Theatre Development Fund provides:
- Cost of service: Payment of expenses for contracting open captioning services through c2 (Caption Coalition) Inc. (www.c2net.org), which includes captioning fees as well as any travel expenses incurred by the caption operators during the preparation process and performance
- Assistance with Promotion: Listing of TDF-sponsored open captioned performances at the partnering venue on TDF website, with links for ticket purchasing; and publicizing these accessible performances on e-mail and regular mail notices to TDF theatergoers with hearing loss
- Expertise: Readiness to share experience on audience development, equipment options and funding; and serve as a liaison between producing entity and venue, when needed, in regard to queries that may arise such as obtaining scripts or support involved in accommodating these accessible performances
Partnering Venue provides:
- Tickets: Designation of a minimum of 25 seats in the front orchestra, side section, within comfortable reading distance of the captioning unit, made available to people with hearing loss and sold through the venue box office
- Marketing: Acknowledgement to TDF as caption provider, in print and website listings notifying the public of these accessible performances; and on production credit page, in same size and format as union acknowledgments, acknowledgment to TDF, with TDF logo, substantially as follows: “Partial support for open captioning provided by Theatre Development Fund”
- TDF credit: Insertion of one page program stuffer (copy supplied by TDF) listing appropriate acknowledgements; and distribution of TDF-supplied questionnaires to a random sampling of at least 50 audience members on the captioning side of the orchestra, for both the first and last open captioned performances during the first season of a possible two-year pilot project
Although TDF leaves the ticket cost of each sponsored open captioned performance up to individual theatres to determine, we strongly recommend parity in pricing. For example, if a theatre offers discounted tickets for sign language interpreted and audio described performances then, if at all possible, the same policy should be extended to its open captioned performances.
LETTER OF INQUIRY
Theatres interested in being considered for TDF Regional Theatre Open Captioning Partnerships are asked to please submit a letter of inquiry by April 15, 2010 that briefly outlines the following:
- Commitment to providing better access for people with disabilities
- Indication of strong community support for open captioning
- Proposed season schedule of open captioned performances with dates, times and productions listed, preferably in a series; e.g. one open captioned performance of each production in the Broadway Series, offered on the first Saturday matinee of each show's run.
Applying theatres will be notified by June 30, 2010 regarding partnerships for the 2010-2011 season.
Letters may be sent to:
Lisa Carling
Director of TDF Accessibility Programs
Theatre Development Fund
520 Eighth Avenue, Suite 801
New York, NY 10018-6507
Tel: 212.912.9770 x 380
Fax: 212.768.1563
E-mail:
Lisa Carling
www.tdf.org