Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee- Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director) created a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere for the very first sensory-friendly performance presented at the Millburn theatre on June 11th. Designed for children on the autism spectrum and with other developmental disabilities, great care went into structuring the performance into a fully accessible theater experience. This sensory-friendly performance of Pushcart Players' Stone Soup and Other Stories was supported by a grant from The Merck Company Foundation. In recognition of its success, Paper Mill Playhouse and Pushcart Players received the 2011 "Innovator Award" on June 23rd from the Cultural Access Network of New Jersey, which is sponsored by the New Jersey Theatre Alliance and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
"We've received suggestions and encouragement from the over 300 people who attended this first performance, and with their support we hope to grow this effort so that it's not a special event, but a regular occurrence." remarked
Lisa Cooney, Director of Education at
Paper Mill Playhouse. "It has truly been a transformative experience for me to work on this project which began when a proactive parent of a child with autism contacted a colleague at Paper Mill to ask if we would consider having a performance where she could bring her son. I learned of the ongoing challenges of these loving families who want nothing more for their son or daughter than what any child has - the freedom to go to
Paper Mill Playhouse on a Saturday morning to see a show, without the concern or expectation that their family will be judged by those who do not understand their uniqueness."
The response from both children and parents were positive and enthusiastic. Debbie Behar from Basking Ridge, New Jersey wrote
Paper Mill Playhouse following the performance:
"I wanted to write to thank
Paper Mill Playhouse, Autism NJ and Douglass for setting up such a nice performance for the kids. You put such thought and effort into every detail, from the online social story, to the kind and patient staff. I can't thank the staff of the
Paper Mill Playhouse enough for making this day so special for us. I have two children with autism and going places is very difficult, although we do are best to go out into the community. One of my sons transitioned very nicely into the theater with the help of your social story. My other son needed more assistance. He was afraid to enter the theater, so your staff let him stand in the back by the concession stand and left the back theater doors open so he could watch the show. After a while, with reinforcing appropriate behavior, I was able to get him in a chair that was in the back of the theater. After intermission, he went into the auditorium again and eventually we were able to sit down in a theater seat. By the last story, Stone Soup, we got up and sat in our seats in the first row. He went from being afraid and not wanting to go into the theater, to sitting in the front row and enjoying it! I took a picture so you can see the expression on his face. Both my children sat in the front row and had a fantastic time. One of my sons left singing the Stone Soup song. Thank you again for everything."
Debbie Behar from Basking Ridge
STONE SOUP AND OTHER STORIES was designed specifically for children with autism spectrum disorders or other developmental disabilities, and was planned in cooperation with Autism New Jersey and The Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center at Rutgers University. The theater environment was altered for this performance providing a sensory-friendly, comfortable and judgment-free space that was welcoming for all families. The show will ran about one hour with an intermission. Pushcart Players adapted the script to be more literal and free of common theatrical devices such as innuendo, sarcasm and body language which are not readily understood by children with autism. At this unique presentation the theater lights remained up, the sound volume was lowered and consistent, children were free to talk and leave their seat under parental supervision, and a private "chill-out" space was available should a child become over-stimulated. Online resource materials were also available including a sequence book titled, "This is My Theater", which helped families prepare their child for their outing to Paper Mill.
"We presented this special performance to provide a comfortable and supportive entertainment opportunity for families with children on the autism spectrum," commented
Paper Mill Playhouse Producing Artistic Director,
Mark S. Hoebee. "The event was incredibly successful and incredibly moving.
Paper Mill Playhouse is committed to making the arts accessible to all - meaning all communities - and we are planning more of these performances in our upcoming season. We are hoping to learn from each experience so that we can hone and further tailor these presentations to this unique audience. Our hope is to bring as much joy to these kids and their families as we can."
Paper Mill Playhouse's Sensory Friendly Performances for the 2011-2012 season
Paper Mill Playhouse in partnership with Pushcart Players will present:
LET FREEDOM RING on Saturday, October 22, 2011 at 10:00AM, This robust musical review celebrates our nation's birth and development with the true story about ordinary people who accomplish extraordinary goals. Bringing history to life, "Let Freedom Ring!" is a compilation of authentic folk songs and stories that illustrate significant moments in American history, and provides a unique theatre experience for young and family audiences.
RED RIDING HOOD AND OTHER STORIES on Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 10:00AM A collection of classic tales: "Little Red Riding Hood", "The Emperor's New Clothes", "The Princess and the Pea" and Hans
Christian Anderson's "All's Well That Ends Well" - with a contemporary spin. Innovative settings and sing-along songs provide the perfect opportunity for involvement and participation in this early theatre-going experience of "once upon a time" favorites. Great fun for the entire family!
The day before each of the performances there will be a free "Meet Your Seat" Open House for children new to the theater experience and resource material will be available online at
Paper Mill Playhouse's website.
Tickets for the 2011-2012 Children's Theater Season are $12 - $20 and go on sale July 1, 2011. Tickets may be purchased by calling 973-376-4343, or at the Paper Mill Box Office on Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at
Paper Mill Playhouse's website:
www.papermill.org.
Paper Mill Playhouse gift cards, available in any denomination, can be purchased at the
Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office. Visa, MasterCard, Discover and
American Express accepted.
Paper Mill Playhouse received
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' 2009 Excellence in Accessibility Leadership Award, the 2009 Arts Presenters/MetLife Award for Innovation and Excellence in Access, and the Cultural Access Network of New Jersey's 2010 Sustainer Award. These awards recognized the theater's innovative access programming, its commitment to accessibility, and its example to other arts organizations in New Jersey and across the country. Sensory-friendly performances join
Paper Mill Playhouse's full menu of Access services, which include a barrier-free facility; integrated wheelchair seating; infrared listening devices; sign language interpreted, open-captioned, and audio-described performances; large print and Braille programs; and sensory seminars for patrons with vision loss to have the opportunity to touch props and costumes, have a guided tour of the set and hear the actors' voices before the performance.
Paper Mill Playhouse, a not-for-profit arts organization, is one of the country's leading regional theaters.
Paper Mill Playhouse programs are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, A Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support is provided by the generous contributions of numerous corporations, foundations, and individuals.
Paper Mill Playhouse is a member of Theatre Communications Group, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, the Council of Stock Theatres, and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.
