The Autism-Friendly Show Can’t Go on Without Harry Smolin
Harry Smolin and Lisa Carling, Director of TDF Accessibility Programs. Photo by Anita Shevett.
Meet the consultant with autism who helps TDF present Autism Friendly Performances
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“Here, I feel like my autism is my superpower,” Smolin says about his work with TDF. “I can use it to help others enjoy the thing I love most.”
“A therapist, who I’ve worked with since I was 4 years old, knew the behavioral therapist consulting on the Autism Friendly Performances at the time and suggested I’d be a good fit,” he recalls about his introduction to TDF. “I’ve wanted to be in show business since I was a little boy. Now I’m living the dream in a sense.”
Smolin says each show has different challenges, some anticipated, others not. “Anything that triggers a sensory aspect for me is hard, whether it’s food smells, stage fog or a costumed character in the aisle, like Cats,” he says. “A show where I was bothered and did not expect to be was Hadestown, especially the lighting. It was so bright I had to duck. That’s not helpful when you’re trying to concentrate on the show you’re previewing.” Thanks to Smolin’s feedback, Hadestown is hosting its second autism-friendly performance next Sunday, August 18.
A lot has changed over the past decade for TDF’s Autism Friendly Performances and for Smolin himself. The program has welcomed many new shows, including long-running favorites such as the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes® and Hamilton, which will present its first-ever autism-friendly performance in June 2025. Meanwhile, Smolin graduated from high school and then college summa cum laude with a BA in Communications from Western Connecticut State University, and went on to earn a graduate certificate in Arts Leadership and Cultural Management from the University of Connecticut. He works at a movie theatre in addition to his TDF duties and notes that Lisa Carling, Director of TDF Accessibility Programs, and fellow consultant Becca Yuré have been a joy to collaborate with all these years.
As Smolin prepares to help TDF kick off our 13th season of Autism Friendly Performances next weekend, he says he’s gratified that many of the now standard accommodations were inspired by his own experiences. “When I was little, I always used to bring a bag of green grapes with me to the theatre,” he explains. “They were comfort food, and they helped me relax when I was nervous. At one show, an usher took the bag of green grapes away from me. We tried to explain why I needed them, but rules were rules. No outside food or drink in the theatre. Because of that, TDF now lets you bring any comfort item of your choice to Autism Friendly Performances, whether it’s a toy, a pillow or a snack.
“Also, when my family and I saw Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, we had seats right next to a bank of speakers. I have hypersensitive hearing. Everything sounds louder to me than it does to a typical person. So, the sound was so hard for me, it actually physically hurt. Now TDF shows the locations of the speakers so you can choose your seats for comfort. I’m proud I helped make those changes.”
Read more about TDF’s Autism Friendly Performances or donate to support our Accessibility Programs.
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