Broadway NewsHarry Potter and the Cursed Child and More to Offer Autism-Friendly PerformancesThe 2019–2020 Broadway season will feature adjusted performances of Wicked, The Lion King, and more made possible by TDF.
By
Ruthie Fierberg
July 29, 2019
Cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed ChildMatthew Murphy
During the 2019–2020 Broadway season, TDF will offer autism-friendly performances of five Broadway shows: Disney’s The Lion King (September 29) and Frozen (November 17), Wicked (February 2, 2020), Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (March 1), and Aladdin (May 3).
This marks the first time Harry Potter will host an adjusted performance on Broadway. Tickets for each performance go on sale approximately six to eight weeks before the scheduled performance. Interested ticketbuyers can sign up for TDF’s mailing list here for updates.
Autism friendly performance of SpongeBob Squarepants: The Musical.Anita and Steve Shevett
TDF’s Autism-Friendly Performances Program began in 2011; The Lion King was the first Broadway show to participate. These performances adjust the sound so it does not exceed 90 decibals; lights dim to half instead of a full blackout for the audiences; generally, strobes, flashes, etc are removed. Attendees are also offered educational materials ahead of time to help audiences affected by autism learn the plot and characters ahead of time.
“We’re grateful to everyone involved in these productions for helping us provide this service to this underserved audience and help us provide an experience for families that is often life-changing,” said Victoria Bailey, TDF’s executive director, in a statement. “A special thanks to our funders, who like us, believe that the arts are for everyone. They make it possible for us to provide several hundred free tickets for each performance to families with children on the spectrum, who could not afford even discounted tickets.”
Past productions who have participated in the program include Cats, Come from Away, Elf, Kinky Boots, Mary Poppins, Matilda, My Fair Lady, Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The King and I, and The Phantom of the Opera.
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Theatre Development Fund Offers Autism-Friendly Performance of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Theatre Development Fund Offers Autism-Friendly Performance of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Theatre Development Fund's Autism Theater Initiative offered the first autism-friendly performance of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark April 27 with a sold out 2pm matinee. Read the Playbill.com story.
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Theatre Development Fund offers Autism-Friendly performance of Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark
Theatre Development Fund offers Autism-Friendly performance of Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark
Theatre Development Fund offers Autism-Friendly performance of Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark
Theatre Development Fund offers Autism-Friendly performance of Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark
Theatre Development Fund offers Autism-Friendly performance of Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark
Established in 2007, wild project is a non-profit producer and venue which supports the diverse independent theatre, film, music, visual arts, and spoken-word artists of New York City.