Written by Alexandra Kornides

Introduction

Many people attend theatrical performances as a way to escape daily life for a few hours. However, there are some who are unable to share these experiences. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, one in eight people in the United States ages 12+ have hearing loss in both ears.

Given the prevalence of hearing loss in the United States, it is in performing arts’ organizations best interest to include solutions to make their work as accessible as possible. Disability advocates have spoken out about the need for better accessibility in the arts. One such advocate, Emily Dash, states: “Disability can affect anyone at any point of their lives, so it is beneficial to everyone to have performing arts as a field of inclusion. Art has compelling power and the field offers a major platform for presenting impactful work.”

There have been attempts to make theatre accessible with mixed results. Many times, deaf audience members have had to bring the libretto or script to read with a flashlight during the performance. This is not the best solution, as the deaf person would miss visual elements of the show while reading the text. Additionally, other patrons might find flashlight usage in a dim theatre as distracting.

Another non-technical solution in making theatre accessible to Deaf and Hard of Hearing audiences is the practice of providing an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter on select nights during the run of a show.  While this practice increases visibility to ASL speakers, the solution is still flawed. Not all individuals who are Hard of Hearing may not use or understand ASL. Additionally, the interpreters are only available on select performance days, which can make it more difficult for deaf and HoH patrons to find days to attend.  While this solution is thoughtful, it does not solve the problem of being able to view the action on stage – many patrons must look offstage to watch the interpreter. Thus, deaf and HoH patrons may still miss elements of the performance.

Due to the imperfections in the use of ASL interpreters, many have turned to the incorporation of technology to enhance the experience of deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences.  This includes giving these patrons the ability to see shows beyond pre-determined dates and times. 

Understanding Closed Captions vs Open Captions

There are two forms of captioning: closed captions and open captions. The key difference between these types of captions is to whom they are available. Closed captions are used on a choice-by-choice basis. For example, when watching a film at home, some may turn on captioning that appears on the screen – these captions are easily turned on and off. Closed captions can be modified in size, font, and color to suit the needs of the viewer. Open captions, on the other hand, are permanent and viewed by all. The most common use of open captioning is in foreign language films at theaters, which typically display the native language translation at the bottom of the screen.

 Open Captioning

Since open captioning is meant to be viewed by entire audiences, performing arts venues have only used them in a few ways.  The most typical use of open captions is to place screens on either side of the stage. The captions follow along with the actors’ dialogue, providing the ability to easily follow the script in real-time.

 Open captioning has been a fairly common practice in opera for years. During the Canadian Opera Company’s 1984 production of Elektra, the libretto was presented offstage to the side. The use of subtitles for foreign language opera, while more accessible than other productions, often does not include descriptions of sound effects, which is not only needed for Deaf and Hard of Hearing audiences members but is also proper captioning practice.

Companies around the world have seen the need for open captioning to serve the Deaf community.  GoTheatrical! is one such company based in Australia that provides captioning for performances. The organization provides plasma screens to theatres to use for open caption performances. The screens are plasma, rather than LED, because the provide a greater range of options for text presentation.  GoTheatrical! has indicated that these screens allow eight lines of text to be displayed at once with the use of different colors in order to discern which characters are speaking. Text options, such as italics, can be used to indicate singing and sound effects. Plasma screens also allow for special characters, making them suitable for languages other than English.

 However, open captioning in plays and musicals is not as common as they are in foreign language operas. Like ASL interpretations, many companies use the open caption system only on select nights. Once again, Deaf patrons are limited to attending performances when captioning services are available.                 

Another issue with this type of open captioning is that, similar to ASL interpretation, audiences are still unable to fully watch the action on stage in order to read. Several companies, like the U.S.-based Deaf West Theatre and the U.K.’s Graeae, have uniquely integrated captions into their work. These captions are part of the show’s artistic design through their intentional projection on parts of the stage. As both companies work with Deaf and Hard of Hearing creatives and audiences as part of their mission, it makes sense that an element of accessible technology would be integral to the performance.

Closed Captioning

As previously mentioned, closed captions are meant to be viewed by only those who chose to use them. Naturally, the implementation of closed captions results in moving the text from the big screen to smaller screens. Similar to the use of large screens for translations of foreign-language performances, opera companies have been at the forefront of creating individual closed caption experiences for patrons. In 1995, The Metropolitan Opera in New York City created Met Titles. This experience, costing $1,000 per ticket at the time, included a small screen with captions on the backs of chairs. This innovation expanded to opera houses across the globe. However, Met Titles and similar programs have been subject to criticism stating that the glare of smaller screens is distracting to other patrons.

Other Captioning Technologies

Smartphone Apps

With the advent of the smartphone, however, a screen for captions is no longer necessary to be part of the theatre architecture and design. Now, patrons can hold their closed caption devices in the palm of their hand. Companies that specialize in captioning for theatre have begun to develop apps for this type of service.

GoTheatrical! has created a captioning application for captioning The app is compatible with both Apple and Android devices. The app provides a list of shows presented, and once at the venue, patrons can choose that evening’s show. The intentional use of the app is that the device should be set to airplane mode and connected to the venue Wi-Fi, with the notifications set to do not disturb. These regulations are set to prevent users from receiving distracting notifications.  Users are also advised against adjusting the brightness on their device,; according to the website: “The app has been designed specifically for theatre lighting conditions and you will find that the brightness level should be perfect once you get inside the theatre.” GoTheatrical!’s captioning application is only available in Australia.

In North America, GalaPro has been a popular app used in 32 Broadway houses and is compatible with Apple and Android devices. GalaPro is reputable due to the breadth of its services. It not only provides closed captions, but it provides multilingual subtitles, audio description, and amplification of sound. Rather than have the pre-determined script or libretto synched to the app, GalaPro uses speech recognition technology.  Before a theatrical performance, users are required to set their device to airplane mode and connect to a local GalaPro Wi-Fi network.  For closed captioning, font size and brightness can be adjusted for the users’ preferences.

Both GalaPro and GoTheatrical! are apps that provide different approaches to captioning for theatre patrons. GoTheatrical! is limited to the performances with which it can be used, as the script and libretto of a performance is already part of the application. Due to this feature, performances must be presented exactly as the script is written; if a performer were to ad-lib or improvise a joke, that captioning would be unavailable. In addition, if there is a long pause or a moment for applause during the performance, there is the potential for the app might get out of synch with the show in real-time. GalaPro is more likely to stay synchronized with the show’s action due to its usage of speech recognition. However, because GalaPro is only available as a phone app, it still presents an element of distraction for both the patron and the user.

Smart Caption Glasses

The next step in the evolution of accessible theatre experiences for Deaf and Hard of Hearing patrons is the Smart Caption Glasses. Smart Caption Glasses eliminate the need for using a phone or a screen during a performance.

Using glasses manufactured by the company Epson, Leeds-Beckett University professor Dr. Andrew Lambourne of the School of Computing and Creative Technologies and Engineering created the Smart Caption Glasses in 2016 as a way to allow patrons to become fully immersed in a performance while following captions. Captioning can be modified with color, size, and font according to the preference of the user. Additionally, the glasses can be worn easily over prescription eyewear.

The Smart Caption glasses use Augmented Reality (AR) to display the caption on the lens. AR is a technology that allows audiences to see the real world with virtual objects superimposed upon or composited with the real world. Caption Glasses are fed the script or libretto, rather than using live voice recognition technology. However, the system is able to adapt to pauses in the performance, as we as lighting, sound, and movement cues.  These live adjustments were made is achieved through the creation of an algorithm that tracks and adheres to the changes.

Smart Caption Glasses has undergone two large-scale trials. The National Theatre in London worked closely with developer Dr. Lambourne in expanding this technology. The glasses were used for the National’s productions of Hadestown and War Horse. Due to the glasses’ success, Temple University’s Institute on Disabilities became interested in bringing this tech to the US. Eventually, National Theatre, Temple, and Philadelphia-based company People’s Light partnered together in 2019. The glasses were met with positive reception.  However, Marcie Bramucci of People’s Light stated that the glasses were not a replacement for some of the accessibility measures already set in place such as ASL interpretation and open-captioned performances. This is because accessibility is not “one size fits all,” but a tool that works for some and not others.

Barmucci’s statement is viable, especially in considering the major drawback of Smart Caption Glasses: the price point. Each pair of glasses costs $1,200. While this is a smaller-scale investment for large organizations such as People’s Light and National Theatre, the cost is a large barrier for smaller venues, especially since a purchase greater than one is necessary. Thus, while more flawed, apps like GalaPro and GoTheatrical! are more economically feasible.

While Smart Caption glasses were created with the intent of Deaf and Hard of Hearing theatre patrons, they have already been applied in different ways.  GalaPro has been working with Epson to use the glasses in Broadway houses. GalaPro’s voice recognition software is being integrated with the glasses in an effort to caption unscripted events, such as improv shows. In addition, providing real-time translation for non-native speakers has been considered another use. The value of this technology is important to bringing diverse audiences to the theatre.

Conclusion

Accessibility is an important part of serving audience members. Measures have been in place for a long time to accommodate Deaf and Hard of Hearing audiences, but have only been offered in limited capacities.  New and emerging technologies are expanding the availability for accessibility. No matter the medium captioning is provided, whether looking off stage, at a handheld device, or directly through the lenses of AR-supported glasses, all technologies ensure that the theatre is a welcoming place for all.