Open Captioning Arrives

At Westport Country Playhouse

WESTPORT — To provide more access to more people, Westport Country Playhouse will offer four open captioned performances during its 2005 summer season, sponsored by Theatre Development Fund.

Open captioned performances are scheduled on the following Sundays at 3 pm:  June 26 for Finian’s Rainbow, July 17 for Dear Brutus, August 7 for The Member of the Wedding, and August 28 for Journey’s End.

The term open captioning (OC) is derived from its television analogue, closed captioning (CC), and means “open” and available to everyone: people who are hard of hearing and deaf, sign language users who may prefer a literal translation of the text, those not self-identified with a hearing loss, and individuals who simply might have missed a punch line, lyrics or sound effects.

Open captioning is a text display located on the right side of the stage.

“After renovating the Playhouse and creating a barrier-free building, it is the right time to provide audiences more ways to find theatre accessible. We want to be a theatre for all of Fairfield County,” said Chance Farago, the communications director of Westport Country Playhouse, adding, “This is a first step. We’ll continue to explore other audience accessibility initiatives.”

Tickets for open captioning performances are $35 to $55 and should be asked for specifically when orders are being places. Students, educators  and groups can receive discounts.

For ticket information, call 203-227-4177; for group sales  call Beth Huisking, 203-227-5137 extension 120.