Senator Tom Harkin Visits Deaf West

Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) paid a visit to Deaf West Theatre to catch a performance of The Adventures of Pinocchio. Senator Harkin has been instrumental in finding financial support for Deaf West on a national level.

The Adventures of Pinocchio is a commedia dell arte adaptation of Carlo Collodi's 1883 novel by Lee Hall that brims with clever political subtext and sly social commentary. Deaf West's retelling of Pinocchio's treacherous journey through childhood incorporates the company's signature, award-winning combination of signed and voiced theater.

Founded by artistic director Ed Waterstreet in 1991, Deaf West has produced over 40 plays and four musicals, winning more than 80 theater awards including a Tony® nomination and four Drama Desk Awards for the Broadway production of Big River. Award-winning productions include: Big River (Ovation, Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle and Backstage Garland awards for Best Musical, Tony and Drama Desk nominations, Best Revival), A Streetcar Named Desire (Ovation Award--Best Play, 2000) and Oliver! (Ovation Award-Best Musical, 2000). In 2005, DWT was selected to receive the Highest Recognition Award by the Secretary of Health and Human Services for its "distinguished contributions to improve and enrich the culture lives of deaf and hard of hearing actors and theater patrons." A former 12-year member of the National Theatre of the Deaf, Ed Waterstreet starred in the Emmy Award-winning Love Is Never Silent and the recent Hallmark movie, Sweet Nothing in My Ear. Ed was the recipient of the James A. Doolittle Ovation Award for Leadership in the Theater at the L.A. Stage Alliance 2003 Ovation Awards ceremony. Most recently, Ed was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from his alma mater, Gallaudet University.

The Adventures of Pinocchio continues through April 2. For reservations and information, call 818.762.2773 (voice) or 866.954.2986 (video phone), or go to www.deafwest.org.