The major motion picture, WONDERSTRUCK, in which Garrett plays a featured role, will go into limited release on October 20 and open nationwide in November. Directed by Todd Haynes (Far From Heaven, I'm Not There, Carol) and based on the book by Brian Selznick (The Invention of Hugo Cabret), the film stars Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams. In a groundbreaking, unprecedented feat, the film features seven Deaf actors in lead and featured roles, six of whom play hearing characters. The film recently opened the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in France (click link for more information from the Cannes website), receiving rave reviews and major awards buzz (see links to articles below). Currently, it is rapidly booking slots in other festivals around the world, including being named the Centerpiece title of the New York Film Festival this fall (September 30 to October 16). The official teaser trailer, as well as a brief scene from the film, can also be viewed below.

Initial Praise and Buzz out of Cannes for Wonderstruck:

  • Daily Telegraph - "...a cosmic undertaking, and the film’s finest sequences reach for the skies, achieving something like a Haynes-Spielberg alchemy in their consoling tenderness."
  • Gold Derby - "...a strong Oscar contender..."
  • Hollywood Reporter - "Alive with the magic of pictures and the mysteries of silence, this is an uncommonly grownup film about children, communication, connection and memory."
  • IndieWire - "This movie will play for both smart adults and kids. But it will really play for the Academy, which will appreciate its visual and aural sophistication."
  • Time - "Wonderstruck embraces so many shimmery, evanescent ideas, it’s a marvel that any one picture—let alone one you can take your kids to—can hold them. This is a romance of New York City, a love letter to the pleasure of making anything by hand (with paper or paint or even, possibly, film), a story of finding the place where you belong, and of finding your way to the people who understand you."
  • USA Today - "...likely awards contender..."
  • Vanity Fair - "The film is a mighty thing to behold, offering up a lush visual and aural landscape that is frequently breathtaking."
  • Variety - "...casts a spell..."
  • Vox​ - "Gorgeous, moving, and innovatively told...a magical fairytale..."
In addition, Garrett can be seen playing another featured role in Adam Wachter and Andrew Keenan-Bolger's short film, SIGN, which - along with WONDERSTRUCK - is currently making the rounds on the festival circuit.
After performing as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in an one-night ASL staging of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW audience participation "Midnight Movie" in 2016, he was thrilled to reprise his role in the production this past spring on a real stage and on a much larger scale. Once again, it was a hit and he hopes that this show will become an annual tradition in New York City. It's such great fun to do, although the heels can be hell.
Recently, Garrett was invited to perform for Sign & Sing: Explorations, a performing arts endeavor in New York City that combined live opera music with American Sign Language. Along with Tal Heller and directed by Katherine Dubbs, he performed the five songs of Elgar's SEA PICTURES at Symphony Space. The performance went spectacularly, and Garrett eagerly looks forward to working with them on other projects in the future. Check back for updates!
In January, Garrett performed "Taylor the Latte Boy" with Abby Boland and "Come Rain or Come Shine" with Erika Amato for the inaugural ASL Cabaret NYC.

Like Sign & Sing (see above), ASL Cabarets - which began in Los Angeles and have now branched out to New York City - present hearing and Deaf actors performing the same song side-by-side, one in voice and the other in American Sign Language, to create multi-faceted and bilingual interpretations of music, in this case popular songs and Broadway show tunes. In June, Garrett performed with them again for their Pride edition at The West End cabaret in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. As part of the Pride theme, performers chose songs that are usually done by the opposite sex, so Garrett performed "I Feel Pretty" from West Side Story and, again, "Taylor the Latte Boy" (pictured), both accompanied vocally and musically by Magnus Riise.
Perpetually writing, Garrett continues to work on developing his two-act play, VOICES, after recently finishing a new short play, A BAG OF SAND AT APPLEBEE'S, and a short film screenplay called FLIRTING WITH POSSIBILITIES. If you are interested in knowing more, please contact Garrett.