THE LITTLE MERMAID to Present Autism Friendly Performance at Paper Mill Playhouse, 6/26

Paper Mill Playhouse will present a special, Autism/Sensory friendly performance of Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID. This performance is designed specifically for children on the autism spectrum or with other developmental disabilities and will take place this Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 4 p.m. at Paper Mill Playhouse, 22 Brookside Drive, Millburn, NJ.

This performance, designed specifically for children on the autism spectrum or with other developmental disabilities, is planned in cooperation with Autism New Jersey and Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center at Rutgers. This is the first time Paper Mill Playhouse has expanded its Autism-Friendly performances to a main stage production. The theater environment will be altered for this performance, providing a sensory-friendly, comfortable and judgment-free space that is welcoming to all families. The performance itself will be adjusted with special attention paid to lighting and sound.

Paper Mill Playhouse has long provided a Theater for Everyone model and in its 2010-2011 season the theater began offering a groundbreaking program, Sensory-Friendly, live-theater performances for children with autism and other developmental disabilities, which won the Cultural Access Network of New Jersey's 2011 Innovator's Award.

"I am thrilled that we are expanding our Sensory-Friendly performances to include a main stage production," remarked Lisa Cooney, Paper Mill Playhouse's Director of Education. "Everyone should have the opportunity to experience world-class, live theater, and Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID is the perfect show for all families to experience together."

Additionally, Paper Mill Playhouse will host a free Open House titled Meet Your Seat on Tuesday, June 25, 2013, from 3:00 to 6:00PM. This is an opportunity for children who are new to the theatrical experience to visit the theater space before the show. Often children with autism or other developmental disabilities become anxious in new surroundings, new experiences, and they need time to transition. The Meet Your Seat open house provides an opportunity for children to come to the theater in advance of the performance and take time to feel comfortable in this new space. Autism-Friendly performances are supported, in part, by grants from The Merck Company Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Paper Mill Playhouse embraces a long history of providing access services to patrons of the theater. In addition to Autism-Friendly performances, Paper Mill Playhouse offers a wide variety of access programs and services including: sign-interpreted performances, open-captioned performances, audio-described performances, pre-show sensory seminars and barrier-free access theater-wide. Paper Mill Playhouse's accessibility programs have been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts, VSA arts/MetLife, and the New Jersey Department of Recreation as a role model for other performing arts organizations throughout the country.

Photo Credits: Billy Bustamante and Jerry Dalia

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