Access to visual details of theatrical performances is created for people who are blind or visually impaired through the verbal descriptions of a live narrator. Patrons who are blind or visually impaired listen to these descriptions on an FM assistive listening system. Originally designed for people who are hard of hearing, this technology also facilitates Audio-Description. Audio-described theatre includes verbal descriptions of the sets, costumes, the actions and the facial expressions of the actors. The descriptions are written concisely and are rehearsed to dovetail with the actors' lines. Ms. Hoffman and an audio-describer work closely, occasionally consulting various production members, to create concise, accurate descriptions. Audio-description is recognized by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as a "Reasonable Accommodation." Touch tours, programs in Braille, and large print are reasonable accommodations that create additional access to theatrical performances.
Lisa Helen Hoffman, one of the few audio-description consultants and trainers in the nation who is blind, brings her unique experience to the field of audio-description. She has consulted on more than 40 productions at Geva Theatre in Rochester, New York and one production at the Royal National Theatre in London, England. She attended audio-description training at the Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute at Ohio State University and is a graduate of the University of Buffalo. Born with retino blastoma, cancer of the eyes, Ms. Hoffman has been totally blind since age 2. During her many visits to New York City for medical treatment, the welcome diversion of a Broadway show kindled her passion for the theatre at a very young age. She loved to listen to the acting, the singing, and the music while her family whispered descriptions to her to create access to the visual element of the productions. Now she creates access to theatrical performances so that others who are blind or visually impaired can enjoy them independently. In the Disability Community in Rochester, New York, Ms. Hoffman has served as Corresponding Secretary for the Rochester Chapter of the American Council of the Blind, and as Vice-President of Advocacy and Education for the Regional Center for Independent Living. Nationally, she is a Charter Board Member of Audio-Description International (ADI) and a participant in the First National Forum on Careers in the Arts for People with Disabilities. She is a member of the Association for Theatre and Accessibility (ATA).
Most people who are visually impaired don't realize how much they have been missing until they experience audio-description.
Patrons who are blind choose the seating they prefer, borrow a small receiver and earphone, and enjoy the performance augmented with descriptions of the visual details that are essential to understanding the plot.
The visual content of a production is essential in understanding the plot. With no way to learn the visual details, patrons who are blind or visually impaired often feel frustrated and isolated when their lack of sight prevents them from understanding a production. When these visual details are audio-described, patrons have a greater understanding and enjoyment of theatre. Descriptions are heard in a timely fashion, the visual details of the performance are understood, and the patrons of the audio-description service laugh or sigh along with the rest of the audience.
People who are blind or visually impaired attend audio-described performances with the confidence that they will not have to rely on a sighted person to either fill in the silences or explain the chaos. A live narrator describes sets and costumes and augments each scene with descriptions of visual details such as actions and facial expressions. Since this information is heard on an earphone, the need to whisper "what's happening?" to a sighted audience member during the performance is eliminated. Programs in large print and Braille create additional opportunities for independence. Audio-Description Consulting and Training LHH Consulting offers consulting and training for audio-described theatre either in Rochester, New York or on site. This unique training is designed to instruct individuals who are sighted to convey visual information about theatrical performances verbally. Participants learn and practice techniques for describing sets, costumes, and performances of dramatic, musical, and danc e productions. Consulting is available for theatre staff wishing to establish and market an Audio-Described Theatre Program as well as for the audio-description of an individual production.
Facilitating audio-description requires auditioning and training audio-describers, scheduling audio-describers for performances, renting or acquiring an FM assistive listening system, providing programs and subscription brochures in large print and Braille, training theatre staff and management in disability awareness, and marketing the service to people who are blind or visually impaired.
An FM assistive listening system, which is used to provide enhanced listening for patrons who are hard of hearing, is also used for audio-description. During an audio-described performance, the microphone of the assistive listening system is used by the audio-describer. The transmitter sends the audio describer's words to the patrons via the receivers and earphones. This equipment is an asset to any organization as it is used for the provision of two reasonable accommodations that are recognized by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): audio-description and assistive listening.
Anyone who is interested in attending a theatrical performance and is visually impaired or blind is a potential audio-description patron. Whether the individual is a child experiencing a theatrical performance for the first time, an adult who has concluded that not being able to see would be too frustrating and stayed away, or a senior citizen who no longer attends due to a loss of sight, theatre is accessible to all people who are blind or visually impaired.
Promotional materials in large print, Braille and/or on cassette are essential in marketing the service to those who will be using it. The availability of public transportation or paratransit must be considered when scheduling audio-described performance dates and times so that the targeted audience can attend. Discounts on tickets for groups is an incentive to try something new. Careful auditioning and training of the describers is vital as poor audio-description will have a negative impact on the service. Patrons who are blind or visually impaired increase their enjoyment of the theatre through quality audio-description and promote the service as they discuss their positive experience.
"Attending musical and dramatic productions at Geva Theatre, Broadway, and at local high schools was part of my childhood. An evening at the theatre was fascinating to me. I was transported by the music and the acting. My family and friends described the stage sets and the costumes to me. Now I've come full circle. I have the expertise and the passion to make the magic of theatre accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired through audio-description and touch tours."