Stages St. Louis presents Sensory-Friendly Performance of SEUSSICAL

Continuing STAGES St. Louis' commitment to making theatre accessible for all, STAGES held a Sensory-Friendly performance of its Theatre for Young Audiences production, Seussical, on Tuesday, June 27th at the Playhouse @ Westport Plaza in Maryland Heights. This special performance provided students on the autism spectrum or with other sensory conditions an opportunity to experience live musical theatre while taking a magical journey through the fantastical world of Dr. Seuss.

The performance was adjusted based on advice received during the planning of STAGES' first Sensory-Friendly performance in 2015, and the continued guidance of Paula Berner, a former special education teacher from the Litzsinger School. Adjustments to the theatre environment and performance were made to provide a safe, comfortable, and judgment-free space, welcoming to all audience members.

Some of the modifications included house lights remaining partially on throughout the show, comfortable volume levels and the elimination of jarring sound effects, the ability for audience members to talk and leave their seats under the supervision of a parent or caregiver, and the availability of an on-site support team. Upon entering the theatre, each audience member was given a "fidget" - this year's Seussian theme featured small stuffed elephants. In addition, a separately staffed "Quiet Zone" was made available directly outside the theatre for students who might need to leave the performance for any reason. Materials were also provided in advance, including a walk-through of the day-of-performance experience known as a "Social Story Character Guide" comparing the actors to their stage personas in order to help set expectations for attendees of the production.

Following the performance, the Sakiyama Family Foundation hosted a lunch for the cast and crew, allowing the team to share their discoveries and reflect on the day's events. Andrew Kuhlman, Associate Producer says, "The sensory friendly performance of STAGES' annual family production is the perfect entry for students on the autism spectrum or with other sensory conditions into the world of the performing arts. There is no better gift than seeing these students truly engage and interact with the performance in front of them."

Thanks to the generous support of the event's sponsors, the Sakiyama Family Foundation and ElizaBeth Green, the completely underwritten performance drew an audience of students and teachers from the Special School District of St. Louis County's Litzsinger School - a pre-existing relationship built through STAGES' Access the Arts programing.

Since 2005, STAGES' Access the Arts programming has provided classes, workshops, and performance opportunities enabling children with physical, cognitive, and developmental challenges, including Down Syndrome, visual impairments, and autism, to participate fully in the musical theatre arts. Taught by professionally trained teaching artists and special educators, Access the Arts includes year-round once-a-week classes, multi-week summer workshops, and the performing ensemble Troupe Broadway. Access the Arts is the only program of its kind in the St. Louis region and currently serves more than 350 students annually.

STAGES St. Louis is the region's foremost not-for-profit company committed to preserving and advancing the art form of Musical Theatre through excellence in performance and education. In 2017, STAGES celebrates its 31st year of producing Broadway-quality theatre, presenting 140 performances from June through October to nearly 50,000 patrons.

STAGES would like to thank EMERSON (Corporate Sponsor), ElizaBeth Green (Outreach Sponsor), Susan M. Hale (Production Sponsor), Lindell Bank (Outreach Sponsor), and the Sakiyama Family Foundation (Sensory-Friendly Sponsor).

STAGES St. Louis is grateful for the support of the Regional Arts Commission, and has been funded in part by the Arts & Education Council. In addition, financial assistance has been provided by the Missouri Arts Council.

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