THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE to Have Audio-Described Performance

Blind and low vision theater lovers can enjoy an audio-described performance of the musical comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee on Thursday, October 11 at the Burgdorff Center in Maplewood, NJ. A hilariously hip musical comedy complete with audience participation, Spelling Bee has been hailed as a work of comedic genius. It runs October 11 - 28.

Audio-description is a verbal commentary that tells low vision theatre-goers who are enjoying the dialogue what is happening physically on the stage. The description does not interfere with the performance but fills in the gaps, describing facial expressions, costumes, scenery and action sequences so that anyone with a sight problem can follow the plot fully and independently. Visually-impaired theatre-goers are equipped with a headset or earpiece, and hear a trained describer explain what is happening on the stage. The describer has seen several rehearsals and is well-prepared to describe the performance. The description is relayed to the patron's ear-piece via an infrared or radio sound system.

Tickets to the audio described performance are made available at $10, thanks to the generous support of the Foundation for the New Jersey Blind. Tickets may be purchased at the door or at www.thetheaterproject.org.

The Theater Project, with the support of NJ Lions groups and the Union County Association for the Blind, has been offering audio-described performances since 2004. This production of Spelling Bee is a collaboration between two companies: Bullet Theatre Collaborative and The Theater Project.