Seats on the Spectrum Extends Accessibility Program For Neurodivergent Theater Audiences

Seats on the Spectrum will extend the pilot that Seats has begun with Roundabout Theatre Company and the New Victory Theater to make mainstream performances welcoming to audience members on the autism spectrum. The timely undertaking, in collaboration with TDF, aims to demonstrate to the field at large what more comprehensive inclusiveness might look like. In addition to revealing that the pilot now continues through the end of the 2024-25 season, Seats on the Spectrum has also announced the addition of another celebrated Off Broadway theater, HERE Arts Center, to the program, beginning later this year. (Details of the HERE Arts Center partnership will be announced soon.)

Prioritizing neurodivergent people doesn’t just benefit those people; it makes good business sense, too—as a way of growing the audience at institutional theaters, where ticket sales still have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Globally, neurodivergent people comprise between 15-20% of the adult population, and the U.S. childhood rate of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is currently 2.83% and growing. CDC researchers have reported that ASD rates in the United States increased from 1 in 150 children in 2000 to 1 in 54 in 2016, and the rate now stands at 1 in 36 children. Around 10% of the U.S. population is either autistic or the immediate family member of someone on the spectrum. Furthermore, according to The Broadway League, 12.3 million people attended a Broadway show in the 2022-23 session, but there were only five performances tailored to audience members on the spectrum. At most, those performances served 9,000 neurodivergent attendees and caregivers. That is a mere .073% of the total annual Broadway audience, when individuals on the spectrum represent 2.83% of the population.

The NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment was instrumental in organizing the Seats on the Spectrum pilot, helping the organizers to forge partnerships with Roundabout, the New Victory, and TDF. Commissioner Pat Swinney Kaufman commented, “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. This initiative aligns with our partners and agency’s mission to ensure the city’s creative industries are accessible to all New Yorkers.”

Adrienne Willis, Founding Director of Seats on the Spectrum and the mother of an autistic child, said, “This pilot represents a pivotal moment in the evolution of the American theater toward true inclusion of neurodivergent individuals. 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.”

Numerous Off-Broadway institutions have begun offering one or more relaxed performances to each of their productions. While they are crucial for those needing sensory modifications, relaxed performances aren't for everyone in need of accommodations. Seats on the Spectrum provides more comprehensive support, making available tickets to mainstream performances—all productions at Roundabout and the New Victory—avoiding segregation and achieving greater equity. The pilot also includes other accommodations, training and education measures, and advocacy. The elements include:

• Dedicated Seating: The theaters are offering designated aisle seats with easy access to exits that are indicated on the seating/ticketing map. Seats tickets are available for almost all performances.
   
• Front-of-House Enhancements: Seats on the Spectrum has worked with the theaters to update the front-of-house experience in ways that minimize stress and sensory overload for neurodivergent attendees. Offerings include the option for Seats patrons to pre-purchase sensory bags containing calming items (such as fidget toys and noise-canceling headphones); and flexible entry options, including early seating upon arrival or late seating after the audience is settled, to reduce exposure to large crowds during peak entry times.
   
• Social Narrative Development: Seats on the Spectrum, Roundabout, and the New Victory, partly in collaboration with the Anderson Center Consulting & Training, are developing social narratives to assist neurodiverse attendees in understanding and preparing for the show.
   
• Cozy Area Expansion Pre-Performance and During Performances: In collaboration with Seats on the Spectrum, the theaters are expanding and optimizing designated cozy areas to accommodate sensory needs.
   
• Staff Training: Seats on the Spectrum—in collaboration with Theater Development Fund (TDF) at the New Victory—is continuing to partner on training of ushers and front-of-house staff to support and service neurodiverse patrons. Training also addresses neurotypical-patron management for when issues arise. The next training takes place on March 1.

Scott Ellis, Interim Artistic Director of Roundabout Theatre Company, said, “This partnership has worked very well so far, dovetailing with the work our theater has been doing to support and welcome neurodivergent audiences. We are happy to play our part in this successful pilot.”

The Seats on the Spectrum pilots with Roundabout and the New Victory are informed by a year-long inquiry into the state of provisions, in the performing arts, for audience members on the spectrum, building and collaborating with a coalition of autistic individuals, caregivers, government representatives, physicians, and theater representatives to identify the areas of greatest need and devise ways to better meet them.

Among that cohort was Tony Award-winning actress and singer Kelli O’Hara, who says of Seats on the Spectrum, “My time performing on stage and screen has made me passionate about the role of theater to advance social and medical goals. This spirit must now extend to ensuring greater inclusion for theatergoers with autism and their caregivers. Attending a Broadway or Off-Broadway performance is a singular experience: Sharing the magic of live performance with family and friends creates indelible memories and exposes young people to the myriad of careers unpinning the vast theater economy. The Seats on the Spectrum pilot program recognizes that everyone can enjoy a theatrical performance, and that other cultural sectors are lightyears ahead of ours when it comes to including people with autism and other forms of neurodivergence on a day-to-day basis. Individuals with ASD and their families will need the support of theater artists and institutions, and I am honored to be part of the effort.”

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