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April 1995 |
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April 1995 |
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Jimi Kinstle
Editor's note: Mr. Kinstle is a member of "The Flying Tongues", a comedy/improv troupe, and Administrative Jack-of-All-trades on the MD TAP staff. We are happy to introduce the first ever AD critical review appearing in TT. Let us know what you think!
Do Re Mi Tapping Techies! Welcome to my first Audio Description (AD) review. The field of AD is developing and growing. It has only been over the past year or so that AD has been available in Maryland theatres. What is Audio Description? It is brief, detailed narration of theatre, music or other art form that happens simultaneously with the action of the piece. This description enables sight impaired persons to understand the physical dramatic action of a piece. And, while steps are being made to improve the art of AD, away we go.
Rodgers & Hammerstein's A Grand Night for Singing, is a delightful musical review focusing on love. Act I was about the search for love and courtship. Act II: love found. The night consisted of several familiar favorites including: I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair; Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'; and If I Loved You. The musical review is a tribute to the 26 Tony Award, 14 Academy Award, 2 Pulitzer Prize and 2 Grammy Award winning musicals of Rodgers & Hammerstein. The ensemble of Terry Burrell, Connie Kunkle, Kevin Ligon, Joseph Mahowald and Cheryl Stern crooned through lovely ballads, bopped through upbeat dance numbers and harmonized Manhattan Transfer style to revamped classics. The ensemble's varied talents created a diverse, entertaining night at the theatre.
Ralph Welsh, the Audio Describer for the evening had his work cut out for him. Unlike a play, musical reviews are harder to describe. There is less of a break in the action and no evolving through line (plot that continues throughout the piece) in which to relate the events. I found his description most informative, but in Act I he was hard pressed as he tried to squeeze information between fast paced numbers. Act II was more AD friendly, filled with ballads and songs of true love, love found and family love. This gave Mr. Welsh opportunity to verbally paint the canvass between numbers enabling him to set the mood.
As I sat in the theatre prior to the performance listening to the preshow description on my head set, someone walking by me commented, "catching the late game?". It later occurred to me that that was exactly what I was doing. Listening intently to my color announcer give the play by play of a play. And while Ralph Welsh did not come across as a Johnny Miller, Mr. Welsh is at a disadvantage. The device used to Audio Describe is fashioned from a device used in court rooms. The voice box sits on the face much like a surgeons mask and is bulky, hot and uncomfortable. Audio Description is a new and developing field. There is no definitive structure, and while sometimes the describer distracted from the piece (adjustments to the descripton device and breath during ballads) more oft than not he enhanced it. The head set itself was easily obtained at the coat room and comfortable, although the adjustments on the head set were somewhat limiting. I was happy to note that there were others listening to the AD that evening, well, other. Although I noted several audience members with sound enhancers, only one other person used the AD head set. But, it is one more person enjoying, understanding and appreciating theatre through assistive technology. A Grand Night for Singing was just that, a grand night for singing, but it was also much more. It was a grand night for listening.
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