>
Broadway star humiliates partially deaf and blind theater fan by accusing her of recording Hadestown performance after mistaken captioning device for phone
- Samantha Coleman was twice ridiculed in the middle of the Hadestown musical by star Lillias White for using a captioning device
- Coleman, who is partially deaf and blind, shared the ’embarrassing’ incident on Instagram, discussing the importance of the hearing aids in theater
- Hadestown producers apologized to Coleman for White’s behavior and invited the hearing-impaired spectator back to the theater to rewatch the show
<!–
<!–
<!–<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
A Broadway diva has been convicted of humiliating a partially deaf and blind woman during a performance after mistaking her captioning device for a telephone.
Lillias White, 71, raged against Samantha Coleman twice on Thursday during a Hadestown performance at the Walter Kerr Theater in Manhattan.
White twice stopped her performance to berate Coleman for “recording on her cellphone,” seemingly unaware that Coleman was holding an authorized device that allowed her to understand the action.
The technology solved the ‘system problem’ in the theater that prevented hearing-impaired guests from enjoying a show.
“My hearing is such that I need captioning equipment to see a show,” Coleman said in an emotional Instagram video. And it really hurts to be banned and publicly ridiculed. It was super embarrassing.’
Coleman called the situation a “misunderstanding” on White’s part, but ended her video in tears without finalizing her thoughts.
“The people who have to use these devices should feel comfortable and confident watching a Broadway show and not be faced with embarrassment, embarrassment and fear…,” she said, before falling into tears.
Coleman spoke about her experience in an Instagram video, saying the situation was causing her ‘anxiety’
Samantha Coleman, a partially deaf and blind Broadway buff, was confronted twice while using a closed captioning device during the Hadestown musical
Star Lillias White, 71, stopped twice in the middle of the show to call the audience after she assumed Coleman was recording the musical illegally
The Hadestown show’s producers said they reached out to Coleman to offer their “deepest apologies” to Coleman for the altercation, according to Playbill.
But White has yet to apologize for her behavior.
“We are reviewing our policies and internal protocols to ensure this doesn’t happen again,” the statement said. “We offer Samantha our deepest apologies and are grateful to her for sharing her experience so it can be addressed.”
Coleman probably used the GalaPro captioning device that looks like a cell phone. She spoke of the possibility that White and other Broadway actors thought she was illegally recording the show.
“I’m sure she wasn’t the only one on stage who thought that,” Coleman said. However, she was the only one who called me out. At least because I don’t think this is necessarily her malice – I think it’s a misunderstanding, but we need to talk about it anyway.”
Coleman accepted an invitation to return to the theater to watch Hadestown, people said.
White has not apologized to Coleman of her own
Hadestown is a Tony-winner musical that offers closed captioning and other accessibility options for spectators
Coleman is a Broadway enthusiast who is open about her struggles to be partially deaf and blind. She previously boasted about the brilliance of captioning devices after watching Into the Woods’ show
Coleman, who called herself deafblind on Instagram, is a Broadway show enthusiast who posts multiple Playbills of her theater adventures.
One of the last shows she saw was Into the Woods at the St. James Theater. Coleman praised the show that “rekindled” her heart and “strengthened” her mind.
She boasted about the show and the brilliant captioning equipment that allowed her to enjoy the experience.
“I was reminded of what I love and why I love it,” she wrote. “With a captioning device in hand and visual access close to the stage, I was able to have the most inclusive experience. I found a little piece of my soul that I thought was long lost.
Theater performers have long complained about audiences using phones during shows because it distracts them from a performance.