HISTORY

In 1996, Michelle Christie-Adams, M.S. ED, a teacher for the deaf with over 18 years experience in the entertainment industry, founded No Limits. Ms. Christie recognized the lack of opportunities for oral deaf children to improve their speaking abilities in a theatrical setting. Despite the existence of theater groups for deaf children who communicate manually, there were no similar opportunities for deaf children who speak. Knowing these children can often be lost in the shuffle of the hearing world, Ms. Christie-Adams designed an after-school program for oral deaf children to develop communication skills, expand vocabulary and grammar, understand character development through role-playing, cultivate creativity and develop public speaking skills to help them confidently move in to the hearing world.

After witnessing dramatic improvements in the children and receiving countless testimonials from families, peers, educators and the community at large, No Limits expanded to become a national program. Shows have included oral deaf children in California, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Oregon and Minnesota and recently Texas and Idaho. No Limits has produced 43 original productions with over 30,000 people witnessing the accomplishments and talents of these inspiring children.

As a result of its remarkable success, No Limits has extended its program beyond the theatrical arts to provide free speech and language training year-round in 4,500 square feet of donated office space by Washington Mutual Bank. The No Limits Auditory, Speech and Language Educational Center provides free services to lower-income deaf children in the greater Los Angeles area. Each child receives individual therapy, a bi-weekly reading program, computer training, and weekly parent education classes. Alone, speech therapy can cost $100/hr and No Limits students receive 4 hours a week, at no charge to the families. As a result of its comprehensive program, oral deaf children are learning essential skills that will allow them to attend college and become productive citizens of society.

Call us at (310) 280-0878 for more information.