David Hays, Broadway Designer and Theater of Deaf Founder, Dies at 95

He created sets and lighting for dozens of productions and established a new art form with his theater of the deaf.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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David Hays, an acclaimed set and lighting designer for theater who also became an innovative impresario as the founding artistic director of the National Theater of the Deaf, died on Tuesday at his home in Essex, Connecticut. He was 95. Hays' career spanned over 50 plays on Broadway, working with renowned directors, and he was nominated for three Tony Awards. He helped start the National Theater of the Deaf in 1967, which grew to perform works in all 50 states and on all seven continents, including Antarctica, and received a special Tony Award in 1977.

Why it matters

Hays was a pioneering figure in the theater world, known for his innovative approach to set and lighting design as well as his groundbreaking work in establishing the National Theater of the Deaf, which helped increase the visibility of sign language and used it as a new means of theatrical expression. His contributions to the industry and to the deaf community were significant.

The details

Hays' first major job in New York was designing productions for influential director José Quintero, including stagings of Eugene O'Neill's "The Iceman Cometh" and "Long Day's Journey Into Night." He went on to design sets and lights for over 50 plays on Broadway, working with directors like Arthur Penn, Elia Kazan, and Tyrone Guthrie. Hays also designed more than 30 ballets for George Balanchine. In 1967, he helped start the National Theater of the Deaf as its artistic director, and the company grew to perform around the world, receiving a special Tony Award in 1977.

  • Hays died on Tuesday, February 18, 2026.
  • Hays founded the National Theater of the Deaf in 1967.
  • The National Theater of the Deaf received a special Tony Award in 1977.

The players

David Hays

An esteemed set and lighting designer for theater who also became the founding artistic director of the National Theater of the Deaf.

José Quintero

An influential theater director with whom Hays worked early in his career.

George Balanchine

A renowned choreographer for whom Hays designed over 30 ballets.

Nancy Varga

Hays' wife who survived him.

DJ Kurs

The artistic director of Deaf West Theater, a company that emerged in the early 1990s.

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What they’re saying

“David was a torchbearer who used his position to uplift and develop a field that, until then, had few champions in the mainstream. His vision proved that American Sign Language possessed a profound, inherent theatricality that belonged in the canon of great art.”

— DJ Kurs, Artistic Director, Deaf West Theater (Email)

“He was one of the last of the 'double threats' — those who design in more than one discipline.”

— Stephen Strawbridge, Lighting Designer (Email)

The takeaway

Hays' pioneering work in set and lighting design, as well as his founding of the groundbreaking National Theater of the Deaf, cemented his legacy as a visionary and influential figure in the theater world. His commitment to elevating sign language as a means of theatrical expression and his ability to create works that appealed to both deaf and hearing audiences left an indelible mark on the industry.