On a recent Sunday morning, a sea of volunteers in matching T-shirts made its way down Eighth Avenue. Their chatter halted only momentarily upon arriving at the New Amsterdam Theatre, where the marquee for “Aladdin” beckons its onlookers inside.
But before the journey to Agrabah can commence, there’s work to be done.
The Theatre Development Fund hosted its Autism Theatre Initiative performance of “Aladdin” on March 6, marking the 16th autism-friendly show since the series began in 2011. These performances make the theatergoing experience accessible to those with special needs and their families. In these performances, house lights remain on, strobe lights are eliminated, and the show’s sounds are no louder than 90 decibels.
Simple alterations like these can make a huge difference to individuals with autism, who may be overstimulated by intense special effects or sensitive to loud noises. Even so, if an audience member needs to leave the theater, there is always a break area nearby.
“We want families to feel that they are in a supportive and judgment-free environment,” said Lisa Carling, director of TDF’s accessibility programs. “Every family member is important.”
Prior to showtime, the volunteers and behavioral specialists take their places in various parts of the orchestra, mezzanine, and balcony. Each volunteer holds a tote bag filled with sensory toys, earplugs, and even snacks, should an audience member need them.
Among the volunteers on March 6 was Candice Lewis, a high school special education teacher. “Aladdin” marked her second time helping out at an autism-friendly performance. “There’s a lot more tolerance for people having to get up in the middle of the show,” she said. “The fact that these parents can—if their kid is having a meltdown or crying or has to go to the bathroom and needs to get up and leave in the middle of the show—just that accommodation in itself is huge.”
“The theater experience is hard to predict,” said Carling. “Our development director just came in to say that a friend of hers brought her nonverbal son to ‘Aladdin’ and dropped him off at his school today, and he was singing a song from ‘Aladdin’! This nonverbal kid, age 6. So there’s a tremendous impact. Theater does that in unexpected ways.”
Autism-friendly Broadway shows have been so successful that theaters in England, Australia, and Scotland are launching them as well. Last season, instead of a Disney musical, the Autism Theatre Initiative tried something new: a straight play.
Simon Stephens’ Tony-winning drama “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” was a perfect fit according to Carling, and the experience remains a highlight. The story’s protagonist, a young boy named Christopher who’s fervidly fixated on a mystery involving the death of a neighborhood dog, is on the autism spectrum.
“The play resonated so deeply with the community,” recalled Carling. “You could see that in the way audience members were engaged and the immediacy of talking back to the characters: Christopher’s question to his teacher, ‘Does this mean I can do anything?’—and then this young teenager in the audience shouted back, ‘Yes you can!’ ”
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