DreamWrights Youth and Family Theatre (York, PA) Announces New Sensory-Friendly Series

In honor of National Autism Awareness Month, DreamWrights Youth and Family Theatre in York, PA has launched a new Sensory-Friendly Series to make its performances more accessible to children and adults with autism or sensory sensitivities. Productions in the new series will include one sensory-friendly performance within the show schedule. The first production to be included in this new series is Doctor Dolittle which runs from May 9-25. 

DreamWrights Presents Dr. Dolittle. From L to R – Andrea Unger (playing Sarah Dolittle); Jim Tyson (playing Doctor Dolittle); and Jonah Unger (playing the Crocodile)

 
As a part of the new Sensory-Friendly Series, the Doctor Dolittle production will include a “Meet Your Seat” event on May 14 at 6:00 p.m. and a sensory-friendly performance of the Doctor Dolittle show on May 18 at 2:30 p.m.

The “Meet Your Seat” event will offer children and adults with Autism the opportunity to see the theatre, tour the lobby, pick their seat for the show, and experience purchasing concessions in advance of actually attending a performance. Pre-registration is not required for the “Meet Your Seat” event and this public event is FREE to attend.

The sensory-friendly performance on May 18 at 2:30 p.m. will include small customizations to make the show more enjoyable for those with sensory sensitivities in ways that do not disrupt the show for other audience members. The sensory-friendly performance will avoid turning the theatre completely dark and will provide physical cues to warn the audience before a loud noise takes place. In addition, if members of the audience need a break from the show, there will be a quiet room to the side of the theatre where guests can continue to watch the show on a monitor in a calmer setting.

“The goal of the Sensory-Friendly Series is to reduce the amount of anxiety those who have autism may experience when coming to a show at DreamWrights,” said Shannon Hallisey, director of education at DreamWrights. “The combination of the “Meet Your Seat” event and our new sensory-friendly performances mean that Doctor Dolittle and future shows will be more accessible for those with special needs, and that’s critically important to us.”

The Doctor Dolittle show, which includes 72 performers ranging in age from 7 to 68 years old, will be the first DreamWrights performance to be included in the new Sensory-Friendly Series. The show will bring to life the 94-year-old children’s story of Doctor Dolittle whose talent of speaking to animals leads him to travel to Africa to aid in saving the seriously ill monkey population. Upon their return from Africa, Doctor Dolittle and his family of animals join a circus in an attempt to earn enough to pay their debts. The story will come to life for audience members through the use of three very different sets — including a visual depiction of an ocean journey and ship wreck!

“We’ve already heard from a number of local families who are excited about the opportunities that the Sensory-Friendly Series will open for them, starting with the Doctor Dolittle production,” adds Hallisey. “Families that include children and adults who have these types of sensitivities are looking for activities they can enjoy together, and we’re proud that our theatre can meet that need.” 

 Doctor Dolittle Show Dates and Times:

·       May 9, 10, 16, 17, 23 and 24 at 6:30 p.m. – Traditional Performances

·       May 10, 11, 17, 18, 24 and 25 at 2:30 p.m. – Traditional Performances

·       May 17 at 2:30 p.m. – Audio Described Performance 1:30 – Touch Tour

·       May 18 at 2:30 p.m. – Sensory-Friendly Performance

·       May 24 at 9:00 a.m. – Playlet Character Breakfast including breakfast with the show characters and a shortened performance for ages 3 to 6

Doctor Dolittle Sensory-Friendly Series “Meet Your Seat” Event:

·       May 14 at 6:00 p.m.

General admission tickets for Doctor Dolittle are available for $8.00 and reserved seating tickets are available for $12.00. To order, visit www.dreamwrights.org or call 717-848-8623.

My Tony Nominee Predictions

If you're reading this or if you're a follower of my blog, I'm guessing you've figured out that I love theatre and all things Broadway. But you may not know that I'm also a big football fan (Go Steelers!!).

Every year, Chad and I throw a Superbowl party. We look forward to the day of the Big Game, when we can gather all our friends and root for which team we want to win.

Our Superbowl party tradition of half-time Jell-O shots has been going strong for 10 years now!

If you're a Broadway fan yourself, then you know that the Tony Awards® are basically the Superbowl of Broadway. Just like I had my calendar marked for the Superbowl back in February, I have a nice big red circle on Sunday, June 8, when Broadway's best will be awarded with one of these well-deserved coveted statues.

No big deal... only a Tony award!

But before we find out who will take home a Tony, we first need to find out who will be nominated... And that happens TOMORROW!

Tomorrow morning, starting at 8:30am, past Tony-nominee Jonathan Groff, along with actress Lucy Liu, will announce the nominations for the American Theatre Wing's 2014 Tony Awards®. It's basically the NFL Draft of Broadway, and I can't wait!

I'm anxious to find out who this year's nominees will be, and I thought I'd have a little fun by making some predictions of my own. So without further ado, here are my predictions of which plays and musicals will hear their name called tomorrow morning:

Best Play Nominee Predictions
Bronx Bombers
Casa Valentina
Mothers and Sons
Outside Mullingar

Best Musical Nominee Predictions
Aladdin
The Bridges of Madison County
If/Then
Rocky

A few of these shows I'm almost certain will receive a nomination... But there were a few tough calls, and I had to leave out a few that I still think stand a good chance of receiving a nomination. There were some great shows this year, so I can't wait to find out how my predictions pan out!

There will be a total of 26 categories announced tomorrow, but I thought I'd keep it short and sweet and just predict these two categories for now. (Come on, did you really feel like reading 26 predictions from little old me? I mean, by the time you finished reading all that, the nominations would probably be over!)

I'll also be making my predictions for the winners once the nominees have been announced and closer to June 8, so stay tuned! Until then, I'll be anxiously awaiting tomorrow morning to see which players are drafted to Broadway's all-star team in hopes of taking home a Tony in a few weeks.

Introducing Kids to Theatre (Part 2)

If you're considering taking your child(ren) to see a play or musical for the first time, you might be wondering if they're ready. In Part 1 of Introducing Kids to Theatre, I provided some tips on how to ease kids into theatre so that they have a positive experience with it. Here are a few more tricks to try once you make it to the theatre to ensure your kids want to go back again!

Use intermission to your advantage. If you're taking your kids to see a longer musical or play, take the time at intermission to walk around, use the bathroom, and let them get some wiggles out. I've always been the kind of person who just stays in my seat during intermission, but when I take one (or both) of my boys to a show with me, I use every second of those 15 minutes to let them use up some energy! This is also a good time to answer any questions they have about the show.

Take a few snacks. What kid can't be bribed with a pack of goldfish? Plus, it's a great way to hold them over for those last few songs. Just make sure the wrappers aren't too loud, or you might get some threatening glares from the people sitting next to you.

Stick around to meet the cast after the show. Many performers (in theatres from high school to community to Broadway) will come out after the show is over to pose for photos, sign autographs, or just say hi. Alec now loves to look in programs to see who's playing the different roles. And he felt so special when he got to say hi to Grizabella after a local dinner theatre's production of Cats! Some kids can get frightened by this though, so use your judgment... If your child child starts crying at the mere suggestion of sitting on Santa's lap, taking him to meet performers in costume might not be the best idea. After all, the goal is to make this a pleasant experience for your children, not scar them for life!

Alec felt so special when he got to meet Grizabella!

I never really realized how much I did to ease my kids into enjoying theatre and prepare them for their first Broadway shows. But these tactics seemed to work for me, so maybe they'll work for someone else too!

As for my dad's love of skiing that I mentioned in the first part of this series, well I think I was a pretty good sport. And honestly I really did enjoy skiing for the first 16-17 years of my life. But just as I grew up and decided that skiing wasn't for me, my kids may grow up and decide that theatre isn't for them. And that's ok.

But for now I'll enjoy the expressions on their faces when they find out we're going to the theatre...

...and their joy when they experience live theatre...

...and hope that what I've learned from my experiences just might help other children develop a similar appreciation for theatre.

Introducing Kids to Theatre (Part 1)

My dad loves skiing. He's been a skier for most of his life, and it's still one of his favorite things to do. He couldn't wait for the day that I took my first steps as a child so that he could take me up on the slopes with him. So the year I started walking was also the year I started skiing.

I skied for a good many years of my life, and was actually pretty decent at the sport, but at some point I realized that skiing just wasn't the best sport for someone who can't stand cold weather. Despite my straying from the skiing world, I can still relate to my dad's love of skiing since I have a love of my own now -- theatre. So you can bet that I couldn't wait for the day that my boys were old enough for Chad and me to start taking them to theatre performances.

But just as my dad didn't throw me on a black diamond ski slope when I was two, I didn't take my boys to a Broadway show as their first theatre experience. We had to work our way up to it. Now that my boys are four and six, I can proudly say that my 6-year-old has been to his first Broadway show, and my 4-year-old will be going to his first Broadway show in June. And they couldn't be more excited about this.

Alec, at age 5, just before his very first Broadway show

But some of the looks I receive when I tell people that I'm taking my 4-year-old to a Broadway show are downright scary! I can literally see what's going through their minds... "You mean you're taking  your son into a theatre where he has to sit still for three hours?" "You must be out of your mind - what a waste of money!" "I'd hate to be in that audience!" By some of these looks,  you'd think I'm that mom bringing my screaming 18-month-old on an airplane!

So in the hopes of convincing the "lookers" that my boys actually will sit through a theatre production (willingly and excitedly at that), I'm going to share some of my secrets. These tried and true tips have helped my two boys work their way up to the black diamond ski slope of theatre - Broadway. Maybe these tips will even help other parents share the wonder of the theatre with their children... At least I can hope!

1. Start small. Many communities have small community theatres that often produce kid-friendly shows. Some even have children's theatre groups that produce short 20-30 minute plays that are perfect for kids. Chad and I have been taking our kids to see productions by our local children's theatre group (The Popcorn Hat Players) since they were two. In fact, tomorrow Chad is taking them to see their production of Jack and the Beanstalk.

Children's theatre groups are a great way to introduce kids to the world of theatre. Chase still talks about the time he got called on stage to be The Burglar in a Popcorn Hat Players production of The Golden Goose (yep, that's my little burglar up there with the sunglasses on!).

2. Check out local high schools and colleges. Many high schools have at least a play in the fall and a musical in the spring, and many colleges do even more than this. Just in the past month, high schools in my area put on musical productions of The Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast, Shrek and Seussical the Musical. Seussical was the first musical I took Alec to when he was three (also at a local high school), and I took Chase to see it this year. Alec got to see The Wizard of Oz for the first time this year. Tickets are usually only $5-10 per ticket, so it's a pretty safe way to introduce kids to the world of theatre without spending a fortune.

3. Listen to the music before you go. I'll throw the soundtrack in the car CD player for weeks before we go to see a musical. We don't listen to it non-stop, but it gets mixed in there with Kids Bop and Frozen. My boys love it when a show starts and they know all the songs!

4. Do your homework. Before buying tickets to anything, make sure you know what you're going to see. Does your child have a huge fear of green ogres? Maybe Shrek wouldn't be a good choice for his first show. Some shows will provide a suggested age, and some even have age requirements for patrons. For example, my boys love listening to the Wicked soundtrack, so I decided to look into tickets. Their official website states, "Recommended age for children is 8 and up. No children under 5 admitted." I'm glad I looked! Hopefully this one will still be on Broadway in another year or two. :)

For more tips on what to do once (if?) you finally make it to the theatre with your kids, check out Part 2 of Introducing Kids to Theatre!

Every Theatre Should Have This Kind of Customer Service

Today is April 1st. April Fools Day. A day when people all over the country pull out all their tricks in an attempt to fool friends, family, and unsuspecting individuals.

Well let me just warn you that my guard is up. That's right... No saran wrapped toilet seats or wrongly-set clocks will get by this girl today.

So when Chad received the following response to a last minute email inquiry he sent last night regarding a performance we were supposed to attend at The Strand-Capitol but couldn't due to babysitter and child issues, I thought for sure this was some kind of April Fool's joke. The response read as follows:

"We have a cheerful refund policy, so you can get a full refund on all tickets, no questions asked."

Yes,  you read that correctly. "...YOU CAN GET A FULL REFUND ON ALL TICKETS, NO QUESTIONS ASKED." (Yes, I did go all shouty capitals there.) Surely this must be a joke. No one has that good of a ticket policy, do they? I mean, this was like two hours before the show was supposed to start.

Well, rest assured, it was no joke. What it was was the best customer service I've experienced in a very long time.

As most people are well aware, life sometimes gets in the way of plans. And as much as I am aware of this fact, I still have trouble accepting these last minute changes. To say I handle unexpected changes of plans poorly is the understatement of the year. So after I spent the day freaking out over what to do about our tickets, this response from The Strand was as refreshing as the 60-degree day we're finally having here in PA.

It's this kind of customer service that makes me want to go back to this theatre again and again. And I guarantee I will. Because I now know that when life gets in the way of my plans, they understand and are there to help me.

Can you imagine if all businesses offered this kind of customer service? Can you imagine calling the cable company because your cable went out and getting a response something along the lines of, "We have a cheerful refund policy...so you can get a full refund for your cable bill this month, no questions asked." Or how about returning those curtains that you really didn't need to Target (you know, because you always end up buying things you don't need at Target)? Imagine if instead of saying "I'm sorry, we only accept returns with a receipt, in their original condition, within 30 seconds after you purchased an item," the customer service person said, "We have a cheerful refund policy, so you can get a full refund on all curtains, no questions asked." (Ok, maybe I might have exaggerated Target's return policy just a little. Maybe.)

But seriously, a ticket policy like The Strand has is an amazing incentive to return. I mean, just look at my experience trying to get my 6-year-old to New York last year. It took three tries. Three tries! That was a lot of extra money spent on ticket exchanges (and we even had ticket insurance!).

So thank you to The Strand for your amazing ticket policy and for understanding that life happens. Now that I have one less worry in my life, I can rest much better tonight. After I check my toilets for saran wrap.