Broadway Access Review -
Purlie Victorious

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Playbill of Purlie Victorious in front of the stage
 

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.

Theater

Music Box Theatre

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

Bathrooms:

  • no explicitly gender neutral options, though there is a sign that says “Please use the restroom that best fits your gender identity and expression”

  • located downstairs and between the orchestra and mezzanine with an accessible one on the orchestra level

Other theater accessibility:

  • the theater’s entrance is step-free

  • there is no elevator

  • the ticket counter has covering over the glass so if you need to lipread to understand what they are saying it is really hard! (I’m sure this exists in other theaters, I just noticed it really strongly here)

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

Light/Sound/Scent

General:

  • the show runs 100 minutes with no intermission

  • I did not need earplugs for this show 

  • when in Purlie’s house (the first set you see), there is a sound effect of cicadas playing consistently in the background throughout. I eventually tuned it out but it did bother me from a sensory perspective at first

  • the light through the slats was a little dizzying at first

The Show:

  • in the first few minutes, they all pose center stage for a photo and there is a semi-slow “camera flash” that’s done with the entire stage’s lights

  • the whip only cracks once

  • scene change after “four score…” has 2-3 small light flashes in the back right corner of the stage (like lightning)

  • the bugs get louder after the following scene change which includes moving candlelight and is semi-dim

  • the gun is never shot

Content Warnings

  • racism 

  • beating (in the sense of general ass-whooping)

  • implied assault/SA

(This show is a comedy so the “heavier” content does not feel heavy for long!)