The Fight For Deaf Rights

A pivotal moment in Deaf history, and a conflict that would help shape perceptions, comes to the stage in The Quiet Revolution of Laurent Clerc! Uniquely presented using four different modalities of sign language, spoken French, spoken English, and captions, this groundbreaking work written by Carol Schneider and directed by Joe Cacaci creates a creatively captivating visual landscape to immerse the audience in an extraordinary story about autonomy and love, fully accessible to both hearing and non-hearing audiences. 

What Is The Story?

Deaf French pioneer Laurent Clerc arrives in 19th-century America to co-found the nation's first school for Deaf children, along with the young Reverend Thomas Gallaudet. Determined to liberate a generation from being outsiders through language, Clerc's life work prospers until he falls in love with a deaf woman and announces his intention to marry. Facing a societal backlash and moral panic that threatens the school’s survival, Clerc is forced to decide: safeguard the school’s future, or stand up for his right to love?