Following its inaugural fall 2024 success, Seats on the Spectrum will extend and continue through the end of the 2024-2025 theater season. The initiative, in collaboration with TDF and a partnership with the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, aims to increase and improve accessibility to mainstream performances for neurodivergent audience members.
The program will continue to partner with Roundabout Theatre Company and New Victory Theater. Off-Broadway’s HERE Arts Center will join the program later in 2025.
Seats on the Spectrum will continue its efforts to make theatergoing more inclusive for individuals on the autism spectrum. These offerings include designated aisle seats (with easy access to exits), flexible entry times to reduce exposure to crowds and noises and sensory bags for sale containing calming items. Shows will also offer designated cozy areas, available for attendees before and during the performance, as well as curated social narratives to help attendees gain understanding of the show ahead of time. Finally, a staff training session will be held on March 1 to formally train front-of-house staff in how to support and serve neurodiverse patrons.
“This pilot represents a pivotal moment in the evolution of the American theater toward true inclusion of neurodivergent individuals,” said Seats on the Spectrum’s founding director Adrienne Willis in a statement. “It's not just about offering a seat—it's about creating an environment where everyone, regardless of their needs, can engage fully and authentically. We’re deeply grateful to the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment for convening the vital theater institutions participating in this pilot, and honored that Roundabout, New Victory and TDF have joined us in breaking down barriers that have existed for far too long.”
“We are so proud to support the Seats on the Spectrum accessibility program, and its expansion through May 2025, so we can welcome even more audience members on the autism spectrum to Broadway and Off-Broadway performances,” added commissioner Pat Swinney Kaufman. “This initiative aligns with our partners and agency’s mission to ensure the city’s creative industries are accessible to all New Yorkers.”
Roundabout’s spring slate will participate, including Broadway offerings of Sanaaz Toossi’s “English” and the upcoming “Pirates! The Penzance Musical,” as well as Off-Broadway’s “Liberation.” Shows within New Victory’s spring programming will also take part.
