Three-time Oscar nominee "CODA" is headed from the screen to the stage.
Vendôme Pictures and Pathé Films have teamed up with the Tony Award-winning Deaf West Theatre to develop the film, which is up for best picture at the 94th Academy Awards, into a musical.
DJ Kurs, the artistic director for Deaf West Theatre, said in a press release it's the organization's mission to "be the artistic bridge between the Deaf and hearing communities" and added that they're "truly excited and honored to embark on this live iteration of a story that brings together both sides of the aisle and addresses the ways that we move throughout the world."
The film follows the story of a 17-year-old girl named Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones), who is a CODA (child of deaf adults) and the only hearing member of her family. Ruby's family -- father Frank (Troy Kotsur), mother Jackie (Marlee Matlin) and brother Leo (Daniel Durant) -- depend on her to communicate with others, especially when it comes to running their fishing business, but she has dreams of attending music school and becoming a singer.
"In the movie there is a scene where the Deaf members of the Rossi family, confronted with an inaccessible school performance, take in Ruby's song through the joy of others in the audience," Kurs said. "This is an opportunity, then, to bring the story full circle by bringing it back to members of the Deaf community and by making the music accessible through our signed and sung live adaption of the movie."
"CODA," which premiered at Sundance in January 2021 and was released by Apple TV+ in August 2021, is making history as the first film starring a predominantly deaf cast in leading roles to be nominated for the best picture Oscar.
On top of that, Kotsur is the first deaf man to be nominated for an acting Oscar and is considered the favorite to win best supporting actor. The film is also up for best adapted screenplay for Sian Heder, the writer-director.
