THE MISSION AND PURPOSE OF DEAF WEST THEATRE COMPANY

Deaf West Theatre Company, Inc. (DWT) was founded in 1991 by artistic director Ed Waterstreet and actress and American Sign Language (ASL) head master Linda Bove. The theatre was the nation’s first permanent theatre for deaf, hard of hearing and hearing artists and audiences.

When Ed and Linda, who are both deaf, moved to Los Angeles in 1985, they were surprised and dismayed to discover that a city of that size did not have its own deaf theatre. DWT was founded to directly improve and enrich the cultural lives of the 1.2 million deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who live in the greater Los Angeles area. DWT provides exposure and access to professional theatre, filling a void for deaf artists and audiences.

Serving the cultural, educational, social and employment needs of its constituents, DWT is an institution for the discovery and exploration of artists’ identities and stature as artists. Through the medium of sign language theatre, a legacy of deaf culture is created, shared and preserved.

In a bold effort to bridge the gap between deaf and hearing worlds, DWT creates opportunities for all artists and audiences, regardless of race, creed or handicap, to enjoy theatre. Educational outreach workshops and a new storytelling series serve the particular needs of disabled and disadvantaged youth, providing a model for progressive arts education reform for deaf and hard-of-hearing school children.

Presenting adaptations of classic, contemporary and original work, DWT is dedicated to the production of theatre of the highest artistic quality, which nurtures and promotes the talents of its actors, writers, directors and designers. DWT productions are presented in American Sign Language with simultaneous translation providing an enhanced theatrical experience for all.