Feb. 7, 2005
Theater: Dramatic Improvement

By STEVE FRIESS

For people who have hearing disabilities, live theater is often a frustrating experience. As jokes fly by and lyrics are sung, viewers are forced to ignore what they've missed or pester companions for a play-by-play. But last week, "Wicked" audiences at Broadway's Gershwin Theater became among the first in the nation to have access to a handheld device that provides captions as the show progresses. The I-Caption, a five-ounce Dell Axim Pocket PC, is about the size of a pack of cigarettes.

Most theaters on Broadway and elsewhere, and most cinemas, now offer hearing-disabled people devices that either deliver a special audio feed into the ears or transmit a frequency that hearing aids amplify. Both are unreliable. The lot of the theatergoer who's hard of hearing has been to attend special performances at which portable caption boards are hauled in or interpreters sign the show. I-Caption, which cost "Wicked" about $10,000, knows which dialogue to show by picking up wireless prompts from the light board.

It is designed by New York-based Sound Associates, the company responsible for all hearing assistive devices on Broadway.

Now that it works, I-Caption will soon be available at "Mamma Mia!" productions and on touring shows. It could also be used at movies, sporting events and even rock shows. Which means hearing-impaired guests might be the only ones to finally decipher Bob Dylan.

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