Cleveland Play House to Feature Open Caption Performances

Cleveland Play House (CPH) has been selected for a two-year partnership with Theatre Development Fund's (TDF) National Open Captioning Initiative (NOCI) to sponsor open captioned performances during the upcoming 2017-2018 Season. Through this partnership, TDF will provide open captioning for one performance of each production during CPH's 2017-2018 Season. CPH's entire 2017-2018 season is currently on sale for single ticket buyers, and Open Caption seats for Shakespeare in Love. Remaining Open Caption tickets will be available for purchase one month prior to each of the scheduled performances.

The mission of the NOCI program is to help theatres provide increased accessibility and expand attendance by people who are deaf or hard of hearing over a two-year period. Cleveland Play House's open captioned performances kick off at the conclusion of Deaf Awareness Week with Shakespeare in Love on Sept. 24th, and continue at select Sunday performances for each show. A select amount of specially priced seats will be available to those who require the use of Open Captioning.

"We're thrilled that the Cleveland Play House has proven their commitment to further welcoming people with hearing loss to their productions," said Lisa Carling, TDF's Director of Accessibility Programs. "We're thrilled to provide Open Captioning for one performance of each show in their upcoming season."

"It is an honor to be included in the TDF National Open Captioning Initiative," stated CPH Managing Director Kevin Moore, "and a tremendous opportunity for us to expand access to our performances for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. We look forward to working with community leaders and organizations to spread the word about these special performances."

Among the many organizations within the community that are excited about this opportunity is the Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center. "By offering Open Captioning to the audience, Cleveland Play House adds a level of accessibility to the arts for those who are deaf or hard of hearing, ensuring that everyone can enjoy the theater experience," says Sharon Dundee, Director of Marketing and Communications, "We look forward to many Open Captioning performances throughout the season."

Open Captioning will be available for the following performances during the 2017-2018 Season:

Shakespeare in Love - Sunday, September 24, 2017 at 2:30 PM - ON SALE NOW

The Diary of Anne Frank - Sunday, November 5, 2017 at 2:30 PM

A Christmas Story - Sunday, December 10, 2017 at 2:30 PM

Marie and Rosetta - Sunday, February 4, 2018 at 2:30 PM

The Invisible Hand - Sunday, March 4, 2018 at 2:30 PM

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee - Sunday, April 29, 2018 at 2:30 PM

The Royale - Sunday, May 20, 2018 at 2:30 PM

Single tickets are currently available for the entire season of shows, along with Open Caption seating for Shakespeare in Love, at www.clevelandplayhouse.com. To ensure your seats are in view of the open caption signboard, place your ticket order online using promo code OPEN, or by calling (216) 400-7096 and mentioning promo code OPEN.

ABOUT Theatre Development Fund

Theatre Development Fund, a not-for-profit service organization for the performing arts, was created in the conviction that the live theatrical arts afford a unique expression of the human condition that must be sustained and nurtured. It is dedicated to developing diverse audiences for live theatre and dance, and strengthening the performing arts community in New York City. Since 1968, TDF's programs have provided over 94 million people with access to performances at affordable prices and have returned over $2.8 billion to thousands of productions.

Best known for its TKTS Discount Booths, TDF's membership, outreach, access (including the Autism Theatre Initiative) and education programs - as well as its Costume Collection - have introduced thousands of people to the theatre and helped make the unique experience of theatre available to everyone, including students and people with disabilities.

Recent TDF honors include a 2011 Mayor's Award for Arts and Culture, a 2012 Tony Honor for Excellence for its Open Doors Arts Education Program, a 2012 New York Innovative Theatre Award for its support of the off-Off Broadway community and a 2013 Lucille Lortel honor for "Outstanding Body of Work" in support of the Off Broadway community, a 2016 "Friend of Off-Broadway" honor from The Off Broadway Alliance, and New York City's 2016 TITLE II ADA Sapolin Public Service Award. With the Broadway League, TDF recently launched the website, Theatre Access NYC (www.theatreaccess.nyc) which assists theatregoers with disabilities in finding accessible performances of Broadway shows. To learn more about TDF, go to: www.tdf.org.

Major funding for TDF's National Open Captioning Initiative is provided by The National Endowment for the Arts and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.

ABOUT Cleveland Play House

Cleveland Play House founded in 1915 and recipient of the 2015 Regional Theatre Tony Award, is America's first professional regional theatre. Throughout its rich history, CPH has remained dedicated to its mission to inspire, stimulate and entertain diverse audiences in Northeast Ohio by producing plays and theatre education programs of the highest professional standards. CPH has produced more than 100 world and/or American premieres, and over its long history more than 12 million people have attended over 1,600 productions. Today, Cleveland Play House celebrates the beginning of its second century of service while performing in three state-of-the art venues at Playhouse Square in downtown Cleveland. www.clevelandplayhouse.com

Cleveland Play House is made possible in part by state tax dollars allocated by the Ohio Legislature to the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.

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