The Finger Food Cafe Show

Get your fingers ready! Put those forks away! Come on in, and welcome to the Finger Food Cafe Grand Opening!”

Welcome to a family place where hearing and Deaf both belong and where friendships and faith in the Lord can grow strong! At the Finger Food Cafe, children and adults learn that Deafness is one of God's “silent blessings” to be enjoyed and appreciated.

Meet Carlo Fagucci (Francis Casale), Deaf, and Mark Leonard (Marshall Lawrence), hearing father of Deaf daughter Rebecca (Rachel Lawrence), proprietors of the new Finger Food Cafe. Carlo, Mark and the whole FFC crew are moving ahead smoothly with preparations for their big, Grand Opening event. Food and menus are ready. Signs and lights are being hung. Kumiko (Kimie Casale) and the kids are practicing their songs. But everything starts to fall apart at the last minute when they find out their special guest performer (Mark Mitchum) can't make it because of an accident. Just when everyone is ready to give up, it's Miss Vonda (Vonda Burnett) to the rescue with one of her BIG BIBLE stories! A timely lesson from the life of Joseph provides an encouraging reminder that God is in control and we can trust Him always. “Thanks be to God. He always leads us in victory through Christ!“ (2 Cor. 2:14a)

Featuring American Sign Language, drama, meaningful songs, and the world's first animatronic signing puppet, The Finger Food Cafe Show “A Grand Opening” is fun for the whole family that will touch your heart and open your eyes to a whole new world.

The Finger Food Cafe Show “A Grand Opening”
Copyright ©2001 Deaf Missions. All rights reserved.

A Grand Opening
- small (180x120)
- medium (320x240)
- large (480x360)

Get QuickTime6

Making of Pops
- small (180x120)
- medium (320x240)
- large (480x360)

Get QuickTime6

Finger Food Cafe Show: A Christmas Gift
(VHS/DVD)
$19.00 +S/H

The Finger Food Cafe Show “A Grand Opening” is the feature-length pilot episode of a television program for Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing children and their families. This ground-breaking program produced by Deaf Missions of Council Bluffs, Iowa, in association with Silent Blessings Deaf Ministries of Indianapolis, Indiana, presents the positive message to Deaf children and families touched by deafness that “Deafness is a fact, not a flaw.” In fact, being Deaf can be one of God’s “silent blessings” to be appreciated and enjoyed.

Set in an old, Italian restaurant turned family dinner theater, owners Carlo Fagucci (Dr. Francis Casale), seasoned Deaf proprietor, and his new hearing partner, Mark Leonard (Marshall Lawrence), have created the Finger Food Cafe to be “a place where hearing and Deaf both belong, and where families and faith can grow strong.” Are you Deaf or hearing? It doesn’t matter! Because, at the Finger Food Cafe you will always find a friend.

Finger Food Cafe - small (180x120) - medium (320x240) - large (480x360) Get QuickTime6

The show features Deaf and hearing actors of all ages, songs performed in voice and sign (some of the lyrics originating in American Sign Language by Deaf sign artists), and the world’s first animatronic, ASL signing puppet, Pops.

The goals of The Finger Food Cafe Show are: to entertain; to encourage communication among hearing and Deaf family members and friends; to educate viewers about Deaf Culture and the special needs of Deaf children; to showcase inspiring Deaf role models (both young and old); and to demonstrate the relevancy of God’s Word for our times.

The Finger Food Cafe Show was created by Joel Burkum and Marshall Lawrence. Joel Burkum (Producer and Director of The Finger Food Cafe Show “A Grand Opening”) is the Video Producer for Deaf Missions, Council Bluffs, Iowa. Marshall Lawrence (Song Writer and Co-Star of The Finger Food Cafe Show “A Grand Opening”) is the Executive Director of Silent Blessings Deaf Ministries, Indianapolis, Indiana, and hearing father of a Deaf daughter.

We'd love to hear from you! Please send any comments or questions to info@fingerfoodcafe.com.