For the first time in New York City history, non-English speaking New Yorkers and tourists will be able to walk into a theater and enjoy a play in their native language—thanks to a new partnership between The Theater Center, home to New York City’s longest running play, “Perfect Crime,” and the AI powered translation tech startup, Wordly. Over the past two years, the teams behind the Off-Broadway theater complex, the long running murder mystery, and the innovative new translation platform have worked together in painstaking fashion to achieve a theatrical first: utilizing AI powered real time translation technology to present a play in 60 different languages—so that anyone from anywhere can understand every word of what happening in the show, as it unfolds. wordly.ai/theater-translation
Simultaneous translation has been widely used in business meetings, church services and universities, but not in live plays—until now. Audience members attending “Perfect Crime” simply scan a QR code, use their own earbuds or disposable ones provided by the theater, and select to hear the show in the language of their choice. This approach ensures that foreign language speaking theatergoers can fully understand and enjoy the show, breaking down language barriers and enhancing the cultural experience.
For those individuals with hearing impairments or hearing loss, this innovative new app will also provide real-time captioned text, a significant improvement over the pre-programmed audio devices currently available in theaters.
“We are proud of this groundbreaking initiative to bring live translation to the theater, making it more accessible to those who’ve previously been unable to attend due to language barriers,” said founder and CEO of Wordly, Lakshman Rathnam. “What we’re doing here with The Theater Center is a real example of how AI can make an immediate positive difference by creating a more inclusive and engaging theatrical experience, benefiting the audience, performers and theater management.”
“It’s also a game changer for the industry. With Off-Broadway and regional theaters closing or facing financial hardship, this AI powered technology offers small theaters a new way to attract and expand audiences who might otherwise not attend the programming because they speak a language other than English,” said Catherine Russell, general manager of The Theater Center.
Areeba Shabbir, a Fulbright Fellow and cultural ambassador of India in the United States, recently tested the technology and watched the production with written and audible translations in both Hindi and Urdu. “The app does a great job of keeping the structure of the original dialogues intact,” said Shabbir. “It translates English sentence structures into the proper format for both Hindi and Urdu while making sure the flow and rhythm of the play stay the same. The translated dialogues are grammatically correct and generally fit the context. The app also ensures that the pace and flow of the actors’ performances are preserved. In terms of tone and intonation, this real time translation really conveyed the depth of the work. It maintains the original dialogue’s tone, whether dramatic, humorous, or poignant, by adapting intonation patterns to fi t the rhythm and cadence of the target languages. Overall, this is really going to enhance accessibility, bridge linguistic divides and enable a broader audience to connect with and appreciate the full richness of theatrical art.”
In 2023, New York City welcomed 11.6 million international tourists, many of whom faced language barriers that prevented them from fully enjoying the city’s rich theatrical offerings. This technology also helps those who are hard of hearing, providing them with enhanced access to live performances. Over the past few months, The Theater Center has beta-tested this technology with remarkable success. Audiences who do not speak English, as well as those with hearing challenges, have been able to follow and enjoy the performances, proving the system’s effectiveness and its potential to attract a broader audience.
