Our Town

Our Town Autism Friendly Performance

Ethel Barrymore Theatre
243 West 47th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue
New York City

Sunday, January 5, 2025 at 2 p.m. (please note this is different from our typical 1 p.m. start time)

Ticket prices:
Orchestra Center: $79
Orchestra Sides and Front Mezzanine: $73
Side Mezzanine: $65
Rear Mezzanine: $55

Limit eight (8) tickets per order. Wheelchair accessible seats and companion seats are available for purchase by emailing us at autism@tdf.org.

Tickets go on sale Monday, November 18 at 10 a.m.

This is a special performance for individuals on the autism spectrum, as well as people with other developmental or cognitive disabilities who may benefit, not for the general public.

You do not need to be a TDF member to purchase tickets.

Tickets for this performance are only available through TDF! Beware of secondary ticket sellers who may pretend to have seats at a much higher price.

Age recommendation: The show is recommended for ages 8 and up. All persons entering the theatre must have a ticket regardless of age. Children under 4 are not permitted in the theatre.

Running time: 1 hours and 40 minutes with no intermission

About the show: Tony winner Kenny Leon (A Raisin in the Sun) directs a momentous new production of Thornton Wilder's classic play featuring a cast of 28, led by Jim Parsons, (The Big Bang Theory, The Boys in the Band), Katie Holmes (All My Sons, Batman Begins), Zoey Deutch (Netflix’s Set It Up) and Ephraim Sykes (Ain’t Too Proud). In Wilder’s timeless tale of a small town, a stage manager narrates the daily lives of its locals, depicts a childhood friendship turn into marriage, and sets the stage for magnificent truths of what it means to be alive.

Content Advisories:

• At the beginning of the show, actors are seen on stage using their cell phones. They then have their phones taken away and are told not to use them. This message does not apply to any audience members who may need to use their cell phones to communicate. This is fine as long as the ringer is turned off.
• The actor playing Howie Newsome is Deaf so he and other actors interacting with him occasionally use sign language to communicate.
• There are no props in the show, so the actors mime the objects they are handling.
• Three light scents are pumped into the theatre during the performance: heliotrope in part I, vanilla in part II and bacon in part III.
• Even though the production is performed without an intermission, please feel free to get up and take a break if needed.

Accessibility:

Orchestra seats are accessible without steps. Wheelchair seating is located in the Orchestra only. Assistive listening devices, loop system, handheld captions and prerecorded audio description are available without a reservation.

REFUNDS ARE ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS AND ONLY AVAILABLE UP TO 30 DAYS BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE. If you have an exceptional case, such as COVID less than 30 days prior to the performance, you must send proof of a positive test or a doctor’s note to autism@tdf.org in order to receive a refund.

What they're saying:

"Critic's Pick! An Our Town for all of us." -The New York Times 

"Moving and emotionally stirring." -New York Daily News

What makes the performance autism-friendly?

To create an autism-friendly performance, the show is performed in a welcoming, supportive environment for individuals on the autism spectrum, with sensory and communication disorders, or learning disabilities. Slight adjustments to lighting and sound will be made. In the downstairs theatre lobby, there will be a break area staffed by specialists in the field in case anyone needs to leave the theatre during the show. A downloadable Event Narrative with pictures of the theatre and the production will be available on this page, designed to personalize the experience for individuals wishing to prepare for the show. Additional resources for this performance such as a Character Guide and Logistic Guide will also be available.

We can make no assurances that this performance will be suitable for everyone with autism. Parents and guardians are solely responsible for their children's viewing and engagement with the performance.

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

Anonymous, Darlene and Stuart Altschuler, Theodore H. Barth Foundation, The FAR Fund, Howard Gilman Foundation, Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, Jane and In Seon Hwang, Thomas M. Neff and HADESTOWN Education Initiative, NEXT for AUTISM, RBC Foundation USA, Adolph and Ruth Schnurmacher Foundation, Seventh District Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, The Smart Family Foundation of New York, The Start It! Foundation, The Taft Foundation, Ronald and Catherine Weiss in honor of Joseph Flom

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council's Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addictions. 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.