A Homecoming at ‘Come From Away’ for TDF’s Autism Friendly Performances
Member Stories
Kavanaugh appreciates all the work and care that go into Autism Friendly Performances. “As a special needs family, we don’t get out that much, and it feels wonderful to be around a theatre full of people who ‘get it,'” she says. “No one cares if your kid makes noise during the performance. I smile and really relax while attending one of these TDF performances.”
The audiences at Autism Friendly Performances are always enthusiastic, but at Come From Away they were positively ecstatic. It was the first time most participants had seen in-person theatre since early 2020, when TDF’s last Autism Friendly Performance took place a few days before the industry shut down. Also, thematically, the show spoke to what we’ve all been going through. The real-life tale of how a small town in Newfoundland welcomed 7,000 stranded passengers when airplanes were grounded on September 11, 2001, the musical is about the world stopping and the healing power of community. Like everyone in the theatre, Dr. Yuré was profoundly moved. “This was the giant hug my soul needed following the long wait for the return of live theatre,” she says.
Lisa Carling, Director of TDF Accessibility Programs, was also overjoyed to be reunited with Autism Friendly Performances families. “I felt so happy seeing many familiar faces again and hearing families say how much it meant to them to be at the performance,” she says.
Those familiar faces weren’t just in the audience—they also belonged to the many dedicated volunteers who make sure Autism Friendly Performances run smoothly.
“I was happy to see a number of returning volunteers,” says Karen Wasserman, who attended Come From Away with her husband and their son Simon, who is on the spectrum. The Wassermans have been going to our Autism Friendly Performances since the first one at The Lion King in 2011. “We make a big deal of dressing up to set a tone that something special is going to happen,” she says.
This spring, TDF is hosting two more Autism Friendly Performances: The Lion King on Sunday, March 6 and Aladdin on Sunday, May 1. TDF purchases every seat in the theatre for these events and makes the tickets available at discount prices exclusively to families, groups and schools with members on the autism spectrum or with developmental disabilities.
It’s just one of the many ways TDF is helping make theatre welcoming and inclusive for all. Wasserman explains that while her son Simon has also attended typical performances, sometimes he has to leave at intermission due to feeling overwhelmed. At our Autism Friendly Performances, she knows he’ll have extra support and understanding. “I’m glad the program is back,” says Wasserman, who also serves as a volunteer when not attending with her family. “I’ve missed it. It gives me purpose.”
Tickets to the Autism Friendly Performance of The Lion King next Sunday, March 6 at 1 p.m. are still available. Click here to purchase.
If you’d like to support TDF Accessibility Programs, you can donate online. Every gift, small or large, has an impact.
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Elyse Orecchio is TDF’s Digital Content Manager. Follow her on Instagram and on Twitter at @elyseo. Follow TDF on Twitter at @TDFNYC.
Top image: Michelle Stern and her daughter Jadyn Waiser enjoying TDF’s Autism Friendly Performance of Come From Away on January 30, 2022. Photo by Jeremy Daniel.
Elyse Orecchio is TDF’s Digital Content Manager. Follow her on Instagram at @elyseo. Follow TDF on Instagram at @TDFNYC.