How To Access AD
Many theatre companies large and small provide audio description to make the theatre experience more accessible for people who are blind or have low vision. The description is usually provided through headsets borrowed by the patron at no additional charge. Some theatres make AD available at select performances only, in which case the description is usually performed live. If the AD has been pre-recorded, it is generally available at every performance. Confirm the availability of audio description before you purchase tickets.
Theatres sometimes also offer pre-show touch or sensory tours, which might include the opportunity to touch costumes and props, explore the stage, and perhaps meet the actors.
What To Do When AD Isn’t Available
When your local theatre does not provide audio description, it’s an opportunity for advocacy. Consult the ADP directory of people and organizations that create audio description and set up a meeting with theatre management and AD professionals.
How Audio Description Is Created for Live Events
Ideally, the audio description writer will have the opportunity to attend multiple rehearsals to see all the action and get a sense of the pacing of the play. After writing the AD script, the writer or the narrator (sometimes this is the same person and sometimes it’s two people) should practice delivering the AD during a rehearsal to be sure the descriptions fit smoothly between lines of dialogue, music, and important sound effects.
In some theatres, the audio description is then recorded and edited to synchronize with the action on stage. In other theatres, a narrator delivers the script live, often at select performances only. The AD is typically accessed through a headset that the patron borrows from the theatre.