SoundShirts offer a “completely transformative” experience

On May 22, O-pa and partner ShowHaus hosted Interwoven: Fashion & Technology Connect at the Holland Center. This Voices AMPLIFIED! event invited the community to celebrate the unveiling of a groundbreaking new accessibility resource with a fashion show and silent disco.

The SoundShirt is a light, zip-up jacket that translates soundwaves into touch sensations to create visceral and inclusive live performance experiences for those who are deaf and hard-of-hearing. The shirts were created by UK-based company CuteCircuit, and O-pa is one of the first performance venues in the world to make the technology available to patrons.

“The live arts are for everyone and the SoundShirt will greatly enhance the experience for our deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons, whether they’re attending a rock concert or a Broadway show,” said Andy Cassano, O-pa’s Vice President of Education and Programming.

O-pa will test the SoundShirt at a variety of events at the Orpheum Theater, Holland Center, and Steelhouse Omaha throughout the 2025/2026 season, with plans to make it available for broader patron use by the start of the 2026/2027 season. The SoundShirt will join O-pa’s other accessibility offerings, including ASL interpretation, assistive-listening devices, audio description, closed captioning, sensory inclusive performances, and more. 

“In a performance, the background music is so important,” said Pamela Duncan, Founding Director of ASL Interpreting Services in Omaha. “It leads you to a climax, it leads you to tension that is happening. If you don’t have access to that, you are reliant solely on what you can see; what you’re getting through the interpreter and what you see on stage. With the SoundShirt, you’re going to get some of those exciting, climactic moments that music offers a show.” 

At the Interwoven event, attendees were introduced to the SoundShirt and watched a fashion show of adaptative designs by and for people with disabilities featuring designers Mckenzi Migliorini, Lauren Hansen, Carlton Bruett, and Yolanda Harris. Then three DJs kept the fun going at a silent disco where community members had an opportunity to try the SoundShirts.

(Left) Modeling the SoundShirt, (Top right) Designer Carlton Bruett and models, (Bottom right) Dancers at silent disco

The SoundShirts will be tested at several events in the 2025/2026 season, including:

• The Omaha Symphony’s Falletta Conducts Tchaikovsky’s Fifth on September 27
• Life and Music of George Michael on October 24
• The a cappella group Straight No Chaser on November 14
• American Midwest Ballet’s The Nutcracker on December 7
• Physicians Mutual Omaha Symphony Christmas Celebration matinee on December 14
• Opera Omaha’s Susannah on February 1, 2026
• New York Voices on February 27, 2026
• A Broadway and Steelhouse Omaha show (TBD)

If you are deaf or hard-of-hearing and interested in learning more about the SoundShirts or want to help us test the technology at these performances, fill out this form so we can be in touch!