Creating Universal Audience Experiences

Advancing Accessible Theatre for Blind / Low Vision Audiences

ABSTRACT

Theatrical scenic design not only creates a playing space for performers but also shapes the way stories are communicated to an audience. While accessibility efforts in the performing arts have increasingly addressed the needs of performers, similar attention has not yet been fully extended to audience members. This project explores strategies for making scenic design more accessible and meaningful to Blind / Low Vision theatregoers. Through community surveys and the continued development of new design frameworks, the study culminates in a case study production of Everybody by Branden Jacob-Jenkins. The case study will invite individuals within the Blind / Low Vision community to interact with a Tactile Model, as well as explore the world of the set using other researched techniques. The goal is to propose practical methods that enhance both access and artistic experience, positioning the universal experience as a central part of theatrical storytelling.

CURRENT ACCESSIBLITY TOOLS IN THEATRE

AUDIO DESCRIPTION: recorded or live narration that fills in key visual details for audiences; During moments without dialogue, the describer provides information about setting, costumes, facial expressions, body language, and action, enhancing understanding without interrupting the performance

BRAILLE AND LARGE PRINT PROGRAMS: enables Blind / Low Vision audiences the ability to read the same show information that sighted audience members receive via a playbill

TOUCH TOURS: physical engagement with elements of the production, such as set pieces, props, and costumes, to better understand textures, materials, and scale; offers a more immersive connection to the world of the play before the performance begins

TACTILE MODEL: offer a hands-on way to explore and better understand visual art; provides an alternative way to experience the scenic environment, offering insight into the set’s relative scale, shape, location, and textures; allow for independent exploration

TACTILE MODEL VERSION 1

1" = 1' - 0" Scale version of scenic doorways; Wooden built doorways with moulding textures; Fake scale foliage used to represent fake foliage on scenic units; Textured simplified floor to explain floor treatment; Simplified tactile first row of audience seating

TACTILE MODEL VERSION 2

3/8" = 1' - 0" Scale version of scenic doors - updated scale for ease of touching / viewing by individuals; 3D printed doorways for simplification of units / ease of build; True scale moulding with Braille labels to better explain differences between each doorway unit; Textured simplified floor to explain floor treatment; Simplified tactile first row of audience seating; Key with Braille labels to explain different model textures; Center mark

UIUC's Everybody Production Photo

Everybody Color Model

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse