New Repertory Theatre Installs Permanent Hearing Loop System

New Repertory Theatre in association with the Arsenal Center for the Arts is proud to announce that all productions in the Charles Mosesian Theater will now be hearing loop enabled. This innovative wireless technology will allow patrons with Telecoil enabled hearing aids and cochlear implants to hear speech and music from on stage clearly and directly. Headsets will also be available for those patrons without Telecoil enabled devices.

New Rep will be the first professional theatre company in the Greater Boston area to make their mainstage productions fully accessible through the installation of this revolutionary hearing assistive technology.

The installation of the hearing loop was made possible by the generous support of the Massachusetts Cultural Council's Cultural Facilities Fund with a contribution of $32,000, the Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation with a contribution of $30,500, with additional support from the Massachusetts Academy of Audiology, and individual gifts.

"Last year, long-time New Rep subscriber, Peggy Ellertsen, approached us about working with the Boston Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America to install a hearing loop system in our theatre," says Artistic Director, Jim Petosa. "After a successful trial run in the fall of 2015, we worked with both the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Smith Family Foundation to secure funds for full implementation. We are now pleased to provide New Rep audience members who have limited hearing the opportunity to experience our work clearly and fully through this remarkable technology."

"At New Repertory Theatre, we understand hearing limitations are common and are now affecting greater numbers of people including many of our long-time subscribers," says Managing Director, Harriet Sheets. "This technology will allow theatre lovers to continue their relationship with the art form as well as introduce New Groups of people who previously lacked access. We welcome all those who wish to enjoy high quality professional theatre to join us for another amazing season at New Rep!"

"New Repertory Theatre and the Arsenal Center for the Arts bring to their work exceptional qualities that yield effective outcomes," says Peggy Ellertsen, a member of the Board of Trustees at the Hearing Loss Association of America. "These include empathy for the experience of the person who is unable to clearly hear, curiosity about solutions that make theatre truly accessible, tenacity for fine tuning solutions until they work effectively, and resourcefulness in finding funding sources to make solutions come to life. New Rep is a jewel of a theatre and most deserving of the 2016 Excellence in Accessible Planning Award!"

New Rep received the 2016 Excellence in Accessibility Planning Award from the Boston Chapters of the Hearing Loss Association of America and Association of Late Deafened Adults for its commitment to providing hearing assistive performances.

Several discounted performances of Regular Singing will be available and preceded by a brief explanation and tutorial on how to use the hearing loop system. Professional audiologists will be on hand to help patrons and answer any questions. Please see below for details.

What is a hearing loop and how does it work?

A hearing loop is a hearing assistive technology that improves hearing understanding through hearing aids, cochlear implants, or head phones. Hearing loop users will directly and wirelessly receive clear sound without any background noise. Hearing aids must have a small wireless receiver called a Telecoil or T-coil installed. Most T-coils come free inside hearing aids but may need to be activated by an audiologist or hearing instrument specialist. The T-coil program is accessed by pushing a button on a hearing aid. The T-coil can make a noticeable difference in hearing understanding when combined with hearing assistive technology, bridging the physical space between the listener and the sound source. Hearing aid and cochlear implant users who are interested in using the hearing loop are advised to visit with their audiologists if they need assistance in identifying the presence of t-coil in their instrument. Those without T-coil enabled devices may use a headset available at the New Rep Box Office.

About New Repertory Theatre

New Repertory Theatre is the award-winning, professional theatre company in residence at the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown, MA. For over 30 years, New Rep has been a leader of self-produced theatre in greater Boston, producing contemporary and classic dramas, comedies, and musicals in both the 340-seat Charles Mosesian Theater and the 90-seat Black Box Theater. In addition to its mainstage productions, New Rep produces Next Voices, a program dedicated to developing new plays through staged readings and world premiere productions. Under its Lifelong Enrichment Arts Programs (LEAP), New Rep also produces its Classic Repertory Company, Page to Stage, Insider Experiences, and Spotlight Symposium Series.

New Rep's Mission

New Repertory Theatre produces plays that speak powerfully to the essential ideas of our time. Through the passion and electricity of live theater performed to the highest standards of excellence, New Rep expands and challenges the human spirit of both artists and audience. New Rep presents world premieres, contemporary and classic works in several intimate settings. We are committed to education and outreach, including special dedication to the creation of innovative in-school programming and providing access to underserved audiences. New Rep is an active advocate for the arts and a major voice in the national dialogue defining the role of theater in our culture.

Performances of Regular Singing
All performances of New Rep's season opener, Regular Singing, will be hearing loop accessible. However, the performances on Saturday, September 10 at 8pm and Sunday, September 11 at 2pm and 7:30pm will be preceded by a brief explanation and tutorial on how to use the hearing loop system. Discount Tier B tickets to those select performances may be purchased for $40 by using code TCOIL when ordering. Please call the Box Office at 617-923-8487 or purchase online at newrep.org.

In addition, the Spotlight Symposium following the 2pm Sunday performance will be free and open to the public and will be hearing loop enabled. Please email symposium@newrep.org to reserve a seat and visit newrep.org/symposium for more information.