Troy Michael Kotsur

Troy Michael Kotsur is a deaf American actor and director.

Biography
Kotsur was born in Mesa, Arizona, sometime in 1968. He has born deaf and has lived that way since his birth. He attended Gallaudet University from 1987 to 1989, majoring in Theater. He also attended Mesa College, Pierce College, and American River College. In addition, for an unspecified amount of time, Kotsur worked as an intern at KTSP-TV in Phoenix, where he was an editor, researcher, and interviewer. At some point, he graduated college with a degree in Theater. As soon as he became an actor, Kotsur became involved with many shows produced by Deaf West Theatre, a cultural institution for deaf theatre. His works include the 2003 Broadway revival of Big River. He has also performed principal roles in Orphans, Medea, Equus, Sleuth, Romeo and Juliet, Verona Circus, and Mice and Men. He traveled from coast to coast in the U.S., performing with the National Theater for the Deaf. Kotsur also performed in the countries of Northern Ireland and South Africa.

Kotsur was also a guest theater artist. He performed at California Arts Institution in Valiance as Hamlet and the ghost in Shakespeare's Hamlet Project, an American Sign Language translation from Twelfth Night English, which was held at Yale University in 1999. He also starred in The Elephant Man and The Night of January 16, both productions at the Herberger Theater in Phoenix. For his work, Kotsur won two awards from Los Angeles Weekly and the 8th Annual Artistic Director Achievement Award, Valley Theater League of California for his role in A Streetcar Named Desire. He was also nominated by the Los Angeles Drama Circle Critics Award for his leading role in A Streetcar Named Desire, and by Los Angeles Ovation for Featured Actor in a Musical in Oliver!. Kotsur also appeared on TV, appearing on Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye, CSI: NY, Doc, Scrubs, and Criminal Minds.

On Criminal Minds
Kotsur portrayed deaf serial killer John Myers, a.k.a. "The Silencer", in the Season Eight premiere episode The Silencer.

Filmography

 * No Ordinary Hero: The SuperDeafy Movie (2013) as Matt
 * Criminal Minds - The Silencer (2012) TV episode - John Myers
 * Universal Signs (2008) as Chris
 * I See The Crowd Roar: The Story of William Dummy Hoy (2007) as Luther (documentary short)
 * Scrubs (2007) as Mr. Frances
 * The Number 23 (2007) as Barnaby
 * CSI: NY (2006) as Dennis Mitchum
 * Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye (2002-2005) as Troy Myers (5 episodes)
 * Doc (2003) as Troy
 * Strong Medicine (2001) as Lars

DIRECTOR

 * No Ordinary Hero: The SuperDeafy Movie (2013)

LINKS
For an up-to-date filmography, see here.