On Wednesday, November 5, 2025, the Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre in downtown New Braunfels, Texas hosted the hometown red carpet premiere of Deaf Santa Claus — a homecoming for Charles, Kari, and Kalei Graves in the town that has been their home for decades.
The Brauntex Theatre, a beloved historic venue on Main Plaza, was the natural choice for this premiere. New Braunfels is where Charles built his career as a night residential educator at the nearby Texas School for the Deaf, where he and Kari raised their family, and where his Santa work first found its audience among neighbors and community members. The red carpet event drew local press coverage including KENS5 San Antonio, and brought together extended family, foundation supporters, longtime friends, and community members who have known the Graves family for years.
The screening featured open captions and ASL interpreters, with Charles, Kari, and the directors present for an extended Q&A. For the foundation, the Brauntex premiere was the emotional center of the entire national tour — the moment when a national story circled back to the place that made it possible.
