Broadway star Lillias White chastises deaf woman twice for using her closed captioning device in theater
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: Broadway star, Lillias White, has been slammed for mistreating a woman who was partially deaf and blind during a show after she mistook her closed captionining device for a cellphone. White berated the fan, Samantha Coleman, twice during her performance at the Walter Kerr Theater in Manhattan.
White appeared to be unaware that Coleman was in possession of a device which provides descriptions of what was taking place and heals those who are hearing impaired to be able to enjoy performances as well, as she repeatedly interrupted her performance to chastise the woman for "recording on her iPhone."
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Coleman was sobbing as she put up an emotional Instagram video about her humiliating experience. "My hearing is such that I need captioning devices in order to see a show, and to kind of be ostracized and publicly ridiculed really hurts. It was super embarrassing," she said in the video.
Coleman described the scenario as a "misunderstanding" on White's part, but she concluded the video in tears before stating anything further, "The people who need to use these devices should feel comfortable and confident in seeing a Broadway show and not be met with shame and embarrassment and anxiety," she said.
According to Playbill, the 'Hadestown' show's creators contacted Coleman to express their "deepest apologies" for the confrontation. White, though, has not yet expressed regret for her actions, according to The Daily Mail.
"We are reviewing our policies and internal protocols to ensure this doesn’t happen again. We extend our deepest apologies to Samantha and extend our gratitude to her for sharing her experience so that it can be addressed," a statement from the creators read.
"I'm sure she wasn't the only person on the stage that might have thought that. She was the only person, however, to call me out. For the least because I don't think this is inherently her malice - I think it's a misunderstanding but we still need to talk about it," Coleman said in the video.
Coleman, who identifies as deafblind on Instagram, is a avid theatre fan who often posts about the shows she attends. 'Into the Woods' at St James Theatre was one of the performances she attended. Coleman commended the programme for having "reignited" and "invigorated" her. She praised the show and the ingenuity of the captioning technology that had made it possible for her to delight in the event.
"I was reminded of what I love and why I love it. With captioning device in hand and visual access close to the stage, I could have the most inclusive experience. I found a little piece of my soul that I thought was long lost," she wrote in another post.
Theater performers have long complained about patrons using their phones while watching performances, claiming that it distracts them.