National Theatre of the Deaf
| Company type | Non-profit theatre company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Performing arts, theatre |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Headquarters | Waterford, Connecticut , United States |
Area served | United States, international |
Key people | Betty Beekman (Executive Director) |
| Products | Theatrical productions integrating American Sign Language and spoken language; drama school; youth theatre (Little Theatre of the Deaf) |
The National Theatre of the Deaf (NTD) is a U.S.-based theatre company established in 1967 and headquartered in Connecticut. As the longest-standing theatre company in America with ongoing domestic and international tours, it creates original productions that integrate American Sign Language alongside spoken language. This distinctive technique aligns with its goal to connect the deaf and hearing populations, enhance awareness of sign language, and celebrate deaf art. Alongside its theatrical work, NTD runs a drama school founded concurrently in 1967 and launched the Little Theatre of the Deaf (LTD) in 1968, focusing on youth performances.
Prior to NTD’s inception, higher education programs for deaf actors were nonexistent, and prominent deaf theatre groups were primarily concentrated in New York.
NTD debuted officially with The Man With His Heart in the Highlands at Wesleyan University in 1967. Since then, the company has toured all 50 states more than 150 times and performed in over 30 countries worldwide. It has received multiple accolades, including a prestigious Tony Award recognizing Theatrical Excellence. Through its productions and outreach efforts, NTD has played a pivotal role in shaping performing arts opportunities for deaf audiences.
Founding
In 1946, Robert Panara, who graduated from Gallaudet University and taught at the New York School for the Deaf, collaborated with student Bernard Bragg on a theatrical project. Later, while both were affiliated with Gallaudet, Panara and Bragg conceived the idea of establishing a national theatre dedicated to the Deaf community.
In 1963, Dr. Edna Levine from New York University witnessed Bragg’s performance and envisioned a national theatre for deaf artists. By 1965, they had obtained federal support through funding from the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare alongside grants from the Office of Education. Key supporters included Mary E. Switzer and representatives from the Rehabilitation Services Administration.
Levine and Bragg collaborated with David Hays, a Harvard-educated set designer with Broadway experience, to define NTD’s mission, secure financing, select its location, and assemble the company. The founding team also featured actress Anne Bancroft and directors Arthur Penn and Gene Lasko from The Miracle Worker. Bancroft and Hays were motivated by the concept of presenting sign language as an artistic medium on an international stage.
Mission and location
The founders aimed to incorporate sign language into theatrical performances accessible to both deaf and hearing spectators, striving to ensure audiences could "hear every word and see every word" in all NTD presentations. To fulfill this vision, productions featured a blend of deaf and hearing performers, utilizing a combination of sign language, mime, gestures, and spoken dialogue. The early artistic direction was heavily influenced by Bernard Bragg, who drew inspiration from the French mime artist Marcel Marceau.
NTD’s base of operations has shifted multiple times: initially housed at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center in Waterford, Connecticut; later relocating to Chester in 1983; moving again to Hartford in 2000; and then to the American School for the Deaf in West Hartford in 2004. Since 2012, NTD has returned to the O'Neill Theatre Center as its main office while maintaining a satellite location at the American School for the Deaf.
The organization’s strategic focus is on transforming societal views of deaf individuals by sharing genuine narratives and creating increased opportunities for deaf actors. It prioritizes outreach to underserved communities through live performances, educational workshops, and community programs. Executive Director Betty Beekman stated in 2015 that NTD’s mission is "to present theatrical work of the highest quality" by seamlessly integrating American Sign Language with spoken language.
To advance this mission, NTD commits to:
- Entertaining, educating, and raising awareness about Deaf culture among diverse audiences;
- Recruiting, training, and employing artists who are deaf, hard of hearing, or hearing;
- Offering inclusive performances and educational programs that encourage cultural participation.
Actors, instructors, and curriculum
The original company featured prominent members such as Violet Armstrong, Bernard Bragg, Charles Corey, Gilbert Eastman, Lou Fant, Phyllis Frelich, Audree Norton, among others.
In its early years, instructors included Bernard Bragg, Eric Malzkuhn, Bob Panara, Sahome Tachibana, Gina Blau, William Rhys, and George C. White III.
The curriculum encompassed a broad range of acting disciplines such as:
- Acting techniques and mime
- Movement arts including creative dance
- Technical theatre skills like lighting design and costume creation
- Theatre history
- Traditional Japanese dance and Hindu movement practices
- Physical skills including tumbling and fencing
This extensive program supported NTD’s business approach by cultivating adaptable performers proficient in theatrical styles from both deaf and hearing traditions.
Notable actors
Phyllis Frelich earned the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play in 1980 for her role in Children of a Lesser God, staged by the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. Linda Bove was a recurring performer on Sesame Street.
Troy Kotsur, an NTD alumnus active with the company between 1991 and 1993, won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Coda. In his acceptance remarks, he credited "all of the deaf theatres that have given me the opportunity to grow as an actor."
Additional distinguished actors linked with NTD include Colleen Dewhurst, Sir Michael Redgrave, Chita Rivera, Jason Robards, and Meryl Streep. Actress Jane Norman emerged as a prominent scholar in deaf media studies at Gallaudet University. Numerous Deaf actors such as Chuck Baird, Eric Malzkuhn, Ed Waterstreet, Gilbert Eastman, Mary Beth Miller, Freda Norman, and Manny Hernandez achieved recognition primarily within the realm of Deaf theatre.
Productions, touring, and reception
Actors and students at NTD devoted the majority of their efforts to rehearsing and performing. The troupe embarked on extensive tours by bus, both within the United States and abroad, receiving only partial salaries and often paying travel costs themselves. While rehearsing at the O'Neill Theater Center, members resided in dormitory-style accommodations; during tours, they stayed in economical hotels or hostels.
The company staged works authored by both hearing and Deaf playwrights. Feedback from hearing spectators was generally favorable, whereas responses from Deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences were varied—some believed the productions prioritized the hearing audience’s perspective over authentically representing Deaf experiences. Although this divergence affected audience reactions, it did not lessen NTD’s prominence in the market.
NTD’s productions have been covered by various media, including Silent News, Puppetry Journal, and television shows such as Deaf Mosaic. Additionally, the company has been featured on platforms like Disney Plus, Sesame Street, and even The White House.
| Year(s) | Production Title |
|---|---|
| 1967–1968 | The Man With His Heart in the Highlands |
| 1967–1968 | The Tale of Kasane |
| 1967–1968 | Tyger! Tyger! And other Burnings |
| 1967–1968 | Gianni Schicchi |
| 1967–1968 | On the Harmfulness of Tobacco |
| 1968–1969 | The Critic |
| 1968–1969 | Camera 3 (LTD) |
| 1968–1969 | The Love of Don Perlimoplin and Belissa in the Garden |
| 1968–1969 | Blueprints |
| 1969–1970 | Under Milkwood |
| 1969–1970 | Sganagelle |
| 1970–1971 | Woyzeck |
| 1970–1971 | Journeys |
| 1971–1972 | My Third Eye |
| 1972–1973 | Gilgamesh |
| 1973–1974 | Optimism (or) The Misadventures of Candide |
| 1973–1974 | A Child's Christmas in Wales |
| 1974–1975 | The Dybbuk |
| 1974–1975 | Priscilla, Princess of Power |
| 1975–1976 | Parade |
| 1976–1977 | Four Saints in Three Acts |
| 1976–1977 | "On the Harmfulness of Tobacco" |
| 1977–1978 | 'The Three Musketeers' |
| 1977–1978 | 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' |
| 1977–1978 | 'Who Knows One' |
| 1978–1979 | 'Volpone' |
| 1978–1979 | "Quite Early One Morning" |