Audio-Reader, Lied Center announce accessible theatre performances for 2019-2020 season

Fri, 08/30/2019

Nick Carswell

LAWRENCE — Kansas Audio-Reader has partnered with the Lied Center of Kansas to offer audio description of the 2019-2020 Broadway Series. The service is provided with the help of Audio-Reader’s volunteer describers and allows patrons with visual impairments to enjoy the world-class Broadway shows offered by the Lied Center.

Audio description involves the accessibility of the visual images of theatre for people who are blind, have low vision or who are otherwise visually impaired. It is a narration service that describes what the sighted person takes for granted — those images that a person who is blind or visually impaired formerly could only experience through the whispered asides from a sighted companion.

In theatres, audio description is commentary and narration that guides the listener through the presentation with concise, objective descriptions of new scenes, settings, costumes, body language and "sight gags," all slipped in between portions of dialogue or songs.

“We are proud to again team up with the Lied Center for their Broadway Series,” said Dan Skinner, Audio-Reader director. “Our mission to support full, independent lives of those with physical disabilities includes offering access to entertainment and the arts, and we are excited to have such world-class Broadway theatre right on our doorstep, made accessible through audio description.”

“The Lied Center is truly grateful to Audio-Reader for making the arts accessible to visually impaired members of our community,” said Derek Kwan, executive director of the Lied Center. “We look forward to welcoming everyone to our Broadway series, which features multiple Tony Award-winning productions.”

Audio description will be offered for the following shows: