Captioned Performance (Stagetext)
What is captioning?
Captioned performances are aimed at people who are Deaf and Hearing Impaired.
Captioning, similar to television subtitling, converts the spoken word into text, which is displayed on an electronic caption unit that is viewed by the audience. As the captions roll (delivered live from a laptop computer by a trained captioner) audience members can follow what is being said, when it is said and by whom. Speaker names, sound effects and offstage noises are also included.
Where is the captioned unit?
The location of the captioned units varies for each production, as the theatres seating and architecture normally dictates where they are positioned. Units are mostly positioned on either side of the stage area or housed in one of the Boxes on the side of the auditorium. The caption unit is placed in position before the performance and removed afterwards. Specific seats are allocated in the theatre so the theatregoer can see the captions clearly.
Are there different types of captioning?
Yes, there are two types of captioning: open captioning and closed captioning.
Open captioning can be seen by the whole audience.
Closed captioning can only be seen by people with the appropriate equipment.