Audio description in the arts: expanding services in American theatre

Transcript

16 November 2014

Roberta: Audio description allows people who are blind who have low vision the opportunity to attend a wide range of community events and entertainment. One of the oldest uses of the service is in the theatre but its use is often restricted to just a small number of performances. An American theatre is about to change all that and Ally Woodford from Media Access Australia is here to tell us all about it. Welcome, Ally.

Ally: Thanks Roberta. Hi, everyone.

Roberta: Now, before we talk about the development, can you elaborate on the current use of audio description for the theatre?

Ally: Yeah, audio description is predominantly provided on a volunteer basis. The describers are trained and they provide the description across a range of art forms, like theatre and ballet and musicals, but there's also interesting things like walking tours of art exhibitions and even architecture. When it comes to performance art, traditionally the description will be provided for one or two performances across a production season, so this can limit the opportunity for people that require the service to attend.

Roberta: Now, the American theatre is doing something about this now with an expansion of its services. Is that right?

Ally: Yeah, there's a performance space in Washington DC called Arena Stage and it's got two theatre productions coming up and the intent to offer audio description every performance throughout the season. So it's a very big jump from just the usual one or two per season.

Roberta: Ally, what's their motivation for offering the expanded service?

Ally: Well, Arena Stage has always been a supporter of accessible arts. It was one of the first venues in the world to offer an audio described theatre service back in 1981. It's also worked closely over the years with the American Council of the Blind and it's through this association that this extremely significant development has come about, the motivation simply being to offer the same level of access to blind and vision impaired patrons as their sighted fellow arts lovers, so it's about choice.

Roberta: What are the two performances, or productions, I should say, that are being offered with audio description for every performance?

Ally: Yeah, firstly there's the classic, Fiddler on the Roof. It's running now, in November, until January next year and then in April and May they'll be offering the modern American play called Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.

Roberta: While this is a development in the arts in America, what kind of message does it send to the international accessible arts scene?

Ally: I guess it's about setting a precedent. Audio description in the arts circle, it's pretty small, so this development will be noticed worldwide and noticed with interest. Naturally the ability to pull something like this off comes down to resources but it will at the very least sit at the back of arts audio describers' minds and be a goal, something to strive for in the future. I think the bar is pretty high now.

Roberta: I think it is. Well, I hope that the next time we talk about this, Ally, it will be the case in Australia.

Ally: Yes, that would be great.

Roberta: For the full story and more on accessible art you can call 02 9212 6242 or email Media Access via info@mediaaccess.org.au. I've been speaking with Ally Woodford from Media Access Australia and we've been talking about audio description, allowing people who are blind or have low vision the opportunity to attend a wide range of community events and entertainment and, of course, as Ally said, we look forward to being able to have that in the theatre here in Australia. We do have a very good record of performances with audio description but it would be great if we could have it in every performance. Then that wouldn't limit people who are vision impaired or blind the chance to see or to hear a performance. Now, to find out more about access to media and technology visit the Media Access Australia website, very easy to navigate, www.mediaaccess.org.au. If you'd like to speak to Ally or any of her colleagues you can ring 02 9212 6242. That number again, 02 9212 6242, or if you want to use email, info@mediaaccess.org.au. Media Access Australia is a supporter of this program.

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