From professional regional theatres that cater to families like Imagination Stage to the Minskoff Theater on Broadway, theatre organizations and companies understand that theatre for all is crucial, and there is no place for a lack of audience accessibility in the performing arts. On October 2, 2011, the Theatre Development Fund launched its Autism Theatre Initiative with a performance of The Lion King. Still in existence today, TDF offers an Autism Friendly Performance Season that has recently included shows such as Wicked, Hamilton, and New York City Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker.
The topic of accessibility also includes ticket costs and transportation options. Realizing it may not be possible for the parents of a child with autism or other sensory processing disorder to travel or afford tickets to a professional production raises an important question. Is it possible for a community or educational theatre program to offer affordable, sensory-friendly performances without a Broadway budget or major funding? The answer is a resounding yes.
Creating a sensory-friendly experience doesn’t mean limiting your material selection or spending a fortune on large-scale adjustments to productions. The best way to approach adding this element to your season is to keep universal design in mind. You are building a show and a judgment-free experience for everyone. To help you get started, here are ten simple steps to creating a sensory-friendly performance.
Preshow Preparation
1. Develop a simple one-page guidance document for ushers and volunteers. The document could include phases to avoid and suggestions for interaction. Reach out to companies such as The Straz Center or Imagination Stage and ask whether you can use their guidance resources as models.
2. It may be beneficial to hold a training for your ushers, staff, and other volunteers for your ushers, staff, and other volunteers where you teach them about avoiding childish tones that could be patronizing and encouraging a positive response to the performing arts. Not everyone understands that these positive responses may manifest as stimming, self-soothing movement, or uncontrolled verbalization.
3. Create a social story that details the process of arriving at the performance venue, watching the show, taking a break, and what happens when the performance is over. There are many great examples of social stories from other companies, such as Seattle Children’s Theatre, available online.
In The House
4. Do what you can to avoid house lights that use fluorescent or theatrical lighting fixtures as house lights. If these are your only resources for lighting the house, cover fluorescent lights with flame-retardant fabric filters or covers and use gels in conventional lighting fixtures to diffuse the intensity.
5. During the performance, keep your house lights on between 25-50% rather than leaving your audience in darkness. You will need to consider that onstage transitions may be more visible in this setting. Try making scene shifts and other transitions an element of the production that the audience can enjoy.
6. Provide a break room or quiet space where audience members can retreat to if overstimulated during the performance. A lobby space, sectioned off with pipe and drape, or an unused meeting room could be utilized. Make activity sheets, stim objects, and earplugs available in your break space. There are grants available in many states that could assist with the purchase of sensory items such as sound-canceling headphones, which could be checked out by audience members in the lobby.
7. Do what you can to reduce seating capacity or space out patron parties to create a more comfortable experience. It is important to consider your operating budget when executing this accommodation.
On The Stage
8. Avoid or reduce sudden changes in sound levels. If a loud crash, roar, or similar sound is needed during the performance to serve the story, use a visual representation rather than offstage or ambient sound.
9. Similar to audio adjustments, create a lighting design that doesn’t include strobe lights or intense, flashing lights pointed toward the audience. This does not mean avoiding moving lights in the audience or pointed toward the stage, but rather being aware of what might trigger those with light sensitivities.
10. Contact and partner with a local organization that can assist you with the development of sensory-friendly and relaxed performances. It is important to give those benefiting from your offering a seat at the table. You might also schedule someone from the community to speak with your actors and creative team before rehearsals begin.
Whether you can execute all the suggestions in this post or just a few, every action toward a more accessible theatre experience for all is a step in the right direction. If grants or support are unavailable in your region, consider DIY projects that align with your curriculum and have students create stim objects for the break room. Listen to your community of patrons and make room for representation from those you seek to serve. Happy theatre making!
Leave a Reply