Bruce Hlibok
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Early Life
Bruce Hlibok (Bruce Michael Mackintosh Hlibok) July 31, 1960- June 23, 1995
Bruce was born in Flushing, New York to Deaf parents, Albert and Margaret Hlibok, and was the eldest of four siblings (all Deaf), Stephen Hlibok, Gregory Hlibok, and Nancy Hlibok Amann. He was a natural actor since he was a little boy, He directed his first formal play at Union League of Deaf in 1978, was a member of Metro Jr. NAD and attended Youth Leadership Camp (1976 as a camper and 1977 as a staff member which was unusual because he was still in high school at the time). Bruce attended Lexington School for the Deaf briefly then graduated from Horace Mann High School, Riverside, New York in 1979. He went to Gallaudet College (now known as Gallaudet University) and then transferred to New York University, where he graduated in the field of journalism and play writing.
Notable notes on Bruce's family: His father owned a civil engineering company and his mother was a teacher- both are lifelong advocates for the Deaf community, both in New York and nationally. As for his siblings, his younger brother Stephen Hlibok was the first Deaf stockbroker with Merrill Lynch, his youngest brother, Greg Hlibok was one of the four student leaders during the Deaf President Now movement in 1988, and his sister, Nancy Hlibok Amann is the superintendent of the California School for the Deaf at Riverside, CA.
Legacy and Achievements
Bruce was the first Deaf actor to play a main role in a Broadway production, Runaways, composed and directed by Elizabeth Swados and produced by Joseph Papp. The musical premiered off-Broadway on February 21, 1978 at the Public Theater Cabaret as presented by the New York Shakespeare Festival. It moved to Broadway at the Plymouth Theatre on May 13, 1978 and closed on Dec 31, 1978 after 274 performances and 12 previews. Bruce was the first to use sign language in the rhythm of music on stage. The play was an international smash hit, with five Tony Awards nominations. In between his Broadway play and founding his new theater company, Handstone Productions, he authored a children book about his sister, Nancy attending the Juilliard School of Dance, titled, "Silent Dancer" in 1981. He often was asked to travel and lecture on various topics including art and theatrical sign language. He also served as a consultant for theaters for the deaf and on ASL in general theater.
His company, Handstone Productions was a platform for his 12 completed written plays which were then produced at off-off Broadway theatres in Manhattan, New York; Paris, France; and Amsterdam, Netherlands. He staged an one-man show, The Deaf-Mute Howls, based on Albert V. Ballin's memoir. He acted in an off Broadway play, "Another Person is a Foreign Country", and his last role was in a off Broadway play, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter in 1994. He also was known for his poetry in both American Sign Language and English. After his passing, his family created an endowment (Bruce Hlibok, '84 Memorial Fund) at Gallaudet University which created an annual playwriting competition, "The Bruce Hlibok Playwriting Competition" and a library of resources at the Elstad Theatre on campus, of both which still exists today.
Personal Life and Family
Bruce lived in New York nearly all his life, starting with Flushing, Queens, then he moved to Manhattan. His long term partner, Neal Johnson, who was a creative artist for Avon Products, died in 1987.
Notable notes on his family (both past and present): Bruce's great grandfather was Frederick Haynes Newell, his great-great grandfather was John Sherman Mackintosh and his direct ancestor was an American Founding Father, Roger Sherman of Connecticut. His father owned a civil engineering company and his mother was a teacher- both are lifelong advocates for the Deaf community, both in New York and nationally. As for his siblings, his younger brother Stephen Hlibok was the first Deaf stockbroker with Merrill Lynch, his youngest brother, Greg Hlibok was one of the four student leaders during the Deaf President Now movement in 1988, and his sister, Nancy Hlibok Amann is the superintendent of the California School for the Deaf at Riverside, CA.