Sarasota, Florida (November 30, 2005) - To provide more access to more people, The Asolo Theatre Company now offers open captioned performances sponsored by Theatre Development Fund, a New York City based not-for-profit performing arts service agency. 

Open captioning is a text display located on the right side of the stage.  Scrolling the words in synchronization with the performance, it assists people with varying degrees of hearing loss, as well as hearing audience members who might not catch every word during a performance.

Open captioned performances are scheduled on the following dates and times:  Enchanted April – 2:00 pm on December 10, and Trying – 2:00 pm on January 8.

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 in theatre is inclusive, undiscriminating, passive assistance widely acknowledged as a benefit to all audiences.  The service is especially welcome to people with hearing loss, an invisible difference affecting an estimated 28 million people, making it the largest disability group in the U.S.  Of this population, over 98% do not use sign language and are unable to benefit from interpreted performances. 

“The Asolo has strived to provide an increasingly more accessible environment for our audiences.  We want to be a theatre for all theatregoers,” said Howard Millman, producing artistic director of the Asolo Theatre Company. He added, “This is a next step for us, as we already provide hearing devices. We also offer audio described performances and no-cost companion tickets for the visually impaired.”

Since first introducing the service to Broadway in 1997, Theatre Development Fund has sponsored open captioned performances for over 200 Broadway, Off Broadway and regional theatre productions.

Tickets for the Asolo’s open captioned performances cost from $16 to $48 each.  Children’s tickets (12 and under) are half price and students are eligible for discounts. For ticket information, call 941-351-8000, toll-free at 800-361-8388 or purchase online at www.asolo.org (accessible seating available by calling the box office only), or visit the box office at 5555 North Tamiami Trail Sarasota, Florida. Groups of 10 or more save up to 20% off the regular ticket price.  For group sales information call Group Sales at 941-351-9010 Ext. 4710. When purchasing tickets to an open captioned performance, patrons should request to be seated in the open caption accessible section (the right side) of the orchestra level.