Although mobile phones are usually frowned upon in the theatre, they may just be the future of live entertainment. GalaPro, the global developer of automated accessibility and translation technology for live shows, is making theatre more accessible and promoting equal access to and inclusivity in the entertainment industry. With GalaPro, live shows, theater, music, and opera can now include everyone, everywhere. 

About GalaPro

GalaPro’s mission is to make entertainment accessible and inclusive to everyone interested in attending the theatre. This includes everyone at any venue, in any seat, anywhere in the world. Because even though Broadway theater is one of the largest and most popular tourist destinations in the world, its accessibility has always been limited. From limited wheelchair accommodations to scant autism-friendly performances, patrons with disabilities often find roadblocks to experiencing a Broadway show. And GalaPro is in business to help change that. 

GalaPro, short for GalaPrompter, began as an Isreal-based company in 2015 by Hagai Pipko and Dr. Elena Litsyn. It is the leading provider of in-show services in the theater industry. Broadway has implemented GalaPro in 90% of theaters, and over 30 Broadway touring venues have partnered with GalaPro. Some of the shows that use GalaPro include “School of Rock,” “A Bronx Tale,” “Come From Away,” “The Band’s Visit,” “Chicago,” and “The Phantom of the Opera.” GalaPro’s services are also available in over 20 regional markets across North America.

Using GalaPro is easy. Users download the GalaPro app on their phone and enter the theater, which has a wifi network solely dedicated to the app. The app requires the user to go into airplane mode for it to work, so the user doesn’t need to worry about getting a call during the show. Then the user selects the show they’re seeing, and the services selected will automatically begin playing on their device when the curtain goes up. 

Services

GalaPro offers many different services for each venue and/or production. With its extensive list of services, GalaPro is a solution for anyone. From patrons who use access services such as closed captioning, amplification, or audio description to those who prefer to access the show in their native language via subtitles or audio dubbing. Many of GalaPro’s users find the closed caption service helpful to follow the show, especially when performers have distinct accents or speak quickly or quietly. GalaPro makes it easy to open the curtains to a universal cultural experience. 

Although theatres have been able to offer similar services via rented equipment owned and operated by the theatre, GalaPro is the first of its kind to offer these services on-demand to individuals on their own devices. This makes it easier and cheaper for theatres to implement, which could potentially lead to a dramatically wider array of theatre companies being able to offer performances accessible to audience members with hearing and vision impairments. 

Venues that provide accessibility services through the GalaPro app no longer have to set special performance dates for open captioned or audio-described services. So many services are available at every performance, and patrons may sit anywhere in the venue to access them on their own mobile devices. Content is provided in real-time, using speech recognition technology, developed specifically for live performances and shows. Everyone is able to enjoy the show at every performance.

Using GalaPro is as easy as downloading the mobile app and choosing from the participating theaters. Users can search by city or current location.

These are some of the services GalaPro offers: 

Subtitles (Language Translation) 

Theatergoers can enjoy a show in their native language on their phone, in real-time throughout the performance. They can use their app settings to adjust font size and brightness. This subtitles service can be used in tandem with any audio service available at the show. 

Closed Captions 

The closed caption service can be used to follow along and enjoy the show on your own device. Closed captioning is always available in the spoken language of the performance. Like subtitles, to adjust the font size and brightness of closed captions, you can use GalaPro’s app settings. The app is able to be dimmed and uses a carefully chosen color scheme so as not to distract other audience members. This service can also be used in tandem with any audio service available at the show. 

In many cases, the app is able to pair the production’s script with speech recognition software hooked into actors’ microphones so that GalaPro’s captions can stay in sync with the live performance without necessitating a dedicated operator. The app is connected to the hall’s sound system, the computer sends a signal to the cloud, and the cloud instantly sends a signal to the app when to enter the text. 

Audio Description

With audio description, you can connect your headphones from any seat in a theater. Theatergoers can connect their headphones before the performance begins to hear the pre-show description that includes character, set, and surroundings description. You can listen along during the show to hear a detailed account of the action happening onstage.

This service is intended for theatergoers with vision impairments. 

Dubbing

GalaPro’s dubbing services work simultaneously throughout the show and provide users with a complete experience in their native language. 

Amplification

Users can connect their headset to the device and use the amplified audio to enjoy and follow along with the show. This service can also be used with closed captions or subtitles. 

Film

GalaPro’s automatic video search helps users find their film in the database and share services directly to their mobile devices. The auto-search feature will even work later in the film if the user forgets to use it in the beginning. You can search from any point in the video, in any physical location and GalaPro will find the film. 

Live Captioning

You can connect GalaPro’s live captioning services to your local CART (computer-assisted real-time captioning) provider and enjoy live-streamed captioning through the GalaPro app. There is no need for big screens to be set up, and it is a great solution for any unscripted event. 

GalaPro Partners

The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME)

The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) has a partnership with GalaPro to continue revolutionizing the theatre-going experience. To foster greater access to theatrical performances for all New Yorkers, MOME provides up to $100,000 to cover the costs of installing GalaPro software in qualifying off-Broadway, not-for-profit, and independent theatres throughout New York City. MOME is also offering to reimburse theatres for the costs of a free one-time installation of GalaPro software. To qualify for reimbursement, theatres must be fully operating in New York City for a minimum of five years, and companies must produce or host four-six productions per season, with a run of at least 20 days. After the software installation is complete, individual productions hosted by the theatre will enjoy discounts on GalaPro services including closed captioning, audio translation, and language translation. Audience members who use the simultaneous language translation rather than the free closed captioning or audio description app pay a small fee.

The Schubert Foundation

GalaPro is also partnered with The Schubert Foundation, the nation’s largest funder dedicated to unrestricted funding of not-for-profit theatres and dance companies. It is also the largest owner and operator of theaters on Broadway, with 17 theaters on Broadway and six off-Broadway theaters. It was founded in 1900 and has since been at the forefront of the American theater, producing alone and in partnership with hundreds of critically acclaimed Broadway plays and musicals. 

All of The Schubert Foundation’s theaters in New York have started to offer GalaPro’s services. Schubert has provided the GalaPro team with a real platform for testing its technology to make sure that the solution meets the highest standards in the industry. 

The GalaPro app is available to download and free to use by all Broadway theaters owned by The Schubert Foundation. 

The initial pilot of the app took place at the New World Stages’ Off-Broadway Theater, at the screening of the musical, “The Story of the Suburbs.” It provided translation into four languages, English, Russian, French, and Hebrew. 

Accessibility

The Schubert Accessibility Advisory Committee has guided and supported the GalaPro team throughout the development process. This committee was put together to ensure that GalaPro benefits as many people as possible, and is made up of organizations such as Hearing Loss Association of America, National Association for the Deaf, Association for Late Deafened Adults, National Foundation for the Blind, American Council for the Blind, Theatre Development Fund, and Hands On. The foundation wanted to make sure to set up a committee of people with disabilities to build a product that would accommodate their needs and theater consumption habits. The app was honored with a Sapolin Accessibility Award for Communication and Technology from the New York City Mayor’s office in 2018. 

Following GalaPro’s partnership with The Schubert Foundation, the Broadway League, the national trade association for the Broadway industry, has set a new standard for accessibility for all Broadway shows aimed at the general public. The standard requires technological access available at all times for all shows.

GalaPro is Changing the Industry—For Good

GalaPro is a solution for everyone, from seasoned opera and theater lovers to travelers who need accessible solutions. The app has marked the first time cell phones have been welcomed into theaters. This technology also means no back-light on the phone, and that any incoming messages or phone calls are immediately blocked. This results in a distraction-free experience for other guests and patrons. GalaPro is helping to extend accessibility beyond just translation. They’re making it easier to buy your next ticket, and creating a social element to theatre performances, allowing patrons to rate shows while expanding the live theater and opera community, in general. 

With GalaPro, people can travel to a new city and enjoy a local event or show in their native language. People no longer have to wait for the one scheduled accessible show. GalaPro is an innovative solution that has made it easier to enjoy all content on-demand however you need. 

References

“About.” GalaPro. Accessed May 4, 2022. https://www.galapro.com/about.

“About the League.” The Broadway League. Accessed May 4, 2022. https://www.broadwayleague.com/about/about-us/. 

Clements, Carly-Ann. “The GalaPro app is bringing theatre to all.” Official London Theatre. April 15, 2019. https://officiallondontheatre.com/news/galapro-app-bringing-theatre/. 

Culwell-Block, Logan. “Theatre Accessibility Smartphone App GalaPro Acquired by The Shubert Organization.” Playbill. February 3, 2022. https://playbill.com/article/theatre-accessibility-smartphone-app-galapro-acquired-by-the-shubert-organization. 

“GalaPro App.” GalaPro. Accessed May 4, 2022. https://www.galapro.com/. 

Geselowitz, Gabriela. “Israeli Start-Up Strives to Make Broadway Theaters More Accessible to Patrons with Disabilities.” Tablet. February 8, 2018. https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/israeli-start-up-strives-to-make-broadway-theaters-more-accessible-to-patrons-with-disabilities. 

Goichman, Rafaela. “There’s finally a reason to turn on the smartphone in the theater.” TheMarker. August 14, 2016. https://www.themarker.com/technation/1.3038540. 

Hagen, Marc. “Accessibility and Translation for Live Shows.” Closing the Gap. November 16, 2018. https://www.closingthegap.com/accessibility-translation-for-live-shows/. 

“Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment Backs Innovative App To Make NYC Theatre Performances More Accessible.” NYC. Accessed May 4, 2022. https://www1.nyc.gov/site/mome/news/10102018-galapro.page. 

“New Translation App Set to Revolutionize Broadway Experiences for Non-English-Speaking Theater Goers.” Atlas LS. June 7, 2018. https://atlasls.com/new-translation-app-broadway/.

“Our Services.” GalaPro. Accessed May 4, 2022. https://www.galapro.com/services. 

Shapira, Ariel. “TECH TALK: Now everyone can enjoy the theater.” The Jerusalem Post. January 23, 2018. https://www.jpost.com/opinion/tech-talk-now-everyone-can-enjoy-the-theater-539612.

“The Schubert Foundation.” The Schubert Foundation. Accessed May 4, 2022. https://www.shubertfoundation.org/.

“The Shubert Organization Acquires GalaPro App.” The Shubert Organization. February 2, 2022. https://shubert.nyc/press/the-shubert-organization-acquires-galapro-app/. 

Yablonko, Yasmin. “Israeli app offers live translations for Broadway.”  Globes. January 16, 2018. https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-israeli-app-offers-translations-for-broadway-plays-1001219776.

Many industries have begun utilizing 3D printing to make work easier and more efficient. This technology is even making its way into the arts. Broadway theatres, university theatre departments, and theatres everywhere are implementing 3D printing technologies to construct props, and even to build entire sets. 3D printing brings new elements of realism and creativity into theatre. It is the future of stage and set design, by enabling mass customization of specific designs, independent of outside factors, such as time constraints and availability. The market for 3D printers in theatre has really changed from DIY projects to machines for professionals. 

How Does 3D Printing Work? 

3D printing (also called additive manufacturing) is the process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. The creation of a 3D printed item involves additive processes, where an object is created by laying down successive layers of a material until the object is fully created. Each of the layers is a thinly sliced cross-section of the object. 3D printing enables the user to produce complex shapes using less material than traditional manufacturing materials. 

To create a 3D printed object, it starts with a 3D model. This can either be created from the ground up, or downloaded from a 3D library. After you have a printable file, the next step is to prepare the file for the 3D printer (slicing). Slicing is the process of cutting up a 3D model into hundreds or thousands of layers, and is done with a slicing software. After the file is sliced, it is ready to be inserted into the 3D printer, which can be done via USB, SD, or wi-fi. The file will then be 3D printed layer by layer. 

3D printing technology used to only be used for prototyping and one-off manufacturing in early stages, but now is transforming into a widely-used production technology. 3D printing has become destined to infiltrate many industries, even the arts. 

The First 3D Printed Set

The first entirely 3D printed set was for a show called “Fra Diavolo,” at the Opera Theater in Rome, Italy. The set was created by a 3D printing company in Rome, WASP, and took around 3 months to complete. It was made using cheaper material than what is usually used in 3D printing, and a total of five printers. To begin the process, the scenographer gave WASP a 3D printed model of deformed historic buildings, that was divided into 223 pieces. This model was then used to create a lifesize model that could be used for the show’s set. 

3D Printing Takes Broadway

Broadway scenic designers, Kacie Hultgren and John Lee Beatty, know that 3D printing technology has revolutionized the modern-day theatre world. One of their first tasks for each show is to create a miniature model of the set to show to the director, and the rest of the team, what the scenic environment will look like. Usually, creating this miniature model is tedious, and takes around one week. But, with 3D printing, the models are created fairly quicker, and are made out of primarily plastic. The printer can create a fully-formed prototype of any object, and it doesn’t take nearly as long as it used to. It is also common to need more than one of the same piece. With 3D printing, the pieces are able to be made completely identical. For the production of ‘Outside Mullingar,’ Hultgren was able to create large sections of entire sets of furniture. The desktop printers used for Broadway shows are large, and able to print entire scenic units to scale. 3D printing technology has been used to create sets for productions such as Roundabout Theatre Company’s 2012 production of ‘Don’t Dress for Dinner,’ ‘The Nance,’ ‘Orphans,’ and ‘The Snow Geese.’ 

3D Printed Theatre Props

Although building an entire set with 3D printing technology is not all that common yet, 3D printing props is a quick, easy, and cheaper way of creating exactly what you need—a World War II-era handgun or a skull-shaped candy dish. It is an easier and cheaper way to acquire items that are longer being produced, such as brooches or hatpins for a period piece. It gives the set designer(s) a way to be more flexible and creative with their set design, and the team can be involved throughout the entire process. You can walk away and work on other things while printing, customize the props however you’d like, and go back and fix little details if needed. You can also use 3D printing to create miniatures on a small-scale model to save time instead of carving out all of the little details. The process, depending on how complicated a prop’s design is, can take 20 minutes to up to a couple of hours. 3D printing is also helpful if a prop needs to be broken in a scene. There can be multiple replacement items to replace it. The 3D printer is becoming an important tool in a theatre designer’s tool bag. And it’s now being taught to future generations of theatre professionals. 3D printing skills are giving them a competitive advantage in the job market. 

Implementing 3D Printing into Theatre Education

Not only is 3D printing being used in professional theatre, but it’s also being taught to future theatre technicians and scenic designers at universities, such as the University of Lynchburg, Baylor University, University of Pennsylvania, Arizona State University, Trinity College Dublin, and Royal College of Art. 

University of Lynchburg (Lynchburg, Virginia) 

Christopher Otwell, assistant professor of design and technical director at the University of Lynchburg, is teaching students to create props in a 3D printing course. Students use open-source software, such as Tinkercad and Simplify3D, to make props with the theatre department’s 3D printer. For one of their first projects, they were instructed to replicate an Old Bay seasoning jar. They have also made luggage tags, rubber ducks, and a heart-shaped candy box complete with plastic candies. After designing the props in Tinkercad, they then use Simplify3D to find out how many layers are involved, how much the project will cost, and how long it will take to print each item. The course is a win-win situation for both the Otwell and the students. The students learn a new skill, and Otwell is able to delegate prop making work for productions. 3D printing is making a direct impact on the university’s theatre productions. 

Baylor University (Waco, Texas) 

For Baylor University’s production of ‘Into the Woods,’ the team used a 3D printer to create synthetic beans, mushrooms, and more. Using 3D printing software, assistant professor of theatre arts at the university, Joe Kucharski, was able to tug, flatten, and pinch a digital “ball of clay” into the desired shape, two dozen beans and a dozen mushrooms for the Witch’s dress.

University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) 

At the University of Pennsylvania, former lecturer of theatre arts, Eric Baratta, is starting to incorporate 3D printing into courses using a software called SketchUp. Students were assigned to look at the first scene of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, specifically the elements of design (line, dimension, movement, light, color, and texture) and composition (unity, harmony, contrast, variation, balance, proportion, emphasis, and rhythm/movement) to build virtual scenes. They finalized their designs and made sure they were optimized for 3D printing. The simplicity of the students’ designs carried through elegantly to the physical model, and the projects were all extremely successful.

Arizona State University (Tucson, Arizona) 

Arizona State University’s, ‘Makerspace,’ is designed for students to collaborate and explore new skills. Students used the software, MakerBot Replicator+, to create costumes for a production of the Greek tragedy, ‘Ajax.’ Involved in this production are costumes with teeth. With their 3D printing technology, they were able to scan the teeth and print them in-house, decreasing their budget, and providing the students with a new learning opportunity. The use of a 3D printer has created an open and collaborative community at the university.

Trinity College Dublin (Dublin, Ireland)

The Lir, National Academy of Dramatic Art at Trinity College Dublin’s courses offer unique, practice-based experiences for their students. The Academy has a partnership with Craftbot, a brand of 3D printing technology. Craftbot provided the college with two 3D printers to enhance the learning possibilities for their students. Maree Kearns, Head of the Master of Fine Arts in Stage Design, notes that the printers are not only used for set design, but also costume design. 3D printing can be used to make fabric and fabric layovers, accessories, medals, pins, and buttons for costumes. The 3D printers are accurate and simple to use, and are compatible with multiple types of filaments, such as plastic, wood resin, or metal. Professors at the college know that as 3D printing becomes more mainstream, students need to be able to use it. 

Royal College of Art (London, England)

Royal College of Art’s production of ‘Farewell My Concubine,’ featured actors wearing unique pleated costumes created a selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printer. Students who worked on this project created algorithms that could be read by printer software to generate pleated fabric to contour the actors’ bodies. This type of 3D printing technology uses these created algorithms to selectively harden parts of a mass powder in a vat. After curing by a laser, the pleated design remains intact and the excess powder is removed. This project was groundbreaking for the school, and taught the students a more complicated process of 3D printing technology. 

Conclusion

3D printing technology is becoming more and more widely used in the theatre industry. There have been many projects that have paved the way for a collaboration between theatre and this technology. 3D printing is transforming the industry, and making the process of set construction faster, cheaper, and higher quality. 

References

Andreoli, Maurizio. “The first 3d printed Scenography.” Wasp. September 29, 2017. https://www.3dwasp.com/en/the-first-3d-printed-theatre-scenic-design/.

“Autodesk Tinkercad.” Tinkercad. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://www.tinkercad.com/. 

“Complete 3D Printing Solutions Customized to Your Experience.” Craftbot. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://craftbot.com/. 

“Five Industries Utilizing 3D Printing.” Markforged. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://markforged.com/resources/blog/five-industries-utilizing-3d-printing.

Gentry, Bryan. “3D printer brings ideas to life for theatre students.” University of Lynchburg. March 12, 2018. https://www.lynchburg.edu/2018/03/3d-printer-brings-ideas-to-life-for-theatre-students/.

Goodrich, Terry. “Sculpting Costumes with 3D Printers is ‘the Way Theater is Headed,’ Theatre Arts Chair Says of Baylor’s New Technology.” Baylor University. October 8, 2014. https://www.baylor.edu/mediacommunications/news.php?action=story&story=147219.

“Improve Your Print Quality With Powerful 3D Printing Software.” Simplify3D. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://www.simplify3d.com/. 

“Lighting Up the West End With High Accuracy 3D Printing.” Formlabs. August 5, 2021. https://formlabs.com/blog/lamp-pencil-3d-printing-entertainment-light-design/.

“MakerBot Replicator+.” Trimech. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://trimech.com/products/makerbot-replicator. 

Ramsey, David. “Surprising Ways a Performing Arts Department Can Use 3D Printing.” TriMech. August 28, 2020. https://blog.trimech.com/surprising-ways-performing-arts-department-can-use-3d-printing.

Scully, Leah. “3D Printed Costumery Creates Juxtaposition between Culture, Theater, and Tech.” MachineDesign. November 9, 2017. https://www.machinedesign.com/3d-printing-cad/article/21836155/3dprinted-costumery-creates-juxtaposition-between-culture-theater-and-tech. 

Simonson, Robert. “3D Printers Revolutionize Work of Broadway Scenic Designers.” Playbill. March 2, 2014. https://www.playbill.com/article/3d-printers-revolutionize-work-of-broadway-scenic-designers-com-214428.

Somers, Ira. “State Design Just Got Easier with 3D Printing.” Massivit 3D. July 19, 2018. https://massivit3d.com/blog/stage-design-just-got-easier-with-3d-printing/.

“Theatrical plays with 3D printed props and decorations.” Craftbot. Accessed February 25, 2022. https://craftbot.com/casestudies/The-Lir-Academy. 

“What is 3D Printing?” 3D Printing. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://3dprinting.com/what-is-3d-printing/. 

“Where great ideas get to work.” SketchUp. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://www.sketchup.com/

Witherel, Claire. “3D Printing Meets Theatre Set Design @ Education Commons.” Penn Teaching, Research & Learning. May 16, 2018. https://penntrl.wordpress.com/2018/05/16/3d-printing-meets-theatre-set-design-education-commons/.