When my wife, Linda Bove, and I arrived in Los Angeles more than twenty years ago, we were amazed to find the City of Los Angeles lacking in cultural opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Having toured with the National Theatre of the Deaf for 12 years prior, we came up with the idea of establishing a permanent, resident sign language theater company on the west coast. This was a dream that ultimately came to fruition in 1991.

Beginning with only one chair, one desk and a typewriter in an office space shared with and donated by the Fountain Theatre in Hollywood, a growing deaf artistic talent pool came together and Deaf West Theatre was born.

Initial funding provided by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services allowed us the opportunity to create productions. In response to the expressed needs of the community, our activities quickly expanded to include educational outreach workshops in schools.

We eventually moved to our current home with our own theater and administrative spaces in the burgeoning North Hollywood Arts District of Los Angeles.

Having successfully produced over 40 productions, 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. And on the other side of the coin, our hearing audiences have the customary theater experience, enhanced by the visual expressiveness of American Sign Language.

Best regards,

Artistic Director/ CEO