Australian Theatre of the Deaf

Company

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Company History

Now about to chalk up 28 years as a professional entity, Australian Theatre of the Deaf had its origins in the early 1970s when Adam Salzer, Nola Colefax, our current Patron, and a group of deaf people set about entertaining the Deaf community and giving an opportunity for deaf people to express themselves through performance. The focus was to create a theatre FOR the Deaf.

In 1979, with backing from the Australia Council and the Elizabethan Theatre Trust, Theatre of the Deaf was launched as a professional company. The focus changed to become a theatre OF the Deaf, catering for both hearing and deaf audiences.

During the first ten years under artistic directors Ben Strout and later Patrick Mitchell, the company concentrated largely on classics from Shakespeare, Beckett, Brecht and even Tennessee Williams. Scripts were presented in sign language supported by voice-over interpreting from the wings, or by hearing actors on stage.

1989 saw the appointment of the first professional Deaf Artistic Director, Carol-lee Aquiline. Under Carol-lee's direction the Company worked hard to create a new Deaf theatre method, with defined and articulated techniques such as Visual Vernacular. This innovative era saw the company develop an overall style which was to become its trademark: universally-understood visual theatre.

Having toured to every state and territory in Australia and internationally to the USA, Japan, New Zealand, Austria and Singapore, it was fitting that the company was renamed Australian Theatre of the Deaf in 1995. Julia Cotton held the artistic reins, before Michael Canfield took over. Tony Strachan was appointed in 1999 until the beginning of 2005.

A new chapter began in 2005 with the arrival of Caroline Conlon, an experienced deaf theatre-maker. Her artistic vision for the company will see an increase in deaf authorship of ATOD's productions. Her work has encompassed devising and directing two new school productions, the major work There And Back for Sidetrack and in 2006 a major production of Sofya Gollan's new play, The Cat Lady of Bexley.

More information on the establishment of the company can be found in Nola Colefaxs autobiography Signs of Change.

Copyright: Australian Theatre of the Deaf, 2003. All Rights Reserved


	Company History Now about to chalk up 28 years as a professional entity, Australian Theatre of the Deaf had its origins in the early 1970s when Adam Salzer, Nola Colefax, our current Patron, and a group of deaf people set about entertaining the Deaf community and giving an opportunity for deaf people to express themselves through performance. The focus was to create a theatre FOR the Deaf. In 1979, with backing from the Australia Council and the Elizabethan Theatre Trust, Theatre of the Deaf was launched as a professional company. The focus changed to become a theatre OF the Deaf, catering for both hearing and deaf audiences. During the first ten years under artistic directors Ben Strout and later Patrick Mitchell, the company concentrated largely on classics from Shakespeare, Beckett, Brecht and even Tennessee Williams. Scripts were presented in sign language supported by voice-over interpreting from the wings, or by hearing actors on stage. 1989 saw the appointment of the first professional Deaf Artistic Director, Carol-lee Aquiline. Under Carol-lee's direction the Company worked hard to create a new Deaf theatre method, with defined and articulated techniques such as Visual Vernacular. This innovative era saw the company develop an overall style which was to become its trademark: universally-understood visual theatre. Having toured to every state and territory in Australia and internationally to the USA, Japan, New Zealand, Austria and Singapore, it was fitting that the company was renamed Australian Theatre of the Deaf in 1995. Julia Cotton held the artistic reins, before Michael Canfield took over. Tony Strachan was appointed in 1999 until the beginning of 2005. A new chapter began in 2005 with the arrival of Caroline Conlon, an experienced deaf theatre-maker. Her artistic vision for the company will see an increase in deaf authorship of ATOD's productions. Her work has encompassed devising and directing two new school productions, the major work There And Back for Sidetrack and in 2006 a major production of Sofya Gollan's new play, The Cat Lady of Bexley. More information on the establishment of the company can be found in Nola Colefaxs autobiography Signs of Change.


	Copyright: Australian Theatre of the Deaf, 2003. All Rights Reserved