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| Little Theatre of the Deaf (LTD) | |
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About the Little Theatre of the Deaf (LTD) About the Little Theatre of the Deaf (LTD) The Little Theatre of the Deaf (LTD) is the children’s wing of the National Theatre of the Deaf. Formed in 1968 to reach out to young audiences and their families, LTD performs original works, classic stories, fables and poems. Each year, LTD gives live performances to thousands of children and adults in schools and theatres across the United States. In addition, LTD occasionally tours internationally and has performed in India, Mexico, Germany, Japan, China, Russia, and New Zealand. While LTD spends most of its time giving live performances, many people have experienced LTD through the medium of television. In 1975, company member Linda Bove introduced LTD to a national audience when she became a regular member of the Sesame Street television cast. Since then, LTD’s television credits include numerous appearances on Sesame Street (most recently in the spring of 2006) and an appearance in the Disney Channel series Out of the Box in 2001. The magic of LTD lies in its remarkable ability to entertain and educate at the same time. While the actors amaze the audience with their ability to make a lion roar, a tree bend, or the sun rise “in the palms of their hands”, they are also broadening the awareness, understanding, and appreciation of Deaf culture. Further, by challenging stereotypes on language, communication, and disability, they promote diversity and inclusion within our society as a whole. In addition to providing a high quality artistic experience, LTD strives to serve as an educational partner with schools hosting performances. To that end, LTD supplies a Study Together Guide free-of-charge to all schools at which it performs. The Study Together Guide is intended to assist teachers in preparing their classes to get the most from each performance as an educational and artistic experience. The guide provides information on Deaf culture, American Sign Language, and the historical and cultural contexts of the production. It also gives teachers tips for working with Deaf students in the mainstream classroom, hints for working with sign language interpreters, and suggestions for meaningful classroom exercises. General Information on LTD Performances Typically, LTD performances are 50 to 60 minutes in duration and end with the ever-popular segment Your Game. Your Game is an interactive piece during which the audience is asked for suggestions – for example, of a machine or an animal – which the cast then uses to create hysterical improvisational skits. All LTD performances require a performance area that is at least 20’wide by 20’ deep by 12’ high; clean; cleared or all furniture and equipment; and well-lit. While a traditional stage is preferred, LTD also performs in gymnasiums and large multi-purpose rooms.
Tree Wise, the exciting new children’s book, by AntoinetteAbbamonte, a professional Deaf actress turned author, will be adapted by Garrett Zuercher, a professional Deaf playwright, and performed by the world-renowned Little Theatre of the Deaf. Witness our brand new, never seen before production of Tree Wise. Tree Wise tells the story of a boy who has Deaf parents and has made a friend with a girl at school. Through the help of a very special tree, the boy learns how to help his new friend and classmates understand more about Deaf culture. The tree teaches sign language to the children through games. Program for the Current LTD Production There is currently no program for this production. Poster for the Current LTD Production To download a poster for the current LTD production, please click here. “I was blessed with the opportunity of seeing a performance of The Giving Tree a few years ago in Eugene, Oregon. Since then I have been wanting to share the wonderful experience with my family and friends. It was the most joyous theater experience I have ever had in my life, and because of that I have been dying to know: When will you come back to Oregon again? Please continue bringing so much wholesome entertainment and learning experiences that the whole family can (and will) thoroughly enjoy. You are all doing a great job.”
“I thought it was a great show. My students were amazed. They did not believe some of the actors were deaf – which led into a wonderful class discussion.”
“The kids were mesmerized! It was enjoyable for the adults as well. Some assemblies aren’t really for all audiences, and they can be somewhat dull for the adults. This was wonderful for everyone!”
“…It was a pleasure having the National Theatre of the Deaf at our school…As you can tell from the responses you had, it was certainly a “Grand” presentation. Our audience was comprised of grades 1-5. We all enjoyed the performance immensely. We would certainly like to have you back at our school in the future. Cultural programs like yours are an integral part of our endeavor to provide social and academic enrichment to our children…”
“On behalf of the Board, staff and especially the members of Asylum Hill Boys and Girls Club, I would like to extend a sincere thanks to you and the National Theatre of the Deaf performers for their showcase on January 25th at our Club. Our members were in awe of your performers and left the show with smiling faces and an excitement about their new experience. Meeting and interacting with the performers was a great experience for all involved, and was truly a positive cultural experience for our members. Please pass along a heartfelt thanks to all the performers for offering their talents to our young people.”
“Having the Little Theatre of the Deaf perform at our school was a wonderful experience. Colleen, Justin, Ian and Greg graciously shared their talents and their lives with all of us and we will never be the same. Their openness affected everyone and the children are still talking about their visit. I spoke with a lot of the older kids and they felt it was a very valuable experience. I know they will carry this moment with them the rest of their lives.”
“I wanted to drop you a line and let you know that the performance today…was a wonderful success. The students were fascinated from beginning to end. The actors were intriguing, exciting, and fantastic. The whole production was entertaining and educational for the staff as well as the students. Several friends who teach in other districts have asked me for your information, so that they can bring this fabulous program to their own districts. Please pass my compliments on to your actors. They were really wonderful!”
“Dear Joy and all of LTD…thank you for sharing your talent and skill with our students. They thoroughly enjoyed the production of ‘The Giving Tree and Other Stories’ – seeing the stories come to life, experiencing new possibilities for communication and storytelling, and being inspired by your enthusiasm for the art. We received tremendous feedback from the teachers, who appreciated the acting, the stories, the languages and the games, as well as the way you thoughtfully included the students and inspired their creativity. The students felt special, and the teachers appreciated the examples as role models that you set for the children….”
“On behalf of the St. Paul’s Episcopal Day School Parents’ Guild and the staff and children at the school, I want to extend our sincere thanks to the company for the wonderful performance we saw today. The major purpose for bringing you to the school was for our children to be aware of and sensitive to different ways of communicating and differences in general. We feel very good about what they saw today. You could have heard a pin drop throughout the performance (except for the many funny parts). It was clear to me and the faculty that the children were fascinated by the performance. I wish you well and hope to bring you back to Kansas City soon.”
“This presentation of the Little Theatre of the Deaf thoroughly engaged and entertained our students! We would be pleased to have them perform for us in the future. We would also recommend this program to other school districts. The show is an excellent venue for creative arts exploration in conjunction with reading dramatization. It also heightens the awareness of our students to the unique and valuable contribution of gifted Deaf actors and actresses. Thank you.”
To book an LTD performance, please contact the Tour Department by calling 860-236-4193 or by emailing tour@ntd.org Back to top
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Copyright © 2007 National Theater of the Deaf. All rights reserved. |
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