Deaf West Theatre


Deaf West Theatre is a non-profit arts organization based in Los Angeles, CA. It is most well known for its Tony Award nominated productions of Big River and Spring Awakening. By combining American Sign Language and Spoken English, Deaf West sets the standard for bold and inclusive theatrical experiences in the United States.
Deaf West Theatre is led by Artistic Director, DJ Kurs.

Mission & History

Established  in 1991 by Founding Artistic Director, Ed Waterstreet, Deaf West Theatre engages artists and audiences in unparalleled theater experiences inspired by Deaf culture and the expressive power of sign language. Committed to innovation, collaboration, and training, Deaf West Theatre is the artistic bridge between the deaf and hearing worlds.

Productions

Notable past productions include Our Town by Thornton Wilder in a co-production with Pasadena Playhouse; Edward Albee’s At Home at the Zoo in a co-production with ; Spring Awakening, which transferred from to and then to Broadway where it received three Tony Award nominations, including Best Revival; American Buffalo, which was labeled a Los Angeles Times Critic’s Choice; Cyrano, a co-production with the Fountain Theatre which received the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Production; Big River which received two Tony Award nominations, Pippin, produced at the Mark Taper Forum in a co-production with Center Theatre Group; Oliver! which received the Ovation Award for Best Musical, and A Streetcar Named Desire which received the Ovation Award for Best Play.

Awards & Nominations

In addition to the awards listed above, Deaf West is the recipient of the Peter Zeisler Award from the Theatre Communications Group, the Unique Contribution to the Theater Award from the Drama League, The Extraordinary Excellence in Diversity from the Actors' Equity Association and the Champion of Change Award from the New York City Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities.
In 2005, Deaf West was selected to receive the Highest Recognition Award by the Secretary of Health and Human Services for its “distinguished contributions to improve and enrich the culture lives of deaf and hard of hearing actors and theater patrons.”