Theatre Development Fund

TDF's Accessibility Programs (TAP) have been at the forefront of expanding open captioning for theatregoers with hearing loss. Through TAP, more than 300 open-captioned performances of various Broadway, Off-Broadway, and regional productions have been organized since 1997, providing a simultaneous translation of dialogue and lyrics, as well as descriptions of sound effects, for those in a designated seating area. This inclusive service, which requires no special equipment, has allowed hard-of-hearing audiences to fully enjoy live performances. Open captioning has become an invaluable service for theatres like Manhattan Theatre Club, enabling people with hearing loss to experience shows they may not have been able to attend otherwise. The technology used for open captioning is relatively simple, with a portable LED text display connected to a laptop computer equipped with specialized software. A live operator triggers pre-scripted text or inputs verbatim words for improvisational performances, providing real-time transcription known as CART Communic.

Generated from the website