PHOTO COURTESY “SIGNTASTIC!”

Tonight, a locally filmed game show will hit the big screen — and its creators will celebrate some historic achievements.

The premiere event, to be held at the Lindsay Theater in Sewickley, will spotlight “SignTasTic!,” a Pittsburgh-filmed game show that incorporates American Sign Language (ASL) to appeal to both hearing and Deaf communities. It’s also the first American game show to feature a Deaf host, Dan Cook.

Cook, who also created the show, said the idea initially took form as a card game to make teaching ASL more engaging for students. When approached by a friend to make a show teaching ASL, the idea transformed into a full-fledged game show.

“We both thought that it was not fair that other TV channels [are focused on] diversity … but there is no channel for Deaf people,” Cook says.

This desire led to the creation of Silent Visual Media, a company aimed at bridging the gap between Deaf and hearing communities in media. “SignTasTic!” is one of their first major projects.

In “SignTasTic!,” contestants are given 50 words in ASL to learn, and then are expected to use and respond to them throughout various segments to earn cash prizes. For viewers at home who aren’t fluent in ASL, graphics on screen will help them follow along.

The show incorporates hearing contestants and crew alongside Deaf performers, which caused some communication difficulties early on in the filming process. But by the end, the team formed a tight bond and were reluctant to stop filming.

“I want people to be pulled into the Deaf community in a fun way, so we can all share our experiences,” Cook says. “My hope is that SignTasTic! can help establish relationships and pave the way for Deaf people and hearing people to collaborate together and make awesome entertainment”.

“SignTasTic!” has been picked up by VSYN+, a recently launched streaming service for signed languages, where new episodes will air weekly.

Tickets for tonight’s event are still available — but selling quickly.