Deaf West Theatre

Major funding provided by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services afforded Deaf West the opportunity to establish an annual season of productions. In response to the expressed needs of the community, Deaf West's activities quickly expanded to include Educational Outreach Workshops in schools (K-12 ). With the help of generous donations by the Weingart Foundation and The S. Mark Taper Foundation, Deaf West Theatre currently occupies its own theater space in the burgeoning North Hollywood Theatre and Arts District of Los Angeles. In 2000, Deaf West Theatre received a new five-year grant award from the Department of Education. This mandate includes the development and production of plays, a professional training program for deaf and hard of hearing artists, and a national touring initiative. Having successfully produced 12 award winning seasons, Deaf West Theatre continues to strive toward its goal of providing an exhilarating theatrical experience for all audiences, regardless of hearing or signing ability. Our productions are presented in both American Sign Language and spoken English. Our deaf audiences can have the pleasure of watching the story unfold in our native American Sign Language. Our hearing audiences not only have the customary auditory experience, but they can now enjoy the visual expressiveness of American Sign Language.