Terri Dillion, an audio descriptor for the Morrison Center since 2023, has won the 2024 Governor’s Award for Support of the Arts, a biennial award established in 1970 by the Idaho Commission on the Arts, a state agency dedicated to bringing the arts to all Idahoans by creating a diverse network of arts champions, prioritizing arts education, and supporting the efforts of individual artists. Nominees for Governor’s Awards in the Arts must be Idaho residents, businesses, or communities that have made a significant contribution to the cultural life of Idaho through creative accomplishments or distinguished service. The award comprises five categories: Excellence in the Arts, Excellence in Folk and Traditional Arts, Excellence in Arts Education, Support of the Arts, and Excellence in Arts Administration. Dillion is recognized under Support of the Arts, honoring individuals, groups, and organizations who have made an exceptional impact on the vitality of the arts in Idaho. Awardees of this category promote the arts with time, talent, or funding and are credited as leaders, innovators, supporters, and advocates. 

Undoubtedly, Dillion is all four. 

Audio description is a narration service for people who are blind, have low vision, or are otherwise visually impaired. It describes significant visual details (new scenes, settings, costumes, body language, etc.) between existing pauses in songs or dialogue. This intensively prepared script makes theater imagery more accessible, meaningful, and enjoyable to arts experiences. 

“I spend many, many hours writing and preparing an audio description script for a performance and then rehearsing to fine-tune the timing and the descriptive words and vocal qualities that will make specific performances come to life,” Dillion says of the audio description process, her own performance within the performance. “One of the best comments I received from an audience member was that they forgot I was talking to them during the play – they were just hearing and ‘seeing’ everything as it happened. That is the goal!” 

Audience members wear single-ear headsets so that they can hear both the narration conveyed through a microphone in an audio describer’s booth and the sounds of the live performance. 

For Alison Steven, the Project Coordinator of Student Transition Services at the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, attending shows with audio description from the Morrison Center’s 2023-2024 Broadway in Boise season meant the difference between disinterest and total engagement.

“I was very moved to be able to access the visual aspects of the set and props, as well as the moves and moods of the dancers, thanks to the eloquent descriptions that Terri provided. It was so good to be able to laugh, groan, and cheer with the rest of the audience, knowing what was going on. As I listened to the pre-show descriptions, I was creating an image in my mind of what was on stage, and then as the dancers appeared, I filled in the picture.”

Alison Steven, Project Coordinator of Student Transition Services, Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Dillion’s path to audio description began in the summer of 2022 when Open Arms Dance Project, a dance company with a range of neuro and physical diversity, asked her to audio describe their performance at the Morrison Center. At the time, Dillion didn’t know much about audio description. However, after extensive research on best practices, ongoing training, and accessing the American Council for the Blind Audio Description Project, Dillion discovered that nowhere in Idaho was the performing arts presented with audio description. 

She felt this was unacceptable. “The performing arts are too important to miss out on – plus missing out on the opportunity to attend with friends, blind and sighted.” 

By 2023, Dillion had approached Darrin Pufall-Purdy, Director of University Theatre at Boise State University, about the opportunity to make Boise State’s theater performances more accessible by providing audio description. She was met with rousing enthusiasm and support that would lead to Shakespeare’s Macbeth – presented in the Morrison Center’s Danny Peterson Theatre – becoming the first theatrical production in Idaho to offer the accessibility service. 

“The Morrison Center has made a big commitment to making [accessibility options] happen, including investment in first-class technology so that the audio quality through the headsets is great and supports the extensive script preparation and rehearsal required.” 

Terri Dillion, Audio Descriptor

As part of our dedication to inclusive engagement and theater accessibility, Morrison Center events utilize live audio descriptors and offer various hearing assist options. Audio description devices are available at the Accessibility Station to the left of the main entrance. Patrons interested in audio description for an event may contact the Box Office (208-426-1111). Only Saturday matinees provide audio description for the Broadway in Boise series with no request required. Audio description is available upon request for all other shows, though we ask that the request come at least two weeks in advance to schedule adequately. 

The 2024 Governor’s Awards were presented by Governor Brad Little and First Lady Theresa Little in a public ceremony on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.