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Includes the first-ever Autism Friendly Performances of Back to the Future: The Musical (January 26, 2025), & Juliet (May 4, 2025), and Hamilton (June 29, 2025). Hadestown (August 18, 2024), The Lion King (September 29, 2024), Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes® (November 17, 2024), and MJ The Musical (March 2, 2025) round out the season.

New York, NY – July 16, 2024 – TDF, the not-for-profit service organization for the performing arts, is proud to present its 13th season of Autism Friendly Performances (AFP) for individuals on the autism spectrum or with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The season begins on Sunday, August 18 at 1 p.m. with Hadestown at the Walter Kerr Theatre. This performance is sponsored by Thomas M. Neff, who is providing tickets free of charge for TDF to distribute via lottery. The season continues with Disney’s The Lion King at the Minskoff Theatre on Sunday, September 29 at 1 p.m.; the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes^® at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, November 17 at 9 a.m.; the first-ever autism-friendly performance of Broadway's Back to the Future: The Musical on Sunday, January 26, 2025 at 1 p.m. at the Winter Garden Theatre; and the return of MJ The Musical on Sunday, March 2, 2025 at 1 p.m. at the Neil Simon Theatre. The first-ever Autism Friendly Performances of Broadway's & Juliet on Sunday, May 4, 2025 at 1 p.m. at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre and Hamilton on Sunday, June 29, 2025 at 1 p.m. at the Richard Rodgers Theatre complete the lineup.

"TDF's Autism Friendly Performances create a no-judgment, no-apology environment for families and individuals impacted by autism, many of whom have historically been excluded from the theatregoing experience," said Deeksha Gaur, TDF’s Executive Director. "This year, we are excited to share the magic of live theatre with even more audience members, both through AFPs at seven different productions, as well as by offering more free tickets than ever before to those who may not be able to afford the experience otherwise."

“We have a blockbuster season lined up, which is incredibly exciting!” said Lisa Carling, Director of TDF Accessibility Programs. “Many thanks to our industry colleagues for all their support in making these opportunities possible, and special thanks to our amazing audiences, which keep growing.”

Through support from the New York City Council, TDF has provided free tickets to AFPs for New York City families with significant financial need. Over nine seasons, 5,000 free tickets have been distributed to District 75 schools to ensure that students and families impacted by autism and other I/DD can access our “no-apology zone” performances at no cost. This season, with additional support from The Taft Foundation, TDF will expand our reach to adults with I/DD, for whom enrichment opportunities are frequently lacking. TDF will partner with organizations serving adults with I/DD to provide free tickets to individuals with limited financial means. “TDF has been a trailblazer in making Broadway accessible for so many New Yorkers, including people with I/DD. Reducing cost barriers for this underserved population makes the theatregoing experience offered by AFPs even more accessible,” said Nina Bershadker, Executive Director of The Taft Foundation.

“Every New Yorker deserves the opportunity to enjoy quality entertainment and programs offered by our city, and I am proud that the City Council has restored the crucial Autism Awareness Funding to TDF,” said Council Member Linda Lee, Chair of the Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addictions. “With this year’s expansion to reach adults on the spectrum, we now ensure that those who have previously aged out of their services can still receive this crucial programming. Thank you to Speaker Adrienne Adams and my colleagues in the City Council for supporting this vision, and to TDF for your work and service to all New Yorkers.”

AFP tickets typically go on sale six to eight weeks before a performance and can be acquired through TDF’s website. Our Hadestown free ticket drawing has already closed. However, individuals and organizations can sign up for our AFP email list to be notified of on-sale dates for the rest of the season. TDF is the ONLY SITE for all Autism Friendly Performances tickets.

TDF AUTISM FRIENDLY PERFORMANCES launched in 2011 with The Lion King on Broadway. Since then, there have been AFP of Aladdin, Cats, Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes^®, Come From Away, Elf: The Musical, Hadestown, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, How to Dance in Ohio, Kinky Boots, Mary Poppins, Matilda The Musical, MJ The Musical, My Fair Lady, New York City Ballet’s production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker^®, SIX, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The King and I, The Phantom of the Opera, and Wicked.

The program operates under the umbrella of TDF Accessibility Programs. To create an autism-friendly setting, shows are performed in a supportive environment for individuals diagnosed with autism or other developmental or cognitive disabilities and their families. Slight adjustments are made to the productions where possible, including the reduction of jarring sounds and strobe lights focused into the audience. There are staffed break areas in case audience members need to leave their seats during the performance. For AFP, TDF purchases every seat in the theatre and makes the tickets available at discount prices exclusively to families, groups, schools, etc. whose members include individuals on the autism spectrum. Learn more about TDF Autism Friendly Performances and sign up to receive emails about future events at www.tdf.org/autism.

ABOUT TDF ACCESSIBILITY PROGRAMS: TDF Accessibility Programs make theatregoing possible for people with physical disabilities as well as individuals on the autism spectrum. The full range of services includes Autism Friendly Performances of Broadway productions; accessible seating for individuals with mobility disabilities; and open captioned, American Sign Language-interpreted and audio described performances of Broadway and Off-Broadway shows for theatregoers who are hard of hearing or Deaf, are blind or have low

vision. TDF has also trained theatres in the US and abroad in setting up open captioning programs and autism-friendly shows and offers an educational enrichment program for

students who are hard of hearing, Deaf, blind or have low vision. TDF collaborated with The Broadway League to develop the website TheatreAccess.NYC, the official site for accessibility information for Broadway shows.

ABOUT TDF: Founded in 1968, TDF (formerly known as Theatre Development Fund) is a not-for-profit service organization dedicated to sharing the power of the performing arts with everyone. TDF’s mission is to sustain live theatre and dance by engaging a broad and diverse audience and eliminating barriers to attendance. We fulfill our mission with a variety of programs that expand access, cultivate communities, and support the makers of the performing arts.

We are known for our theatregoing programs, including the TKTS by TDF Discount Booths and the TDF Membership program; Accessibility programs (including open captioning, audio description, Autism Friendly Performances and the Veterans Theatregoing Program); School programs (serving more than 10,000 New York City students annually) and Community programs (serving 18,000 people in the tristate area); as well as the TDF Costume Collection Rental and Research Programs. TDF envisions a world where the transformative experience of attending live theatre and dance is essential, relevant, accessible, and inspirational. To learn more about TDF, go to tdf.org; Facebook/Instagram: @tdfnyc.

TDF wishes to acknowledge the following donors for their generous support of TDF Autism Friendly Performances:

Darlene and Stuart Altschuler, Theodore H. Barth Foundation, Al Berr, Harry S. Black & Allon Fuller Fund, The FAR Fund, Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, The Walter F. and Alice Gorham Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, Jane and In Seon Hwang, James and Deborah Reda, Seventh District Foundation, The Adolph and Ruth Schnurmacher Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Smart Family Foundation of New York, Start It! Foundation, The Taft Foundation, and Ronald and Catherine Weiss in honor of Joseph Flom, Anonymous (2)

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addiction. This program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.