Traditional theater experiences can be difficult for individuals with autism spectrum disorder or other sensory and cognitive needs. A number of organizations in the Seattle area, including Village Theatre, the Paramount Theatre, Taproot Theatre, Seattle Symphony, and Seattle Children’s Theatre, have begun offering sensory-friendly performances to make theater more accessible. These performances alter the sound and lighting design and include warnings before any surprising or scary events so as not to overwhelm neurodiverse audiences. Additionally, some theaters offer social stories about attending a performance. The Universal Participation Initiative, one of the entities helping push for greater accessibility and offering training to arts organizations, hopes that progress on audience development can lead to long-term accessibility changes to theater settings. To read more about sensory-friendly shows in Seattle, click here.