Sensory-Friendly Accommodations Visit » Accessibility » Sensory-Friendly Accommodations Everyone is welcome. New Victory hopes to create a Sensory-Friendly experience that welcomes everyone and helps make all kids regular theatergoers. We offer sensory supports at every show, as well as dedicated Sensory-Friendly performances. Sensory-Friendly Performances Discover this season’s dedicated sensory-friendly productions. See Upcoming Dates Supports for Every Performance We’re committed to supporting the accessibility needs of all our patrons at all performances. Take advantage of the following offerings whenever you attend: Social Narratives Our photo-based Social Narrative tells the story of what it’s like to come to the New Victory and be an audience member at a live show. Read the Public or School Social Narrative. Sensory Awareness Notes Want to know what to expect from a show this season? These short guides include descriptions of the characters, story and technical elements that you might want to be aware of—and we update them as we finalize more information about each show. Read about the current show. Cozy Zone & Live Video Feed Need to decompress? Located downstairs next to the lockers, the Cozy Zone is a dedicated quiet place with coloring sheets and sensory fidgets. Monitors nearby display a live feed of the show, so you can follow along while taking a break. Accessibility Supports Located downstairs across from the lockers, the Accessibility Table offers a number of support items free of charge. You may also request them by speaking to any staff member. See the full list of accessibility supports. Meet Your Seat Families are invited to “meet their seat” before our public shows to explore the lobbies and seating areas when the theater is quiet. Please call 646.223.3010 to arrange a visit. Look inside the New Victory Theater with our 360° virtual tour. Autism-Friendly Seats Need seats with easier access to and from the lobby? When you use the Select Your Own Seat map for public tickets, look for the star icons to guide you to these specially-designated aisle seats near an exit. Patrons who book these locations will also receive additional supports. Read more about our accessible seating options. Sensory-Friendly Performances At designated performances, the cast and crew make adjustments to create a welcoming and comfortable theater experience for people with autism, sensory sensitivities or anyone who may benefit from a more relaxed theater experience. Additional staff, including New Victory Teaching Artists, are present to support audience members throughout the show and during the pre- and post-show experience. They will have copies of our Social Narratives, accessibility items and knowledge of the theater to offer patrons. Modified Lighting and Sound Sound in the production will be lowered, and staff will warn of any upcoming loud noises during the show. Lights in the seating area will be dimmed rather than fully dark during the performance. Judgment-Free, Inclusive Environment Audience members may talk, vocalize, leave and re-enter the seating area as they wish. Patrons in need of a quiet place to relax or support items like ear defenders can visit the Cozy Zone or the Accessibility Table, located downstairs next to the lockers. More Space at Your Seats In order to give patrons more space and make it easy to move around or exit to go downstairs, we limit how many seats are sold for sensory-friendly performances. Character and Story Guides Know what to expect at the show you’re coming to see with custom guides introducing the characters, story and other elements of the show. The Snow White show guide will be ready before performances begin. Frequently Asked Questions What is the difference between an autism-friendly performance and a Sensory-Friendly performance? At the New Victory Theater, there’s no difference between the two! While we use the term “Sensory-Friendly performance” here, but other arts organizations and venues will refer to these performances as autism-friendly or relaxed performances. At these performances, the show or venue may be modified in some ways to create a more comfortable environment for patrons with sensory sensitivities—by lowering sound and light levels, reducing startling effects or allowing the audience to move around freely. Attending these performances is a more relaxed experience because artists and audience both know that it is a judgement-free zone where all are welcome. What should I bring to a Sensory-Friendly performance? If your kid uses ear defenders or has a particular fidget they like best, bring them along! Will staff have specialized training or experience working with individuals with autism spectrum disorder? Yes. New Victory staff members have received training about neurodiversity and how to make our shows enjoyable for everyone. In addition, autism specialists are on hand at our Sensory-Friendly performances to offer assistance if needed. About the Specialists: Aliza Greenberg Aliza Greenberg is a consultant focused on arts education, access and inclusion. Aliza is also the Community Outreach Coordinator at LearningSpring School, the Project Leader for Supporting Transitions with the Museum, Arts and Culture Access Consortium (MAC), and a Teaching Artist with CO/LAB Theater Group. B.A., Bryn Mawr College; Ed.M., Harvard Graduate School of Education. Arielle Lever Arielle Lever is a New York City-based Arts Administrator / Theater Artist / Teaching Artist, who focuses a great deal of her energy and work around accessibility in theater. She is a co-founder and Teaching Artist at CO/LAB Theater Group, a nonprofit dedicated to providing theater arts opportunities to individuals with developmental disabilities. Prior to working at MAC, Arielle was the Project Manager of Lincoln Center Moments, a program for individuals with dementia and their caregivers. Arielle is also a New Victory Teaching Artist, where she interfaces with a range of student populations all over the five boroughs of New York City. She often facilitates trainings and consults for companies on theater inclusion and accessibility practices. When she is not teaching or arts administer-ing, she can be found performing on stage and screen. Accessibility Through our facilities and programs, we strive to make our performances and spaces accessible. Plan Your Visit Explore free arts activities together as a family and enjoy kid-friendly amenities. Frequently Asked Questions Answers to what to do if you’re late or can’t use your tickets, theater policies and more.
