Revolutionary Voice-Recognition Technology Provides Equal Access to Broadway Theatre Productions for Patrons with Hearing and Vision Disabilities, in Addition to Multi-Language Translations

New York, New York, June 4, 2018 – GalaPro, developer of automated accessibility and translation technology for live shows, announced today that it has been chosen as the official accessibility provider for the 72nd Annual Tony Awards® Ceremony to be held in Radio City Music Hall in New York City on June 10, 2018. Following on the heels of successful implementation of the system in most Broadway theatres, GalaPro will be providing closed-captioning for the event.

“We’ve invested years of development and hard work to ensure that our technology makes live shows accessible and inclusive to anyone and everyone,” said Yonat Burlin, CEO of GalaPro. “It is an honor to be chosen to open up to the whole world the celebration of Broadway’s magic and talent at the Tony Awards, the industry’s most important event.”

GalaPro’s innovative technology provides automated closed-captioning, audio description, and translation in any language in the form of subtitles or dubbing. The app, available for both Android and iOS smart devices, leverages proprietary voice-recognition technology to enable venues to provide complete accessibility and translation services to every theatre-goer in real time. Through features such as black screens and headset-only audio, the app enables users to experience the show without disturbing other patrons.

“Theatre can transport us to new worlds and experiences, and the Broadway community is continuing to take steps to make it possible for everyone to be a part of the adventure,” said Charlotte St. Martin, President of the Broadway League and Heather Hitchens, President and CEO of the American Theatre Wing. “We are excited to introduce this technology at the Tony Awards to help make theatre accessible to all.”

GalaPro’s implementation in dozens of theaters since the beginning of 2018 is part of the industry’s initiative to make Broadway more accessible and meet higher standards for accessibility and inclusion. Initially adopted to provide accessibility through closed-captions and audio description, many theatres have also begun to leverage GalaPro’s potential by providing translations of shows to reach a wider audience and create a truly inclusive experience.

Most of Broadway’s biggest shows, including The Phantom of the Opera, Dear Evan Hansen, The Band’s Visit, Children of a Lesser God and more, have already successfully implemented the technology, offering accessibility and translation services at every single performance.

The 2018 Tony Awards, hosted by Sara Bareilles and Josh Groban, will air live on CBS on Sunday, June 10th on CBS. The Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.

Follow the Tony Awards on Twitter and Instagram (@TheTonyAwards).

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About GalaPro

Gala Prompter is an Israeli-based startup company founded in June 2015 by Dr. Elena Litsyn and Hagai Pipko. Gala Prompter was created to make live shows an experience anyone can enjoy. Since its inception, the company has been working to make shows accessible and inclusive, believing that culture and entertainment are the core of our communities. The company has offices in Tel Aviv and in New York and is currently expanding to many regional, commercial and non-profit theaters across the US and Canada.

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About the Tony Awards

The American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. At The Broadway League, Thomas Schumacher is Chairman and Charlotte St. Martin is President. At the American Theatre Wing, David Henry Hwang is Chair and Heather A. Hitchens is President & CEO. Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss of White Cherry Entertainment are the Executive Producers of the 2018 Tony Awards. Mr. Weiss will also serve as Director of the 2018 Tony Awards.

Sponsors for the 2018 Tony Awards include: IBM - develops, designs, and hosts the official Tony Awards digital experience anchored by TonyAwards.com; Carnegie Mellon University – the first-ever, exclusive higher education partner; Grant Thornton LLP – official accounting services partner; City National – official bank of the Tony Awards and presenting sponsor of the Creative Arts Awards; Nordstrom - official sponsor of the Red Carpet; Sofitel New York – the official hotel of the Tony Awards; Rainbow Room - official partner of the Tony Nominee Luncheon; United Airlines – the official airline of the Tony Awards for the last 18 years, Entertainment Benefits Group – exclusive VIP package sponsor of the Tony Awards and People/Entertainment Weekly – official magazine partners of the Tony Awards.