Year round the Kennedy Center, in Washington D.C., offers accessible performances for individuals with disabilities; however, most of those performances are coming between May and August.
This year’s accessible performances include: Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Sound of Music, Cabaret, Madame Butterfly, and Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The King and I. Visit the Accessible Performances calendar to learn more.
The Kennedy Center offers 4 types of accessible performances:
- Audio Described
“Using a single earpiece connected to an infrared headset, patrons who are blind or have low vision can listen to trained audio describers give live, verbal descriptions of actions, costumes, scenery, and other visual elements of a performance. Audio describers start pre-show notes approximately 15 minutes before the performance begins.”
- Captioned
“During these events, an experienced captioner scrolls up to three lines of text onto a four-foot-long LED sign in sync with the performance.”
- Sensory Friendly
“Sensory-friendly performances are designed to create a performing arts experience that is welcoming to all families with children with autism or with other disabilities that create sensory sensitivities. Accommodations for these performances include:
- Lower sound level, especially for startling or loud sounds;
- Lights remain on at a low level in the theater during the performance;
- A reduction of strobe lighting or lighting focused on the audience;
- Patrons are free to talk and leave their seats during the performance;
- Designated quiet areas within the theater;
- Space throughout the theater for standing and movement;
- Limited crowds and visitors at the Kennedy Center during the day and timing of the performance; and
- Kennedy Center staff trained to be inviting and accommodating to families' needs.”
- Sign-Interpreted
Attending one of the accessible performances at the Kennedy Center is one more reason to visit our nation’s capital. If you are visiting, don’t miss them!
