Broadway Access Review -
Once Upon a Mattress

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ID: image of the Once Upon a Mattress Playbill in front of the stage with the text "Access Review" on top

 

General Note

This is a review of the accessibility of the theater, of the lighting/sound/scent design of the show, and a list of content warnings as a way to prep folks with various needs before they go see it. 

This is not meant to scare anyone away from seeing the show. Most productions have about the same amount of content warnings and sensory warnings to go along with it, they’re just rarely explicitly written down. 

For some people, knowing these things ahead of time makes it easier to enjoy the show because they know what to expect. And, often, makes those people more likely to see it in the first place. I hope that it’s helpful!

I am also happy to clarify any specifics, just send me a message or an email and I will respond when I can.

Also please note that I make these while seeing a show for the first time, so I may miss some cues or be slightly off as to their placement/cue line!

Theater

Hudson Theatre

(Hudson Theatre)

All comments on the accessibility of lighting are in reference to seats in the front right balcony

(For more access information, check TheatreAccessNYC)


Bathrooms: 

  • divided into the binary, though there is a sign that says “Please use the restroom that best fits your gender identity or expression.”

  • located down a flight of stairs to the left of the orchestra (it’s right next to the merch) and on the dress circle level with accessible options in the orch and dress circle

Other theater accessibility:

  • the entrance to the theatre is step-free, as is the orchestra. There is an elevator to the dress circle and ambassador lounge, though the dress circle requires minimum 2 steps for seating.

  • they offer closed captioning, assistive listening, loop receivers, audio description devices, and KultureCity sensory bags available in the lobby (and quiet spaces)

Click here for more information on the physical accessibility of this theater.

Light/Sound/Scent

General:

  • I did not need earplugs for this show

  • no content warnings to note (there are a handful of light innuendo and drinking jokes but they are few)

  • Winnifred throws things into the audience (front orchestra) at least twice in the show

  • there are bulb lights around the sides of the stage that very occasionally alternate/move during songs or do a single twinkle but it’s pretty easy to avoid looking at them and they really never feel strobey 

  • most songs have a single light pulse at the end of them

  • the sensory accessibility of this show is similar to that of Suffs, The Notebook, and Merrily We Roll Along

Act I:

  • Shy - slow spinning blue textured downlights after the dance break, ~5-8 seconds

  • Spanish Panic (at the ball) - slightly flashy blinky lights after the queen plays the fiddle for ~30ish seconds

Act II:

  • Happily Ever After - ~2-4 seconds of flashing downlights at the end, followed by ~3 seconds of flashing bulb lights, but none of this felt strobey

  • after Dauntless says “Father, I love you so” (end of Man to Man Talk) there are slow spinning green speckled downlights that spin for ~3 seconds and then are static for the rest of the [fairly short] scene

  • scene after the mattresses come out – the hypnosis tool causes significant accidental strobe but it’s only really onstage for maybe a minute or two