//WINNER OF THE 2018 PRIZE OF THE SAXON ASSOCIATION FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
//WINNER OF THE 2018 INCLUSION PRIZE MOSAIK FROM CENTRAL GERMANY

Schauspiel Leipzig sees itself as a city theatre and therefore as open to a diverse audience. The project audio description is a feature of social inclusion that has been in operation at our theatre since 2013. Audio description (AD) allows blind and visually impaired visitors greater participation. When the theatre is in operation, there is at least one performance featuring live audio description per month. This option, which is free of charge, is used by around ten audience members per performance. An experienced team of sighted and non-sighted authors create audio scripts for three to four new productions per season, which since 2015 have included the family production around Christmas. With this regular and continually expanding service, Schauspiel Leipzig has played a pioneering role among German-language theatres and has been awarded both the Inclusion Award Mosaic from Central Germany and the Prize of the Saxon Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired in 2018.

Every performance with audio description features a specific preparation which usually includes a tactile guided tour of the stage, an introduction to the play aimed specifically at the blind, and an opportunity to touch the props and costumes. Once visitors have received their devices and headsets, they can listen to a compact, pre-produced introduction with another description of the set and costumes. These also contain an introduction to the cast with short samples of their voices. During the performance, professional speakers describe the visual events on stage, following the audio scripts from a sound-proof booth that has been installed in the auditorium specifically for this purpose.

The barrier-free access points to the Schauspielhaus have been complemented by a tactile guidance system for the blind and visually impaired, including a tactile strip leading into the theatre, hand rails and relief panels for both the ground floor and the stalls floors. Guide dogs are welcome and may be brought to one of the front aisle seats, or our front-of-house staff are happy to take care of them during the performance.

The following plays will presumably be presented with a live audio description in the 2024/25 season:

• ARSEN UND SPITZENHÄUBCHEN
• CABARET
• DAS GESPENST VON CANTERVILLE
  
• DER AUFHALTSAME AUFSTIEG DES ARTURO UI
  
• DER BESUCH DER ALTEN DAME
• DER GOTT DES GEMETZELS
  
• MEDEA
• NOSFERATU
  
• ROMEO UND JULIA
• ZWEI HERREN VON REAL MADRID