Asolo Rep Implements GalaPro Accessible Captioning and Translation Technology

Asolo Repertory Theatre proudly announces that it is the first regional theatre in the Southeastern United States to implement the GalaPro accessible captioning and translation technology. 

GalaPro is a free smartphone-enabled (iOS and Android) app that allows patrons to read captions of a performance in real time. The captions are activated by the voice of the actors on stage, providing an authentic, live theatrical experience. The app can only be used when the device is in airplane mode and automatically dims the smartphone’s screen as to not disturb the experience of surrounding patrons. 

Asolo Rep will proudly unveil this new technology at THE SOUND OF MUSIC IllumiNation event and matinee performance on Saturday, November 23. Captioning will be available in English and Spanish. Now in its fifth season, IllumiNation is a series of performances and events promoting cross-cultural conversations in the community.

GalaPro will be available for all performances of THE SOUND OF MUSIC from November 23 onward. It will also be offered for the theatre’s winter repertory season (Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, The Lifespan of a Fact and Into the Breeches!), with plans to expand offerings in future seasons. The app is available nine performances into the run of a production, giving the technology time to “learn” the musical or play in order to accurately relay dialogue. 

“We are thrilled to be among the first regional theatres in the country to utilize GalaPro’s cutting-edge technology,” said Asolo Rep Producing Artistic Director Michael Donald Edwards. “It aligns perfectly with our mission to produce world-class theatre that is inclusive and accessible for all and our firm belief that the theatre is a place where everyone is welcome.”

“GalaPro’s mission is to make the entertainment industry inclusive for everyone and we are thrilled to have Asolo Rep join us,” said GalaPro CEO Yonat Burlin. “GalaPro’s innovative technology opens the doors to new audiences and with Asolo Rep will be operating for the first time in a self-producing house in the Southeast United States.”

Already a mainstay on Broadway, GalaPro is currently used by shows including Hamilton, The Phantom of the Opera, Dear Evan Hansen and more.  

For more information on GalaPro and download instructions, please visit: https://www.asolorep.org/visit/amenities-accessibility.

For more information on GalaPro, visit: https://www.galapro.com/.