With Newsies, NC Theatre expands efforts to assist theatergoers with autism, other disabilities

North Carolina Theatre's summer family show is Disney's Newsies, the hit Broadway musical that tells the story of New York City newsboys who strike against unfair working conditions. The show opened Tuesday at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh. It continues with multiple shows through Sunday.

And, as part of the theater's ongoing efforts to serve people of all abilities, with Newsies, N.C. Theatre is expanding its work to accommodate families with children with autism or other disabilities.

"It can be a scary situation," said Danni Dichito, the theater's sales and marketing manager. "It's all about preparation and making sure kids aren't thrown off."

Quick set changes and surprises are part of the thrill of live theater, but they can be troubling for theatergoers with sensory sensitivities who may get startled with a loud noise or lighting changes, for instance. Theater companies and venues here in the Triangle and across the country are working on efforts to overcome those issues so everybody can enjoy live theater.

Theatre in the Park, the Durham Performing Arts Center and Raleigh Little Theatre have worked on similar efforts. Raleigh Little Theatre will host its second sensory-friendly performance in November.

Helping one leads to helping all

NC Theatre started its own work to assist families after its production of "Mary Poppins" a couple of years ago when a local mom approached the theater about her daughter.

Because of concern for the child’s heightened sensitively to sensory stimulation, a week before the show a staff member and the child’s parents mapped out a parking area near a side theater entrance, and identified a quiet space to wait until the show started, Dichito tells me. They then filmed the path so that the child could become familiar and would be more comfortable on the day of the show. The young girl was able to enjoy the musical.

That experience helping an individual family set things in motion for NC Theatre. It began more formally assisting theatergoers last year with its summer family show, "Beauty & the Beast."

In 2017, through its Autism and Sensory Accommodation Project, it offered theatergoers a "social narrative," which they could review before they even went to the theater. The social narrative breaks down everything from what the theater and tickets look like to when to clap to what to do if they need help.

Social narrative to Stay Calm Kits

This year, NC Theatre has a social narrative for Newsies. Also onsite during each of the shows, trained staff members, called ASAP Ambassadors, will be on hand to answer questions about the program and provide assistance if needed. The ASAP Ambassadors will be holding signs so they can be easily identified.

Other accommodations include:

• A character guide will be made available to help patrons become familiar with the plot, characters and music before the performance.
• Noise reducing headphones will be available on site and parents are welcome to bring their own. A quiet area will be offered if needed so theatergoers can take a break.
• A Stay Calm Kit will be available, containing a variety of items that can reduce fidgeting, decrease anxiety, and promote less disruptive behavior. The goal is to give the guests the strategies and confidence to be able to manage their stress and anxiety on their own. These items could include a weighted blanket, quiet fidget toys and stress balls.

More work planned

Dichito said the theater company will continue to expand on its offerings for those with sensory sensitivities over the next year. Once "Annie," its 2019 summer family show, opens, she said they hope to have an even more robust program.

"We still have a ways to go," said Dichito, adding that NC Theatre is working with experts as it builds its ASAP program. They include Arts Access, a local developmental therapist, officials with the Wake County Public School System and others. If you have any questions about the ASAP program or how your child may benefit, contact Melanie Doerner, N.C. Theatre's development director, at 919-831-6941, ext. 6946.

Broadway performers on stage

Newsies runs Tuesday to Sunday at the Duke Energy Center. Tickets, which start at $23, are on sale now.

NC Theatre's production of Newsies will feature a professional cast with performers who have appeared in a number of roles on Broadway and elsewhere.

Jack Kelly, the leader of the Newsboys Strike, is Jason Gotay. Gotay recently starred in the world premiere of “The Prince of Egypt” at Theatreworks Silicon Valley.

Broadway star Merwin Foard will portray Joseph Pulitzer, the pompous businessman and publisher of the New York World. Foard’s extensive Broadway credits include “Aladdin” (original cast), “Annie”, “Les Misérables”, “Beauty and the Beast” (original cast), “Sweeney Todd” and more.

Portraying Katherine, the ambitious reporter who covers the Newsboys Strike, is Shannon O’Boyle. Her Broadway credits include “Kinky Boots” (Nicola) and “Once."