First-Ever Autism-Friendly Performance on Broadway
Broadway's "The Lion King" has been adapted for autistic children.
Broadway’s Theater Development Fund (TDF) has kicked off a fantastic new program called the Autism Theater Initiative, with the goal of creating a more conducive environment for autistic children and their families to enjoy the Great White Way.
The program has two key components. The first is to review Broadway shows for children and find ways to soften portions of the shows that may be upsetting to children on the autism spectrum, such as sections of very bright light or loud sound.
The second is to run the shows entirely for an audience of special needs children, so that, as TDF’s director of accessibility Lisa Carling explained to the New York Times, families can attend “… and not be afraid of judgment from other theatergoers who might not understand why a child is doing repetitive movements, or rocking back and forth, or why a child might need to wear headphones or get up in the middle of a song and take a time out in the lobby.”
The Autism Theater Initiative’s first performance, which has already sold out, is a matinee of “The Lion King” on October 2nd. Feedback from parents and the autism community at large has been so positive that they are considering reworking other shows for future performances.
Carling says TDF first had autism experts review “The Lion King” to identify scenes that might need adjusting, and that Disney was very receptive to all of their suggestions, from changing the production while still maintaining the integrity of the show to “… making adjustments to the production, and to making accommodations in the lobby by designating areas that could be quiet areas. We have areas where children can sit down in a beanbag chair or play with a squishy ball or use crayons and paper or listen to music.”
The New York Times reports they’ve also conducted “… educational sessions with the house staff and cast so that people will be familiar with the possible types of behavior [of children in attendance], and will know how to be comforting.”
Great info! Thanks for doing this. One thing though, it’s more politically correct to use person-first language. For example: children with autism or students with special needs. This way you highlight the person, not their disability. Genuinely not trying to be rude or take away from your post; but I’m a teacher of children with Exceptional Needs.
Jennifer, thank you so much for the input. It helps to get that feedback!!
In my new book, Step Ahead of Autism (Sunrise River Press) due to be released October 15, 2011, I write about taking my son, Joey to the production of Beauty and the Beast at the Wang Center in Boston.
Ingenuity and an incredibly helpful staff made Joey’s experience tolerable. So excited to see the Broadway community not only recognizing the tremendous benefit to exposing children with ASDs to the theater but actual finding positive ways to make it more conducive. A much deserved standing ‘O’ to those of you behind the scenes making this happen!