Patrick Graybill

Patrick Graybill (born August 29, 1939) is an American Deaf actor, storyteller, poet, educator, and Roman Catholic Deacon. He is best known for his contributions to theater and literature in American Sign Language. He was a founding member of the National Theatre of the Deaf and later a professor at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. Graybill is recognized for his work in ASL storytelling and poetry and has been described as "the grandfather of ASL poetry".

Early life and education Graybill was born in Overland Park, Kansas, into a family in which five of seven children were deaf. He attended the Kansas School for the Deaf, graduating in 1958. He then enrolled at Gallaudet College, where he studied English and became active in theatrical activities.