City: West Hartford, CT

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (860) 607-1334 (videophone)

Address: 139 N. Main St.

Description: The National Theatre of the Deaf is a touring company whose home base is in West Hartford. They play across the country, from Boston to Las Vegas, but often right here in Connecticut, sometimes at the Old State House in Hartford or at various other venues that offer them space. Their first performance was in 1967 (when 6 people attended), and they have lasted over 40 years and won a Tony Award for their work, as well as the respect and admiration of the deaf and hearing public. The performances are in American Sign Language, and even if you don’t understand it, it is beautiful to behold. There are 40 theaters of the deaf around the world today, inspired and founded from this original one, here in West Hartford. They have done 78 tours and visited all 50 states, making them the oldest continually producing touring theater company in the nation.