Itanen thought her days of enjoying the theater were over when, on a trip to New York City, she saw an off-Broadway play that offered captioning. The script was displayed on a large screen during the performance, which enabled her to read and watch the actors at the same time.

The experience gave Itanen, a retired nurse and resident of Apple Valley, an idea. Why not bring this same concept to local theater?

Itanen brought her idea to Dick Dorwald, executive director of the High Desert Center for the Arts, and it was eagerly accepted.

“It’s a low-tech and fairly inexpensive way for people who are hard-of-hearing to get the words,” Dorwald said. “About two months ago we tried it out on a show, then we perfected it on a more recent show. Now it’s going to become a regular thing.”

Several weeks before a performance at the center, Itanen receives the script, and she scans it into her computer. She then attends most of the rehearsals to get the timing right. During performances before an audience, the words are projected onto a screen next to the stage.

“I just sit there and keep advancing (the script) when the actors are speaking,” Itanen said. “The hard part is when they skip lines.”

Itanen, who volunteers her time for the center, said she plans to use captioning for at least one performance whenever a new play or musical is produced.

“(With captioning) small theaters will be able to offer their plays to the baby boomers,” she said. “These are people who have always gone to plays and love plays.”

The next play at the High Desert Center for the Arts to offer captioning will be “Arsenic and Old Lace,” presented at 2:30 p.m. this Sunday.

By Tracie Troha
http://www.vvdailypress.com/2006/114934860075750.html