Local costume shop to produce clear masks for deaf and hard of hearing

Costume Works of Somerville, which normally makes costumes for the Boston Lyric Opera, will produce 1,800 masks with clear fronts for people who rely on lip reading and other facial cues to communicate, under a grant from the Boston Resiliency Fund, the mayor's office announced today.

BLO and the Mayor's Commission for Persons with Disabilities will coordinate distribution of the masks.

In addition to helping people with hearing issues, the grant will also help put some costume makers - out of jobs since the March shutdown of theaters and other performance venues - back to work.