Participating In Drama and Theater Programs With Low Vision

Even though it has been a few years since I last stepped on stage, participating in drama and theater programs as a student with low vision has helped me tremendously with developing skills related to public speaking, self-confidence, teamwork, writing, and even teaching. Whether it was a drama class offered by my school, a theater camp offered by a local college, or an extracurricular activity like a one-act play or talent showcase, I would spend time not only studying my lines, but also trying to figure out how to use disability accommodations for theater/drama or learning to navigate the stage without my visual impairment seemingly taking over the spotlight.

Participating in drama and theater programs with low vision can be a great way for students to practice self-advocacy and self-determination skills, as well as make friends or connect with other students. That said, some directors or instructors may not know how to support a blind student in theater classes or be aware of accessible drama resources for visually impaired students. Here is a list of tips and strategies for participating in drama programs or theater programs with low vision, from the perspective of a student with low vision and photophobia/photosensitivity (sensitivity to bright and flashing lights).

Reading scripts with large print and requesting accessible scripts

As a student with low vision, I primarily read information in large print with a secondary preference for audio or text-to-speech. A lot of the scripts I have received at auditions or for class assignments were in small print that I could not read, which meant that I had to find strategies for enlarging scripts to read in large print or requesting copies of scripts in advance so they could be converted into an accessible format. Here are several options for creating or remediating accessible scripts for students with visual impairments:

Request audition materials in advance

For auditions, students would be provided with a short script to read from during their audition. After signing up for an audition, I recommend talking to the drama instructor or director and requesting a copy of the audition script so it can be converted to large print or another accessible format that can be read during the audition. Some students may prefer to have a paper copy of the script with larger print sizes, while others may prefer a digital format they can read on another device (e.g. Word document).

For student-led productions such as the one-act play, the student director may be in charge of auditions and providing materials instead of the drama instructor. In these situations, it is helpful to be specific about what accommodations are needed, such as “I need a copy of this script as a Word document” or “I need the script in advance so I can convert it to a format I can read.” In my experience, the student directors have been very receptive to working with me and ensuring I could participate, and would ask me questions about things they could do to make it easier for me to access information.

Using magnification to read scripts for theater

Reading scripts with magnification or an optical aid is helpful for enlarging print materials from a book or page, and can also be useful for reading information at a distance. Examples of assistive technology for reading with magnification can include:

• Using a bar magnifier or dome magnifier that rests on the page
• Placing a page or book underneath a stand magnifier to read while sitting
• Enlarging text using a video magnifier, which has adjustable zoom options and the option to invert colors
• Wearing a bioptic or other optical aid
• Holding a smartphone over the page and using the camera as a makeshift video magnifier

While acetate sheets, line guides, and colored page overlays do not provide magnification, these tools can also be used to help with reducing glare and making print easier to read.

Find accessible scripts online or from outside sources

Depending on the type of performance, there are several options for getting scripts in alternative formats or requesting accessible scripts for school plays. I strongly recommend requesting content in responsive or reflowable formats like Word documents (docx), HTML, or EPUB instead of using fixed layout formats like PDFs that can be more challenging to enlarge. Sources for finding accessible scripts or requesting accessible scripts for students with visual impairments can include:

• Bookshare, which is an online library for people with print disabilities that offers over two million books in accessible formats that is free for students. Bookshare has several textbooks, monologue books, and other books used in theater/drama curriculum that can be accessed with assistive technology.
• Mainstream eBook stores or eTextbook platforms often have eBooks available in reflowable or responsive formats, which support large print access or making images larger.
• When purchasing theatrical rights, musical scripts, or other libretti, many theatrical companies and catalogues offer an option for requesting alternative formats for people with disabilities. Use the subject line “Accessibility request” or “Access request” when emailing the theatrical company to request materials in alternative formats for visual impairment.
• If this is for a class, alternative formats can be requested through the state NIMAC agency for accessible educational materials or from an access specialist at the college/university. In Virginia, the NIMAC agency is AIM-VA.

Another potential strategy is to search for the script online with the phrase “filetype:docx” or “file type:pdf” added to the end of the search without quotation marks. From there, someone could copy and paste the text into another application or use the script to create an accessible copy for a visually impaired student.

Reading scripts with large print apps

I prefer to read digital scripts over paper scripts because it is easier for me to adjust the font size, and I also can turn pages more easily. Here are strategies I have used for reading scripts with low vision:

• Open documents in Microsoft Word and adjusting the font size.
• Using a simplified reading display like Immersive Reader or Reading Mode to view scripts in large print, scrolling up and down to turn pages or using Read Aloud to listen to text.
• Reading documents in the Kindle app or on an eReader. Users can sideload documents or use Send-to-Kindle to read documents or files from other sources.
• Copying and pasting text into a teleprompter app, which can be used for reading text with extremely large print.

Another strategy I have used is scanning text from a page using either a scanning pen like the ScanMarker Air or using an OCR app on my phone like Envision AI, Google Lens, or Seeing AI to recognize text. These tools can be used to read text in large print or copy/paste text into another app.

Related links

• Magnifying Glasses For Low Vision
• iOS Magnifier and Low Vision Accessibility
• Reading Bookshare Titles With Microsoft Word
• Receiving Accessible Educational Materials With NIMAC and AIM-VA
• A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
• Simplified Reading Displays and Low Vision
• How I Use Send-To-Kindle With Low Vision
• Sideloading and Low Vision
• Mainstream eReader Apps and Low Vision Accessibility

Navigating play practices and rehearsals with visual impairment

I remember one of my drama instructors was nervous to have me in their class because they had never had a student with low vision before, and weren’t sure if I would need “special treatment.” Before the first rehearsal, I arrived a few minutes early to familiarize myself with the classroom and where items were located, including the edge of the stage and finding a seat close to where the director would be talking. Other than that, I didn’t have to center my visual impairment or request “special treatment” from others, as I was able to work with the cast and other students to accommodate my visual impairment and navigate rehearsal spaces. Strategies that helped me with participating in drama classes and rehearsals with low vision would include:

Memorize lines as soon as possible

As soon as I knew what role I would have, I would start memorizing lines. I tried to have most of my lines memorized before the first rehearsal so that I didn’t have to carry a large print script or hold a screen close to my face during practice. To memorize my lines for school plays with low vision, I would use various forms of technology, such as:

• Line guides or focus windows, which can display between one and five lines on the screen
• Text-to-speech for reading lines out loud, or listening to recordings of other people reading lines out loud— the second option is preferred, as the text-to-speech can sound quite robotic.
• Writing lines on flashcards, either physical flashcards or digital flashcards. I have also created a custom Alexa flashcard skill for memorizing lines, where the “question” is the line that comes before mine. I would say my line as the “answer”, and check for accuracy.
• Watching a video of someone else performing the same monologue or same lines, which can help with modeling body language or other nonverbal communication.

I would still bring a copy of my large print script to rehearsal even if I thought I had memorized all of the lines, in case the director decided to change anything or if I needed to read another part of the script. That said, if I didn’t remember what a line was or had trouble seeing it, I would frequently improvise to keep everything moving along.

Be specific in directions: avoid using phrases like “over there”

With low vision, it can be challenging for me to figure out what someone means when they say phrases like “over there”, “here”, “there”, or “like this” without explaining what they are talking about. For example, one of my scene partners told me that I needed to go grab a prop “over there,” and pointed vaguely towards stage right, so I tried to guess what they wanted and where I was supposed to go. I found out about thirty seconds later that I had guessed wrong, and they realized that it would have been more helpful to tell me to go to the prop table behind the chairs.

Instead of using generic location terms, be specific about where someone needs to go or what they should be doing. I also have an entire post about describing choreography that is linked below.

Talking to students and self-advocacy

The class one-act play I participated in had a mix of familiar friends and students I had never met before, as well as students I hadn’t seen since my vision loss had progressed. While I didn’t introduce myself by saying “hi, I have low vision,” there were times where I would have to talk about my visual impairment with other students, even when I wanted to pretend my low vision didn’t exist. Some strategies that helped me in this play and in other performances included:

• Asking students not to sneak up on me or grab me from behind. I also would remind people that I couldn’t see them if they were waving at me or otherwise far away.
• When calling on someone raising their hand, say the student’s name instead of just pointing at them. In a different production, I would ask people to come up to me and say “hi Veronica, this is (student name)” and wait for me to acknowledge them before asking me a question.
• I have limited peripheral vision, so I would bump into people or things on my left side more frequently. Being honest about this helped minimize comments like “I can’t believe you didn’t see that!”
• Avoid placing tripping hazards like backpacks in the middle of walkways.
• When possible, place items on high contrast surfaces so they are easier to locate. Unsurprisingly, I had trouble finding the white paper that was face-down on a white table.
• Before turning the lights on or off, give a verbal warning. Also avoid flickering lights on and off, which can be disorienting.

I didn’t give a big speech about how to accommodate for visual impairment or tell people what they needed to do in order to make things accessible for me— these conversations gradually came up over time in a natural way, or I would share suggestions in front of the group that could help everyone (e.g. keeping backpacks out of walkways). That said, I am much more upfront about my flashing light sensitivity, and would specifically tell people not to flicker lights or turn lights on/off without warning since this could cause other adverse reactions.

Related links

• How To Describe Dance Choreography Videos For Visually Impaired
• Creating Custom Flashcards With Amazon Alexa
• How To Be An Effective Human Guide For People With Vision Loss
• Learning to Self-Advocate With Low Vision
• How I Talk About Disability With New Friends
• How I Talk To Professors About Photosensitivity
• Learning To Explain Usable Vision
• How To Approach Someone with Low Vision Without Scaring Them

Lights, camera, and action: Performing on stage with low vision

When it comes to dress rehearsals and showtime, students with visual impairments often benefit from checking out the stage and backstage areas in advance so that they can practice navigating and know what to expect. For example, the director and a cast member for a play I was in accompanied me as I explored the auditorium during study hall, making note of where I would be expected to stand, where the dressing room was located, and what to expect from lighting. Here are other strategies that helped me with participating in drama and theater programs with low vision and performing on stage.

Plan for lighting

Stages come in many shapes and sizes; some productions may keep “house lights” on and not have any lights on stage, while others may have more complex lighting arrangements or techniques. While I have no control over the lights used for productions, I would ask the lighting tech to avoid placing sharp lights or rotating lights directly in my face while I was on the stage.

I always wear prescription non-polarized tinted glasses, and would never take off my glasses for any reason on stage since this would create a safety issue. For some productions, I have worn my polarized sunglasses on stage to help with blocking out particularly bright lights, but typically just wear the same glasses that I wear every day.

One time, I had a director tell me that I should remove my glasses on stage, because it could help with glare and because the character I was playing didn’t wear glasses in the script— some students do prefer to remove their glasses on stage, but I reminded them it was unsafe for me to do so. As for the second comment about the character not wearing glasses, a funny response would have been to say that the character wears glasses now, because I would not take my glasses off for the show!

Request no flash photography

One of the most important considerations for supporting students with visual impairments in drama or theater performances is to ensure that audience members do not use flash photography or lights, which can be disorienting or make it challenging for students to orient themselves. To further discourage audience members from using flash, many of my directors have announced that there is a student with a medical condition triggered by flashing lights that would not be able to perform if there was flashing in the audience— while it may seem embarrassing that I was “singled out” that way, unexpected flashing lights were very much a safety issue.

Navigating the stage and backstage area with low vision

To help with locating the edge of the stage and the edge of the stairs, high-contrast tape and step nosing was added to provide a visual and tactile indicator to help with preventing falls. To help orient myself to the stage, I walked around the empty stage with cast members so I would know where I was supposed to stand, and how far I had to walk for different scenes. I also practiced walking back and forth to different locations backstage in different lighting conditions, so I could memorize the route before rehearsals.

I did not use a blindness cane (white cane) when I was in high school, but I have used my cane backstage at other productions to help me with navigating an unfamiliar environment. As I got to know where I needed to go, I would use my cane less often. Some students may want to have their canes with them on stage at all times, or use their cane more frequently during rehearsals.

Receiving stage cues with low vision

For school productions, the stage manager would frequently use nonverbal cues like gestures or hand signs to communicate information with performers. Before dress rehearsal, I would typically meet with the stage manager and/or director to let them know I have low vision and can’t see that far, so that we could come up with an alternative. Some of the options I have used include:

• Stage manager would provide verbal cues for me
• Having the stage manager hold a flashlight so I knew where they were (not flashing/flickering)
• Another cast member served as a guide, either by making the same gestures close to my face, whispering to me, or tapping my hand to provide cues for where to go.
• Having my own in-ear monitor or way of communicating with the stage manager or other staff.

Navigating backstage in complete darkness was challenging, and one of the directors gave me a pocket flashlight in case I had to get from one side of the stage to another in the dark. However, we tried to avoid this as much as possible.

Costume changes and choosing costumes with vision loss

To help with quickly locating costumes, my costumes were typically on a high-contrast hanger or hanging in a separate area so that I didn’t have to worry about someone else moving them and having to spend time looking for them. Students with visual impairments don’t necessarily need to have “special” costumes or make modifications to costumes, but some students that experience tactile defensiveness, sensory issues, or balance issues may benefit from minor costume modifications.

Most of the costumes I have worn are things that I owned already or borrowed from a friend, and I had a chance to try them on multiple times before the show and become comfortable with the textures. I prefer to wear a “base layer” underneath costumes so that I can change more quickly, and wear shoes with elastic laces that provide traction to reduce the risk of falls. Before going out on stage, I would ask someone to quickly visually inspect my costume to make sure there was nothing stuck to it or sticking out that I might not notice myself.

Related links

• Lighting And Low Vision
• Veronica’s Four Eyes: All About My Glasses For Low Vision
• How I Play In GMU Green Machine/Pep Band With Low Vision
• Twelve Blindness Cane Storage Solutions
• Clothing Shopping Tips For Sensory Processing Issues
• Adapting Band Uniforms For Sensory Processing Issues

More tips for participating in drama and theater programs with low vision

• My first introduction to the stage came from taking dance classes at a local studio. I share more tips for navigating stage environments with low vision and supporting visually impaired dancers in Dance Classes and Low Vision
• While I was never part of the pit band, I share several tips for navigating stage environments as a musician with low vision in Concert Band and Low Vision
• More interested in watching a musical than performing in one? Check out Streaming Audio Description For Performing Arts Videos and All About Audio Description For Broadway Plays

Published August 17, 2017. Updated December 2025