Pictures in the Air

In the late 1950s, a small group of theater professionals met in New York City to establish a troupe that would showcase the unique talents of deaf actors. Pictures in the Air tells of their success in starting the National Theatre of the Deaf (NTD), an institution renowned throughout the world. Author Stephen Baldwin traces the vital work of Edna Levine, the early involvement of Anne Bancroft, and the stagecraft of Gene Lasko and Arthur Penn. Artistic Director David Hays indelibly imprinted the character of the NTD with his concepts, all captured in fine detail in this engrossing book. The great deaf actors also are featured, including Bernard Bragg, Phyllis Frelich, Linda Bove, and Ed Waterstreet, in the company's most famous productions: "The King of Hearts", "My Third Eye, Songs from Milkwood", and "A Child's Christmas in Wales". Replete with photographs, this book shows how a startling new venture grew into an artistic repertory company treasured worldwide.