RIDGEFIELD—The Rotary Club of Ridgefield, matched by Rotary District 7980, awarded the Ridgefield Theater Barn (RTB) a District Grant to complete the installation of their state-of-the-art assistive hearing system and the second phase of their sound system upgrade.

“We are so grateful to the Rotary Club of Ridgefield and their sponsorship for this grant,” said Pamme Jones, executive director of the RTB. “With this grant, we were able to complete the second phase of our three-phase sound system upgrade, and the star of that upgrade is our wireless, state-of-the-art assistive listening system.”

This system by Listen Technologies is the only one in Ridgefield and uses Bluetooth technology to bring balanced, amplified sound to anyone who wants it. Connecting to the app “Listen Everywhere” via a dedicated wireless network to a smartphone, the system feeds directly into the patron’s Bluetooth hearing aids, cochlear implants, earbuds, or headphones. There are also audio-loop headsets available for those patrons without Bluetooth connectivity. Listen Technologies is the company providing services used by many prestigious venues including The Gershwin Theatre on Broadway, the Dallas Cowboy Stadium, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

“In addition to providing the best possible experience for our patrons, this system provides an invaluable service for our hearing-impaired students, actors, staff, and volunteers. It is always on, and once they connect initially, users do not have to ask for access again. They simply open the app and connect when they walk through our doors. Being able to offer this system is important to our community mission of inclusion, respect, and joy in everything we do here at the RTB,” said Jones.

This new system, along with the total sound system upgrade, was designed and installed by RKE Productions, Inc. of Danbury. Other grants for the overall upgrade included a 2019 grant from The Ridgefield Thrift Shop. There will be a celebration and a grand launch of the system with grateful acknowledgment to the Rotary Club and all contributors once the COVID-19 conditions have passed.