For the first time, Northern Michigan Theatre & Dance offered live captioning for audience members during the April 15 production of "Grease." Those who attended the show received a link to a webpage they could access from any mobile device—phone, tablet or laptop—to see real-time captioning of the musical.
Advances in assistive technology have aided performance venues in expanding their reach to audience members who rely on accommodations. Captioning technology has made it possible for attendees who are deaf or hard of hearing to equitably engage with shows.
NMU Theatre & Dance has already enhanced inclusivity by offering sensory-friendly Theatre for All performances. Live captioning is another step toward that goal.
“We're doing this in conjunction with the Diversity Common Reader Program,” said David Pierce, production manager of NMU Theatre & Dance. “We're truly excited about this new opportunity for our patrons because it adds an important piece to our commitment to accessibility that has been missing from our productions.”
This year's NMU Diversity Common Reader Program selection was “Being Seen: One Deafblind Woman's Fight to End Ableism” by Elsa Sjunneson. It is a nonfiction work of interdisciplinary interest that advances discussions of diversity, inclusion and social justice.
NMU Theatre & Dance is hopeful that the live captioning is not a one-time service, but can be offered for future productions.