Audio Description Guidelines

For your audience:

• Establish a description performance date for late in the run, the most popular times are Fri/Sat evening or weekend matinee
• Plan to possibly reserve seating for audio description patrons as well as seating in the front row for patrons with guide dogs and partial vision
• Providing accessible approaches to booking tickets including phone number and/or email as online ticket purchases are often not accessible
• In partnership with Power Productions offer a Touch Tour, if appropriate
• Offer a pre-show announcement, such as: “This performance will be described for audience members who are blind and partially sighted by Power Productions. For more information, please visit our table in the lobby…” you may also consider a program insert in lieu of announcement
• Ensure your Box Office and Front of House are educated and aware of the service details

For our describers’ preparation/service delivery:

• Determine the best location in the theatre for our audio describer (booth, back of the house or live video feed) to not distract those audience members not using the service.
• Provide access to archival video for our describers’ preparation as well as access to attend one or more rehearsals
• Provide a copy of the production script
• Be prepared to offer comp viewings for describer/s for up to 3 viewings (more if long, complicated and no archival video)
• Provide comp tickets for our team on day of description (describers, table manager, volunteers)