable cultural event.

Indigenous and Black Communities
The work honours Black and Indigenous traditions, reclaiming braiding as ritual, resistance, and memory. It celebrates stories of survival, beauty, and continuity too often erased or commodified. For Black and Indigenous audiences, the work offers recognition and affirmation. For others, it opens space to learn and reflect.

Artists and the Theatre Sector
As part of Inside Out Theatre’s Deaf-led Arts Incubator, Braiding Histories creates professional opportunities for Deaf, Indigenous, and Black artists to lead and collaborate. It models what accessible, intersectional theatre can look like in Canada, benefitting future artists through stronger networks and representation.

Local Communities and General Audiences
Performances at The Erratics Indie Arts Club will welcome diverse audiences across Calgary and Alberta. With affordability, accessibility, and outreach, Inside Out Theatre ensures participation by those often excluded from live arts—people with disabilities, newcomers, and families seeking inclusive experiences.

Long-Term Impact
Beyond the performance run, the project builds a living archive of Indigenous and Black Deaf traditions. It asserts presence rather than requesting inclusion, shifting how Deaf, Disabled, and racialized stories are valued on Canadian stages.

Why Field Law’s Support Matters
Field Law’s Community Fund empowers ideas that spark change and build bridges. Braiding Histories does exactly this, weaving cultures, languages, and lived experiences into a performance that is accessible, inclusive, and transformative.