Sunday, October 02, 2011
Theatre Development Fund Pilots Autism Theatre Initiative at Disney's The Lion King Oct. 2
Playbill.com: Theatre Development Fund, the not-for-profit performing arts service organization whose mission includes making theatre accessible for all audiences, pilots a new program, Autism Theatre Initiative, at the Oct. 2 performance of Disney's The Lion King at Broadway's Minskoff Theatre.
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11 comments:
I think it's good that they are making this show accessible to a broader range of people. The autism rate in not on the United States, but worldwide, has increased greatly over the past several decades. It is important to make theatre accessible to everyone, as it is notorious for being an accepting community.The Lion King is also an excellent show to take on this project with. It's music and movement are continuously popular among children, and it would be easy to make more interactive and put into an even more supportive environment which is conducive to attending to children with special needs. This is a good step toward not only inclusion, but toward raising even more awareness to autism and the reason why its rates of occurrence may be rapidly increasing.
Art should be made accessible to everyone. In some cases it may be a monetary issue, but if you have the cash go for it. I would expect nothing less from Disney. I understand that they may not always be the most popular of organizations. Disney has been telling stories for kids of all kinds and ages for decades and this is a wonderful outreach to those that may not be able to see the theatre. I wish we did more of this in theatre.
Not to be incredibly cynical... I do appreciate the whole idea of making the arts accessible to everyone - and it is a GREAT movement... but I wonder if theatrical companies will start doing things like this for the same reasons businesses and industries "go green." Not necessarily because they want to, but because it looks good and gains them social ethos. Just food for thought.... Disney of course does not surprise me as an organization to participate in this... as they are a family centered entertainment company. Kudos!!
What a really great idea, even if it's only for one performance. I imagine it would take a lot of work to analyze exactly what elements of a production would have to change to make it autism-friendly; it's decidedly less straightforward than a sign-languge interpreted or audio-described performance, since so many different types of autism exist on the spectrum. I am really looking forward to seeing if this adapted performance is effective, and if it is, I'd love to see the concept applied elsewhere.
Seeing programs that make art accessible to everyone is great! Having non-for-profit organizations with enough money to promote the arts shows that there is hope for education and individuals with disabilities. Once in a while it is nice that there is an opportunity for individuals with disabilities to go to theatre and have an experience that is accessible for them, and safe. These opportunities might not come up all the time, but having them is still a step toward progress is accessibility. Depending on who is presenting the show with cut backs for individuals with disabilities, or additions, profit or not, I still feel that it benefits individuals as a whole.
What a cool and exciting idea. My sister is on the autistic spectrum and loves the theater, and it is always unfortunate when she sees a performance where she knows she has to be prepared for sensory issues such as loud, abrupt noises. The Lion King is a great first choice to try out this new type of performance, as it appeals to a huge age range. I'm very eager to hear about the success of these performances and see if other companies pick this idea up. As Becca said, it would be great even if shows just devoted one performance of their run to making it an autism-friendly experience.
It's fantastic that they are making the effort to make theater accessible for everyone, but I am a little skeptical. In the article, they mention the goal is to be "as inclusive as possible, welcoming families with children and adults on the autism spectrum". This is obviously a noble endeavor, but how are they reaching their goal? What does it mean to be inclusive? Are they changing the script and the rhetoric of the show so it is easier to understand? Are they telling the story (of the Lion King) in a different way? They also mention their desire to have "no judgments—just united support in making the theatre experience as enjoyable as possible for the audience”. Is it just the nature of the audience they are inviting that makes the difference? I would like some clarification in this regard.
It's a great idea in theory, and I believe art should be accessible to everyone, but I also think this has a potential for failure. As said, what does it mean to be "inclusive"? At a time when funding for the arts is at a premium, is this really the time for this? Is this just a media ploy rather than a true caring gesture? I am glad that this is a step toward raising awareness of autism, but have my doubts that the reason behind this is all altruistic. Call me skeptical, but this seems like a blatant bid for advertising. I hope the autistic kids don't get too used to it. I don't think it will last.
Everyone has the right to enjoy a show, no matter your physical or mental range of function. It's a great thing that they're catering The Lion King to a broader audience. It's understandable that they chose the production of The Lion King since both the regular show and the movie it's based off of already have such a huge following of a wide range of people as it is. Though I have to wonder what other aspects of the production had to be tweaked to better suit an autism-based audience. Would the content of the show have to be altered as well, or just strictly technical elements?
I would be interested in learning more about what shows could be adapted for ease of accessibility. What makes it more accessible and tangible for an autistic audience? Is there a delicate balance of aural and visual stimulation needed? What happens if you over-indulge that audience?
This is definitely an audience not generally catered to in our industry, but there are incredible pay offs from a project focused on an autistic audience. Like Kassondra mentioned, Lion King is a remarkable and powerful play to promote for an autistic audience, but I wonder what shows could follow a similar model. I do wonder if a show with a difficult plot line could be performed, although the deeper meaning may not be gleaned by the audience.
In response to Rane and Mary's comments - I don't think it matters if the efforts are genuine or for show, the fact of the matter is that they are doing this. I'd, of course, like to think that the intentions are based around inclusion and creating an autism friendly theater experience rather than self promotion. However, I don't really care. There doing it and it will (hopefully) be a wonderful thing for many many families with children on the autistic spectrum. I hope that this can continue with other shows.
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