Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#1
Posted: 10/13/22 at 9:46am
Instagram Post
So let me say first that I do not think Lillias deserves to be “blamed” for this but as she says in her video, it is a systemic failure of the theater that actors are not aware of these devices being used. I can’t even imagine how humiliating it must have been for this young woman to be called out in the middle of the performance, like this.
The production needs to reach out and make this right because if this is infuriating for me, again, I can’t even imagine how was for this woman.
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#2
Posted: 10/13/22 at 9:51am
It’s also a “systematic failure” that she was so reactionary as to break character in the middle of a performance.
Professionalism is a lost art.
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#3
Posted: 10/13/22 at 9:54am
Honest question since I've never used one of the captioning devices. Are they real time or preprogrammed? I guess what I'm really asking is did this woman see the transcription of Lilias White calling her out or did the captioning just turn off for a moment waiting for the cue that the official script had started back up?
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#4
Posted: 10/13/22 at 9:54am
CarlosAlberto said: "It’s also a “systematic failure” that she was so reactionary as to break character in the middle of a performance.
Professionalism is a lost art.
"
This… it’s almost like actors are just hoping for people to film so they can claim they had a Patti lupone moment, and they also hope someone else ended up filming their reaction so they can go viral.
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#5
Posted: 10/13/22 at 9:59am
Well… that’s awkward.
Sometimes it’s best to just stay in the show, the moment, report to a stage manager when you can, then at least FOH could have given her the answer…
I certainly am aware of CC devices and I’m not on Broadway… but I’ve never seen one in action. Clearly the theatres need to do a better job on educating everyone.
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#6
Posted: 10/13/22 at 10:06am
SeanD2 said: "Honest question since I've never used one of the captioning devices. Are they real time or preprogrammed? I guess what I'm really asking is did this woman see the transcription of Lilias White calling her out or did the captioning just turn off for a moment waiting for the cue that the official script had started back up?"
The audience member may not be 100% Deaf to require a captioning device.
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#7
Posted: 10/13/22 at 10:13am
DivaBrigader said: "SeanD2 said: "Honest question since I've never used one of the captioning devices. Are they real time or preprogrammed? I guess what I'm really asking is did this woman see the transcription of Lilias White calling her out or did the captioning just turn off for a moment waiting for the cue that the official script had started back up?"
The audience member may not be 100% Deaf to require a captioning device."
You do not have to be 100% deaf to require a captioning device.
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#8
Posted: 10/13/22 at 10:17am
Would also be curious if this was a personal phone or some kind of theatre-issued CC device. I don't know enough about these devices, and obviously it doesn't change the situation much, but if there's a standard-issue device it could make it at least a bit easier to educate actors.
Unfortunate situation; agree with what's been said.
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#9
Posted: 10/13/22 at 10:19am
All the caption devices I’ve used on Broadway are pre-recorded. I always show and inform the usher that I’m using the caption device when being seated.
I’ve heard of select few performances that have live captioning but those are rare.
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#10
Posted: 10/13/22 at 10:20am
It’s a theater issued device.
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#11
Posted: 10/13/22 at 10:22am
Jordan Catalano said: "It’s a theater issued device."
Unless the show has GalaPro and the user was using their smartphone to use the GalaPro app.
ok I just checked and I don’t see Hadestown on my GalaPro app.
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#12
Posted: 10/13/22 at 10:25am
I actually didn’t know about GalaPro for Broadway! That’s very good to know. 
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#13
Posted: 10/13/22 at 11:04am
They list Hadestown with I-caption in 6 languages on their website
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/27/06
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#14
Posted: 10/13/22 at 11:32am
This is the I-Caption handheld device provided at HADESTOWN: 
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#15
Posted: 10/13/22 at 11:57am
I agree that it's important for shows to educate actors about these types of devices so they don't get distracted when they see one.
It's also frustrating that so many people do use their phones to film or take pictures, and not for legitimate purposes like this. It happens so often it's easy to see why Lillias White would assume that's what was going on.
Systemic failure on several levels.
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#16
Posted: 10/13/22 at 12:02pm
Look, I hate phones in the theatre. They suck. But some actors have take it upon themselves to have some sort of viral moment, high-horse mentality to find phones and act like they just saved children from a burning building. Many actors need some self awareness here but I don’t think we’re getting it.
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#17
Posted: 10/13/22 at 12:15pm
BroadwayNYC2 said: "Look, I hate phones in the theatre. They suck. But some actors have take it upon themselves to have some sort of viral moment, high-horse mentality to find phones and act like they just saved children from a burning building. Many actors need some self awareness here but I don’t think we’re getting it."
I agree.
One of the biggest pieces of education needed is that it is not the actors job to call out phone use or videoing.
On your next off stage moment, alert someone. I don’t care if you’re Patti Lupone or not (and yes, it was iconic, but also shouldn’t be normalized).
Don’t interrupt the show unless there is a legitimate safety risk or issue.
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#18
Posted: 10/13/22 at 12:18pm
Most Broadway shows are programmed but the Public does live captioning. If you ever sit near the sound booth, you can see someone "typing" the captions with a script on a music stand.
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#19
Posted: 10/13/22 at 12:26pm
Just awful, I do hope the show itself and/or Lillias puts out an official statement in apology. While no one was ill-intentioned, it's definitely a prime example of the systemic ableism within the theatre community,
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#20
Posted: 10/13/22 at 12:29pm
Hadestown has replied to her publicly on Twitter now:
https://twitter.com/hadestown/status/1580593987555323904?s=46&t=zbkTnvaAeP0E3NS1Wy8iBw
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#21
Posted: 10/13/22 at 12:34pm
It's a "systemic failure" not just of the theatre, but of society as a whole.
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#22
Posted: 10/13/22 at 12:39pm
I’m happy they addressed it but that tweet is just….not good.
Broadway Star Joined: 7/18/11
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#23
Posted: 10/13/22 at 12:43pm
Jordan Catalano said: "I’m happy they addressed it but that tweet is just….not good."
They probably don’t want to apologize, because it would be admitting fault.
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#24
Posted: 10/13/22 at 12:46pm
It was nice of Samantha not to name the actor or even the show in her own tweet. She is more considerate of them than they are of her.
Lillias White Calling Out Deaf Audience Member For Using CC Device#25
Posted: 10/13/22 at 1:00pm
^ right. She only specifically called out jujamcyn in her own tweets. So, it’s odd they didn’t respond. I do think Lillias still needs to apologize as well.
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