As April marks Autism Awareness Month, Autism Acceptance Month and World Autism Month, we explore how The Naples Players works to make theater accessible to neurodivergent audiences and performers. Such efforts include special relaxed performances of all their mainstage shows. Adaptions during relaxed performances include consistent audio levels and reduced visual effects, limited audience capacity, sensory alert show guides, the ability for patrons to enter or leave the theater as needed, among others.
The Naples Players also offers inclusive theater education classes with curriculum tailored to the needs of neurodivergent students. The company also recently opened a first-of-its-kind sensory viewing booth that gives people with a sensory processing disorder the opportunity to comfortably enjoy performances.
We’ll take a closer look in a conversation with The Naples Players Directo of Arts Access Summer Pliskow and Director of Community Enrichment Craig Price.
