A new theater accessibility program has been announced. Organized in collaboration with TDF, the initiative, called Seats on the Spectrum, aims to increase and improve accessibility to and inclusivity for neurodivergent audience members. For its pilot program, the initiative will partner with Roundabout Theater Company and the New Victory Theater.
Seats on the Spectrum will offer designated aisle seats with easy access to exits, in addition to the opportunity for neurodiverse attendees to tour the theater in advance to gain familiarity. Attendees will have the option to arrive early or leave later to avoid exposure to large crowds. Sensory bags containing calming items will be available for purchase, and a show-specific social narrative will be available to help theatergoers better understand the show ahead of time.
Beyond the attendees, ushers and other front-of-house theater staff will undergo training to better support neurodiverse patrons.
The shows included in the initiative’s first round will be Roundabout’s Broadway mounting of David Henry Hwang’s “Yellow Face” and the company’s Off-Broadway production of Meghan Kennedy’s “The Counter,” as well as New Victory’s slate of fall offerings.
Roundabout and New Victory were chosen for the program’s inaugural programming due to both nonprofits having demonstrated a commitment to audience accessibility. Both companies have long offered ASL-interpreted and relaxed performances which accommodate theatergoers with sensory sensitivities. More than 100 performances between the two organizations will offer the aforementioned designated seats. The specific seats will remain consistent across the performances, which will be offered on the same day and curtain time each week.
“Too often the conversation around neurodivergence focuses on challenges rather than solutions,” said Adrienne Willis, founding director of Seats on the Spectrum, in a statement. “And while a handful of accessible performances during the run of a particular theater production is a wonderful first step, it can unwittingly further marginalize and segregate a chronically underserved community. Imagining the sense of inclusion and the palpable joy Seats on the Spectrum will generate among this same community is the driving force behind the initiative we’ve undertaken. To have Roundabout Theatre Company, the New Victory Theater and TDF — leading lights in the industry — and government officials rally around this shared cause gives me so much hope for the future.”
Seats on the Spectrum is the result of a year-long inquiry into the state of provisions and level of inclusion for audience members on the spectrum. The New York City Mayor’s Office on Media and Entertainment provided early support in developing the initiative, specifically from Carla Hoke-Miller, executive director, theater and live performance partnerships.
