Daily News Lesson

SHOW ALL

July 6, 2022, 3:44 p.m.

Deaf cast challenges musical theater norms in production of 'The Music Man'

Summary

The classic American musical "The Music Man” has been a big hit this year with its revival on Broadway and on many regional and local stages across the country. John Yang went to the Olney Theatre Center in Maryland to see a novel take on the standard, and how art can be a model for a more inclusive society, where deaf and hearing communities live side by side. For a transcript, click here .

Five Facts

  • Where is this version of the “Music Man” being performed?
  • What modifications have been made to the stage for deaf people?
  • Why do some actors wear see-through masks?
  • Who is James Caverly? What is his background?
  • How is this performance different from previous plays that included deaf actors?

Focus Questions

The directors talk about how the play could be a model for the way that deaf and hearing people interact, more generally. What elements from the play could you see being incorporated into everyday life to make deaf and hard of hearing people more equal members of society? Media Literacy : Having learned about this deaf-inclusive play, how could the news media and broadcast journalism be made more inclusive for the hard of hearing?

For More

For more, check out the article below by clicking on the image.

Leo Kamin a student at Amherst College, wrote today’s Daily News Lesson with editing by Luke Gerwe.

Fill out this form to share your thoughts on Classroom’s resources. Sign up for NewsHour Classroom’s ready-to-go Daily News Lessons delivered to your inbox each morning.

Recent Daily News Lessons

growingdebt-e1786996764405

Daily News Lesson

National debt nears $40 trillion — why does that matter?

Discuss the impact of the national debt hitting an important threshold

sea-1024x576

Daily News Lesson

Trump dismisses concerns over conditions on long-deployed USS Abraham Lincoln

Learn about the mental health challenges and supply issues sailors are experiencing, according to family members and U.S. Naval officials

2026-06-23T212757Z_1519763688_MT1USATODAY29254705_RTRMADP_3_VOTING-BOOTHS-ARE-SET-UP-TUESDAY-JUNE-23-2026-DURING-THE-e1786392101996

Daily News Lesson

Monitoring the Midterms: Are midterms safe from cybersecurity threats?

Discuss the ways the federal government and state governments are preparing for cybersecurity threats ahead of the 2026 midterms

Mohammad Reza Naqdi

Daily News Lesson

Top adviser to Iran's Revolutionary Guard leader sits down for rare interview

Explore western media coverage of Iran and what happened after the Iran nuclear deal fell apart in 2018

SUPPORTED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY:

PBS News Hour Classroom

Copyright © 2025 News Hour Production LLC. All Rights Reserved

Illustrations by Annamaria Ward