Theater Accessibility and Deaf Patrons

[DeafScribbler]

Posted: 11/2/14 at 3:39pm

I wrote a blog post on theater accessibility from the perspective of a Deaf theater aficionado - link here: http://thecreativepensieve.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-view-from-row-tales-of-deaf-theater.html

My question, which will address the line in the post regarding not seeing shows in NYC despite countless attempts to do so - which shows have you seen ASL interpreters and/or open captioning at?

I know many if not most of you don't have hearing loss or know someone who does - but I'm sure you've gone to a show and saw two or three people dressed in all-black and hands flying in the air or the presence of a small screen off to the side keeping up with the dialogue : )

I'm asking as TDF seems to be cutting back on ASL interpretation in favor of OC, which is very sad news indeed (and one of the reasons why I chase the tours instead).

Also, have you seen their presence at stops on the national tours? (I've seen shows in Chicago, Minneapolis, Boise, Los Angeles, and I just asked about shows in South Carolina - Columbia never does while Greenville it is on a case-by-case basis. Minneapolis has them all beat, even NYC, with its sheer number of ASL and OC performances not just at the Broadway level).

Name the show and the city, please.

Thank you so much for helping me out! This information would be greatly appreciated and will enhance my upcoming blog post on the current situation of accessibility when it comes to Deaf and HOH patrons.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/2/14 at 3:47pm

As a student of ASL for almost 3 years now, I try to see interpreted performances when I can, but it's difficult for me since the last thing I want to do is take away a seat from a Deaf or HOH audience member. But I've seen several at Roundabout shows and they're very well done (unlike some of the shows that they put on, but that's another topic).

I think i read on ALADDIN's website that all performances would be interpreted, but maybe I misread that. It is a shame that so many shows are choosing open captioning, but from a budget POV it makes sense. Just not for the audience members who greatly benefit from having actual interpreters present for them. I check handson.org regularly but sadly, they don't do a ton of different shows.

[DeafScribbler]

Posted: 11/2/14 at 3:50pm

Yes, you are correct about Aladdin - Disney does a great job in providing at least ONE interpreted performance per month, on a rotational basis - ie Aladdin one month, The Lion King the next, and so on.

Right now I *think* they are the only ones who does... So many shows I tried to see (ie Rent) were only interpreted once and never again so if I missed it, too bad to me.

TDF's TYA program does interpreted shows twice a year for the K-12 crowd, and I've outgrown my high school ID - ha. Other than that, I haven't seen anything on TDF's TAP offerings, nor on HandsOn (I met Beth and had a lengthy chat with her about it, ditto with Lisa Carling over at TDF-TAP.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 11/2/14 at 3:53pm

Really, it is apples and oranges. OC is much easier to support in the majority of a Broadway houses, whereas many Broadway theatres just do not have an appropriate place to place an ASL interpreter in the house and scheduling the necessary rehearsal time and integrating the special lighting can prove tricky, even if cost is not the deciding factor.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/2/14 at 3:55pm

To Deaf/HOH patrons, there is a WORLD of difference between interpreted shows and the open captions. Most (if not all) of my Deaf friends wouldn't even want to go to an open captioned show.

[I'm a starkid]

Posted: 11/2/14 at 3:59pm

This isn't broadway, but in the West End the first time I saw Wicked it was interpreted.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/2/14 at 4:04pm

I've seen ASL interpreters at Les Miz in St. Louis, Phantom in Sacramento, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels in San Jose.

I also was at a performance of Jersey Boys in San Francisco with interpreters, but they were seated in the aisle and you had to request seats near them if you wanted to see them (they weren't sitting on stools in the pit since there is no open pit at Jersey Boys). I was in my second year of ASL then and was a bit bummed not to be able to see them, but I was a lower priority!

[DeafScribbler]

Posted: 11/2/14 at 4:06pm

West End shows are also welcome :) I've seen some websites dedicated to scheduled BSL interpreted shows over there as well.

Hmm... musing over a post discussing the differences (pros and cons) between sign interpreted shows and OC using my experiences with "Mary Poppins" (I cracked down and went to both performances so I could compare the differences, and it was a show I knew well so I had that advantage as well.) Perhaps I will do just that! :)

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/2/14 at 4:11pm

I'd love to read that!

[leezy8242]

Posted: 11/6/14 at 6:58pm

I would also definitely be interested in reading that! I've taken ASL and other related classes and would love to read a take on interpreting/OC in theatre.

[DeafScribbler]

Posted: 11/25/14 at 3:29pm

Team Interpreters or Team Captions? Here's my response to the interpreter/captioning debacle for Broadway shows as requested - "ASL Interpreting or Captioning at Broadway Shows: A Deaf Patron's Perspective" - please do read it here:

http://thecreativepensieve.blogspot.com/2014/11/asl-interpreting-or-captioning-at.html

Discuss away!

[Javi]

Posted: 11/25/14 at 4:18pm

Really interesting read, DeafScribbler. I totally agree with your observations and it would be great if you could have ASL and OC at the same time and the viewer can choose. I actually work for a company here in Australia that provides captions for the deaf and audio description for the blind. I guess one thing that needs to be considered is that not everyone knows ASL (American Sign Language). Deaf or hearing impaired theatregoers from other countries attending Broadway shows wouldn't be able to understand ASL if they only know sign language used in their country. For example, we use Auslan, not ASL, here in Australia. Also there's a large population of people who have become hearing impaired, due to things like ageing, and most of them just don't know sign language. I'd love to see someone sign supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. :)

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 11/25/14 at 4:26pm

Wow. Just now seeing the further replies. Where have I been?
Jordan, I agree that there is a world of difference between the two. I honestly find ASL interpretation to be far better as they are able to react in real time to the variations in performance and maintain accuracy if a performer strays and stay in sync.
I hope it was understood that my "apples and oranges" comment / post referred purely to the logistics of arranging for captioning or interpreters.

[andi1235]

Posted: 11/26/14 at 1:03pm

I personally would love to see some sort of Google Glass-ish captioning system implemented for live theater, so a viewer could follow the action on stage while the words displayed wherever they were looking. I imagine the tech is there, although I'm sure it would need some working out. I suppose it would even be possible to have a little video "screen" with an ASL interpreter on a similar display, to avoid the glancing back and forth for whoever is watching.

For reference, I'm hearing and I don't know sign language. I did take a semester of ASL, but that's as far as my signing ability goes. I am an academic C-Print captionist, though, so I like to think I know a little bit about this topic! Incidentally, I would LOVE to work as a theater captionist. It would be a dream job for me.

[BBAU]

Posted: 11/26/14 at 4:35pm

I've recently become hard of hearing, after many years of theatre-going and studying theatre, so this is new to me. I do not know ASL but I intend on learning. Since the hearing loss began, I have yet to attend any theatrical performance with OC, so I cannot comment from personal experience.

Your blog and the responding posts/responses cover all the bases, including all of my own concerns. Ultimately, OC is accessible to a broader audience of d/Deaf/HOH patrons. There are less resources needed to provide an OC caption performance than an interpreted one. However, an interpreted performance is a richer, more engaging experience by far. The very nature of sign language is one of physical expression and in the performance world, it feels right at home. It is a shame that TDF is cutting down, and I sincerely wish they were offered together more often.

On a side note, I am so glad that you started this discussion. I was not well-informed on the concerns of d/Deaf/HOH patrons before my own hearing loss, but I am grateful to speak on them now. As I've become more educated, I've found that it is important to speak up in order to bridge gaps between the hearing and the d/Deaf/HOH communities in general and especially within the theatre community. Initiating dialogue is key. Thank you. (Though this a drastically minuscule concern in comparison, lately I've felt inclined to contact the "popular" Broadway websites to ask about captioning their videos. There is so much video content constantly being made for theatre fans, but it is not accessible. And although it is generally dreadful, I am glad Youtube has the 'automatic captions' setting--it's a start. Regardless, I understand the resources necessary for captioning are not necessarily abundant and this is not a major concern in the grand scheme of things.)

[Cupid Boy2]

Posted: 11/26/14 at 4:59pm

While it was a few years ago, I saw interpreters at a performance of Dreamgirls when the last tour with Syesha Mercado made a stop in Pittsburgh.

[DeafScribbler]

Posted: 1/18/15 at 5:12pm

As per request, updating the list of sign language interpreted and captioned performances by venue/organization, and again as per request, posting it here should any of you have a fellow Deaf theatergoer that might need information or a guiding point in the right direction.

However, it is far from complete - if you know of any local/national/international organizations or venues that reguarly promote those shows (not just "on a case by case basis or by request only", but actually scheduled full season of shows regardless if any Deaf show up), do let me know so I can add to it.

Link: http://thecreativepensieve.blogspot.com/2015/01/theater-accessibility-update-sign.html

(It's also on the Pages tab under "Theater Aficionado" as well).

If there are any subjects you would like me to cover, just let me know and I will write it up and post a notice on this thread :)