<html><body dir="auto"><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div dir="ltr"><p class="gmail-normal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:center;line-height:normal" align="center"><span style="font-size:16pt;font-family:Arial"><br></span></p><p class="gmail-normal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:center;line-height:normal" align="center"><font size="4"><br></font><span style="font-size:16pt;font-family:Arial"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:Arial">A
promotional video prepared to advertise the audio described performance of</span></font></span></p><p class="gmail-normal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:center;line-height:normal" align="center"><span style="font-size:16pt;font-family:Arial"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:Arial"><i>The Crucible</i> is available here: </span><a href="https://youtu.be/6Cfy7D6jGGA"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204)">https://youtu.be/6Cfy7D6jGGA</span></a></font></span><span style="font-size:16pt;font-family:Arial"><br></span></p><p class="gmail-normal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:center;line-height:normal" align="center"><br><span style="font-size:16pt;font-family:Arial"></span>
</p><p class="gmail-normal" style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:Arial">Columbus, Ohio – October 8, 2017 – SRO Theatre
Company is proud to present Arthur Miller’s classic drama <i>The Crucible</i> with live audio description using cell phones for the
Saturday, October 14th performance at 8 p.m. in the Columbus Performing Arts
Center located at 549 Franklin Avenue in Columbus.</span></p>
<p class="gmail-normal" style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:Arial">“I’m excited that we are able to find a way to
provide live audio description for people who are blind or visually impaired,”
says Executive Director Charles Pennington. “We’re always looking to expand our
audience, and when we first received the request to provide audio description
by a patron, I knew it was something we should try to make happen. I also
wanted to see if we could find a new way of providing the service using cell
phone technology.”</span></p>
<p class="gmail-normal" style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:Arial">Rather than use an FM transmitter and a portable
battery-powered device with earbuds, the plan is for patrons interested in
hearing the audio description to dial into a conference call phone number and
use their own cell phones and headphones. Patrons can then disconnect or rejoin
the audio description conference call at any time, and it is anticipated that
the sound quality will be much improved using this process as well. Additional
cell phones and headphones for those without a cell phone or a call plan with unlimited
weekend minutes will be made available at the theatre with a reservation, and
trained attendants will be on hand to assist patrons with getting set up to
enjoy the performance with this added accessibility feature.</span></p>
<p class="gmail-normal" style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:Arial">“All of the people I have contacted about using
mobile devices for the audio description already have a cell phone and free
weekend minutes in their possession to use,” says Pennington. “We have engaged
Jane Ehrenfeld, who has many audio describing credits to her name, to create
and perform the narration for our performance so that our blind or visually
impaired patrons will be able to experience the performance and not miss out on
the visual elements as they will be described in between the dialogue by Ms.
Ehrenfeld.”</span></p>
<p class="gmail-normal"><i><span style="font-family:Arial">The Crucible</span></i><span style="font-family:Arial"> is a dramatized and
partially fictionalized story of the Salem witch trials that took place in the
Massachusetts Bay Colony during 1692/93. Miller wrote the play as an allegory
for McCarthyism, when the United States government ostracized people for being
communists. The story focuses upon a young farmer, his wife, and a young
servant-girl who maliciously causes the wife's arrest for witchcraft. The
farmer brings the girl to court to admit the lie—and it is here that the
monstrous course of bigotry and deceit is terrifyingly depicted. The farmer,
instead of saving his wife, finds himself also accused of witchcraft and
ultimately condemned with a host of others.</span></p>
<p class="gmail-normal" style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:Arial">Only the Saturday, October 14th 8 p.m. evening
performance of <i>The Crucible</i> will have
live audio description available. Patrons are encouraged to call SRO Theatre
Company at (614) 427-3324 or e-mail </span><a href="mailto:srotheatre@gmail.com"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204)">srotheatre@gmail.com</span></a><span style="font-family:Arial"> ahead of the October
14th performance date to make arrangements to attend. “We’re looking to help
break down the barriers that may normally prevent people who may be blind or
visually impaired from attending live theatre,” Pennington said. “They can
bring an escort who can drive them to and from the theatre for free with the
purchase of their ticket when discount code AUDIO is used. We hope that the
support of the community can make this the first of many audio described
performances for SRO Theatre Company using cell phones. To my knowledge, we may
be the first theatre company to use cell phones for audio description to reach
a wide audience in Columbus.”</span></p>
<p class="gmail-normal" style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:Arial">Plans to offer an ASL (American Sign Language)
interpreted performance for the Deaf were not able to be secured for this
production, but Pennington plans to offer that accessibility feature in the future
as well. “With our continued success in revitalizing SRO Theatre Company (at
various times formerly known as Standing Room Only, Senior Repertory of Ohio,
and Grandparents Living Theatre), we aim to offer ASL-interpreted performances
once we are able to do so financially. I’m certain that there is an audience
out there to attend these performances provided we can use the appropriate
channels to reach them. Traditional posters, social media posts, and videos
aren’t enough to reach the communities that would benefit from these
accessibility features, and so that is one of our challenges with this first
production.”</span></p>
<p class="gmail-normal"><i><span style="font-family:Arial">The Crucible</span></i><span style="font-family:Arial">, directed by SRO
Theatre Artistic Director Kristofer Green, will play the Columbus Performing
Arts Center’s Shedd Theatre beginning with a preview performance on Thursday,
October 12, 2017. The Tony Award winning play officially opens Friday, October
13 and will run through Sunday, October 22, 2017. Adult tickets are $23 with
seniors and students at $20. Groups of 10 or more are $15 each. Discount code
AUDIO can be used only for the Saturday, October 14th 8 p.m. audio described
performance for people who are blind or visually impaired to bring an escort.
Patrons interested in receiving audio description are advised to arrive between
7:00 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. for assistance in accessing the audio description. Program
notes with details on the costumes, sets and scenery will begin at 7:30 p.m.
and repeat as time allows until the performance commences. The performance will
begin at 8 p.m. and is estimated to run for three hours including a 15-minute
intermission.</span></p>
<p class="gmail-normal"><i><span style="font-family:Arial">The Crucible</span></i><span style="font-family:Arial"> features a talented
local cast that includes <b>James Harper</b>
(John Proctor), <b>Amanda Phillips </b>
(Elizabeth Proctor), <b>Melissa Hall</b>
(Abigail Williams), <b>Dawn Farrell</b>
(Rebecca Nurse) <b>Brandon Maldonado </b>(Rev.
Samuel Parris), <b>William Macke</b> (Rev.
John Hale), <b>Eli Brickey</b> (Mary
Warren), <b>Justin King</b> (Deputy
Governor Danforth) and <b>Aileen Targett</b>
(Mercy Lewis).</span></p>
<p class="gmail-normal"><span style="font-family:Arial">Tickets
to the October 14th audio described performance may be purchased through
Vendini at </span><a href="https://red.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?t=tix&e=cf415682d68bd495674fc6b42862c6f2"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204)">https://red.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?t=tix&e=cf415682d68bd495674fc6b42862c6f2</span></a><span style="font-family:Arial"></span></p>
<p class="gmail-normal"><span style="font-family:Arial">For
more information on SRO Theatre Company, visit </span><a href="http://www.srotheatre.org/"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204)">http://www.srotheatre.org/</span></a><span style="font-family:Arial"> or call (614) 427-3324</span></p>
<p class="gmail-normal"><span style="font-family:Arial">A
promotional video prepared to advertise the audio described performance of <i>The Crucible</i> is available here: </span><a href="https://youtu.be/6Cfy7D6jGGA"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204)">https://youtu.be/6Cfy7D6jGGA</span></a><span style="font-family:Arial"></span></p>
<p class="gmail-normal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:Arial"> </span></p>
<p class="gmail-normal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-family:Arial">ABOUT SRO THEATRE COMPANY</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial"></span></p>
<p class="gmail-normal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:Arial">SRO Theatre
Company is a senior theatre company that produces intergenerational theatrical
productions incorporating scripts and casts with a wide range of ages. We cater
to a core audience of seniors while also broadening our appeal to audiences of
all ages to redefine what constitutes "senior theatre" in the industry.
We aim to continue the mission started by Joy Reilly thirty-three years ago by
continuing to service and integrate the senior community into the performing
arts.</span></p>
<p class="gmail-normal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:Arial">SRO
Theatre Company’s 33<sup>rd</sup> season continues with <i>Titanic</i> at the Columbus Performing Arts Center in February 2018.</span></p>
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