[stylist] on writing from the blind perspective

[Chris Kuell]

Hey Allison,

There's no need to challenge--dissidents are always welcome . I was sharing 
my opinion, and you know what they say about opinions. If not, write me off 
list. I was also thinking of fiction in my comments, and more specifically, 
novel length fiction. I won a contest, got an honorable mention in another, 
and eventually published a short story I wrote with a first person, totally 
blind POV that contained no visual descriptions, which proves it can be done 
at shorter lengths. Perhaps someday you can show me how it's done at longer 
lengths.

As for creative non-fiction, it certainly can be done. Below I'll paste an 
article I wrote for our local newspaper in 2010. It was then picked up by 5 
other papers, and made me a celebrity about town for about 15 minutes.

chris


Three Magical Nights in May

By Chris Kuell

The first time I went to Danbury High School's production of, Annie Get Your 
Gun, I paid closest attention to my son, who played Frank Butler, as he sang 
in a smooth, confident voice and delivered his lines in the sharp and witty 
way that we are familiar with at home. I listened as Annie Oakley sang, "You 
Can't Get a Man With A Gun" like she just strolled out of the woods of 
Appalachia, then transformed into a torch-song starlet  for, "Moonshine 
Lullaby". I heard Buffalo Bill stomp around the stage, barking his 
instructions and, with a little help from Charlie, delivering my favorite 
line of the play, "Return to my favorite state in the union. Oh.Okla. Ohio!"

I absorbed the energy of the ensemble cast as they sang and danced and made 
the audience sit up straight. I'm blind, so my wife described our daughter, 
a cowgirl, dancing the complicated numbers with a huge smile on her face.

On the second night of the performance, I paid closer attention to the pit, 
noting the diversity of the pieces and instruments used. I listened to 
identify the oboe, trumpets, the violins, flute, viola, piano and Dr. Glass 
strumming his guitar-which I'm told is yellow. My wife provided more details 
about the dance routines-how the movements simulated a train in motion 
(which I already figured from the sounds) and the intricate dance of the 
cowboys with their guns. I overheard comments from the crowd-isn't he great? 
They really harmonize well. How can she hold a note that long? Laughter at 
all the right places. Shotgun blasts from a kettle drum. My mother's 
sniffling at the standing ovation.

By closing night I had most of the songs and lines memorized. I focused on 
the younger cast members, who played Annie's siblings and delivered their 
lines perfectly. Dolly, Tommy and Winnie all sang with clarity and emotion. 
Chief Sitting Bull had great comic timing, and Charlie played an incredible 
snare drum solo.

I listened carefully as the sound crew adjusted various actors' microphones. 
I had my mother-in-law describe the sets and how they were changed. I 
imagined everyone in their costumes, and soaked up the excitement of the 
crowd.

After each show, hordes of fans gathered in the lobby outside the 
auditorium, waiting to greet the performers as they came out. I exchanged 
warm words about my children with former teachers, fellow parents and dozens 
of friends.

In between handshakes where I struggled to figure out who I was talking to 
amidst all the noise, I reflected on what a great experience this had been 
for my kids, and for all the high schoolers involved with the annual 
production. While everybody noticed the cast and the pit, there were 
literally hundreds of people involved in this production.

As director, Cindy Nejame Did a superb job casting and turning chaos and 
inexperience into such a spectacular show.  Michael Burnett, the 
choreographer, used his talents and vision to create dynamic dance scenes, 
while Diane Lapine helped the actors to polish their vocals.

Paul Riley directed the pit. Liz Diker was in charge of costumes. Justin 
Morgan ran the lighting, the new scrim, and oversaw the many kids who worked 
on sets and stage crew. Three teachers and the mayor's wife had cameo parts. 
Producers, assistants, and volunteers made and put up signs and flyers. 
There were sponsors from around town, parents who kept dinners warm, let 
chores slide and carted their kids back and forth to practice so the show 
could be a success.

All of the students involved with this production learned to work hard, to 
work together, and to strive for their personal best. While a handful of 
students may go on to careers in show-business, these are great attributes 
that will serve our students well no matter what path they travel in life.

Everyone in Danbury has a lot to be proud of. Great schools, caring parents, 
good teachers, and community support. We are graduating smart, hard-working, 
visionary people--the leaders of tomorrow. While I admit the joy I felt for 
my kids performances was personal and immense, all of Danbury should swell 
with pride for those three magical nights in May.