National Theatre of the Deaf

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National Theatre of the Deaf

Abbreviation	NTD
Founded	1967; 57 years ago (1967)
Headquarters	West Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Coordinates	41°46′17″N 72°44′51″W / 41.7712702°N 72.7473777°W / 41.7712702; -72.7473777
Board Chair	Tyrone Giordano[1]
Website	ntd.org

The National Theatre of the Deaf (NTD) is a Connecticut-based theatre company founded in 1967. It is the oldest theatre company in the United States with a continuous history of domestic and international touring, as well as producing original works.^[2] NTD productions combine American Sign Language with spoken language to fulfill the theatre's mission statement of linking Deaf and hearing communities, providing more exposure to sign language, and educating the public about Deaf art. The NTD is affiliated with a drama school, also founded in 1967, and with the Little Theatre of the Deaf (LTD), established in 1968 to produce shows for a younger audience.^[3]

Prior to the National Theatre of the Deaf, there were no theatre college-level programs created to support deaf aspiring actors. Furthermore, there were three major deaf theatre groups, these being "The New York Association of the Deaf," "The New York Theatre Guild of the Deaf" and "The Metropolitan Theatre guild of the Deaf."

The first official performance of the NTD was a production of The Man With His Heart in the Highlands at Wesleyan University in 1967.^[4] NTD members participated in the first National and Worldwide Deaf Theatre Conference in 1994. Many deaf actors have earned acclaim through their work with the NTD in performances, conferences, and community outreach. The NTD has been fundamental in the creation of an international Deaf theatre community, and has received several awards, including the Tony Award for Theatrical Excellence. The company has visited each of the 50 states during over 150 national tours, as well as over 30 countries.