[Nyagdu] Fwd: DISNEY’S THE LION KI NG AND NEWSIES TO OF FER NEW ACCESSIBILIT Y SERVICES ON BROADWAY

[David Andrews]

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>DISNEY’S THE LION KING AND NEWSIES
>TO OFFER NEW ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES ON BROADWAY
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>I-Caption and D-Scriptive Devices Come to Minskoff and Nederlander Theatres
>New York, NY (December 4, 2012) – Supported by 
>funds from the City of New York Theater 
>Subdistrict Council, LDC and the City of New 
>York, Disney’s hit musicals The Lion King and 
>Newsies have joined The Broadway 
>Accessibility/Audience Expansion Initiative, 
>which creates collaboration between producers 
>and accessibility specialists at all stages of 
>production. The Initiative is a partnership 
>between Inclusion in the Arts, a New 
>Yorkbased  not-for-profit, and G-PASS, a service 
>company utilizing technology from Sound 
>Associates Inc., in collaboration with Disney 
>Theatrical Productions. This historic Initiative 
>provides theatre-goers with disabilities a 
>theatre experience as complete and captivating 
>as that enjoyed by non-disabled audience 
>members. The services are: I-Caption for deaf 
>and hard-of-hearing patrons and D-Scriptive for blind and low-vision patrons.
>
>
>I-Caption, a revolutionary text-based system by 
>Sound Associates Inc., provides the entire 
>script of the show – including character names – 
>as it unfolds in performance, via a hand-held 
>polarized video screen. D-Scriptive provides an 
>extremely thorough audio description of a show 
>on a hand-held unit for blind and low-vision 
>patrons. Both services are integrated into the 
>show’s light and electrical cueing system so 
>that the commentary keeps pace with the action 
>onstage. These services are provided for every 
>performance, and evolved from the Infrared 
>Listening System, for which Sound Associates Inc. won a Tony® Award in 1979.
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>With the addition of The Lion King and Newsies, 
>Inclusion in the Arts and G-PASS expand access 
>to Broadway audiences of all ages in 
>unprecedented ways. The Initiative is 
>particularly proud to showcase Broadway as a 
>welcoming entertainment option for all family members at every show.
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>“Here at Disney Theatrical Productions we are in 
>the business of exceeding our guests’ 
>expectations,” said Dana Amendola, VP, 
>Operations, Disney Theatrical Productions. “This 
>wonderful Initiative will help ensure our 
>commitment by offering our deaf, blind and 
>hard-of-hearing patrons an even greater 
>opportunity to experience the magic of Broadway.”
>
>
>“With revolutionary new technology, we are able 
>to introduce special accessibility services to 
>every single performance, thus enabling children 
>in body and at heart to enjoy these 
>productions,” states Anne Tramon, VP of Sound 
>Associates Inc., the company that created the 
>technology. “As a result of this Initiative, we 
>are able to expand these services to more 
>productions until they are, one day, standard.”
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>“There is perhaps no stronger shared 
>entertainment experience than seeing live 
>theatre together,” said Sharon Jensen, Inclusion 
>in the Arts, Executive Director. “Thanks to the 
>Initiative, now grandparents, parents and 
>children with disabilities can all enjoy live 
>theatre on par with the ways non-disabled 
>audience members do. I-Caption and D-Scriptive 
>give theatregoers of all ages – including those 
>with disabilities – a unique opportunity to 
>create lasting family memories. Disney 
>Theatrical Productions consistently makes 
>Broadway one of New York City’s foremost 
>destinations. They have extended their support 
>by offering extraordinary accessibility for 
>audiences at The Lion King and Newsies. In the 
>finest of Disney traditions, cherished memories are now available to all.”
>
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>About Inclusion in the Arts
>Inclusion in the Arts advocates for full 
>inclusion of artists of color and performers 
>with disabilities at all levels of production in 
>theatre, film and television. Our principal aim 
>is to achieve full inclusion in American arts 
>and entertainment so that our stages and screens 
>truly reflect the society in which we live; 
>where each artist is considered on his/her 
>merits as an individual; where the stories being 
>told are drawn from authentic and diverse 
>experiences; and where our individual humanity 
>can be celebrated. In 2011 Inclusion in the Arts 
>received the Tony® Honor for Excellence in the Theatre.
>
>
>For those of you who are reading this.
>
>I am planning on a group trip to see the Lion 
>King, it would also be a fundraiser event for 
>the Greater Long Island Chapter of the National 
>Federation of the Blind, no date has been set as 
>of yet, but all interested people, please contact me.
>
>
>
>
>Cheryl Echevarria, 2nd Vice President
>NFB Greater Long Island Chapter
>631-236-5138
>
>Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY State
>
>Leading the Way in Independent Travel!
>
>SNG Certified - Accessible Travel Advocate!
>
>Cheryl Echevarria, Owner
>http://www.echevarriatravel.com
>631-456-5394
>reservations at echevarriatravel.com
>http://www.echevarriatravel.wordpress.com
>
>2012 Norwegian Cruise Line University Advisory Board Member.
>
>Echevarria Travel and proud member of the 
>National Federation of the Blind will be holding 
>a year round fundraiser for the 
>http://www.NFBNY.org after Hurricane Sandy and 
>other resources. Any vacation package booked 
>between November 6 2012-November 6, 2013 and 
>vacation must be traveled no later than 
>12/30/2014 a percentage of my earnings will go 
>to the affiliate.  Also is you book a Sandals 
>for couples or Beaches for families and friends 
>resorts vacation, $100.00 per booking will go to 
>the affiliate as well.  You do not need to be a 
>member of the NFB.org, just book through us.
>
>Thank you.