The photos tell the story: it was a magical afternoon for 25 children and their families who came to participate in our first-ever Audio Described performance! Audio Description allows patrons who are blind or low vision to have an equal theatre experience by providing descriptions of visual elements (costumes, scenery, character movements, facial expression, etc.) which are then transmitted to individual headsets.
After the performance of The Dancing Princesses, families participated in a Sensory Seminar which included a tour of the stage which provided additional tactile and spatial information. Finally, our participants attended a reception where they enjoyed refreshments, and provided our staff with valuable feedback. One child shared her thoughts on Audio Description: “I liked it a lot. It gives you a chance to know what’s going on. I think it would be a good idea to continue audio description.” Her mother added: “It gives me, the parent a chance to enjoy the show myself.”
Special thanks to Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind who helped make our Audio Description pilot project a huge success! We are also extremely grateful to the LEGO Children’s Fund for their support of this initiative.
