Theatre Access Review -
R+J

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ID: image of the R+J 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.

Theater

Circle in the Square

All comments on the accessibility of lighting are in reference to seats in the front far right second row, by the DJ and across from the gummy bears

Bathrooms:

  • divided into the binary and located below the theater on the far side from the entrance - the women’s line gets very long so they often make the men’s room mixed

Other theater accessibility:

  • the theater is located down an escalator (the entrance is to the right of Wicked). If you need the elevator, ask a staff member and they will help you

  • each row has two steps down

  • the theatre offers assistive listening devices, Loop systems, and handheld captions. There are also select open captioned seats for every show

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

The Show

General:

  • I did not need earplugs for this show, though some moments were definitely loud

  • because the show is in the round, you’re likely to have lights somewhat pointed toward you at all times

  • all aisles get used frequently

  • there is the occasional use of cigarettes which you can smell, and vape smoke which at least I couldn’t smell 

  • blood warning! Will note when these are specifically

  • sound cues with low bass happen throughout and will not be noted unless they are pulsing

  • the sensory accessibility of this show is semi-similar to that of Cabaret, The Outsiders, and Moulin Rouge

Pre-Show: when you get down the escalator there are on/off neon rave lights that aren’t strobey per say, but definitely pulse. There is medium volume music with low bass playing. This is also the case inside of the theater, and its pulse lights are behind the DJ and on the top of the orchestra walls all the way round. The theater is lit pink. About 15 min to showtime, actors come out onstage

Part 1:

  • begins with music getting much louder, a bit startling

  • quick on/off at the end of the jumps

  • “strive to mend” - bass drop, on/off flashing lights ~5 sec

  • “sir, I am for you” - loud, gets a little flashy for a few seconds, then there’s a pause, and then full stage flashes of white, red, and yellow for ~30 seconds (ends when someone is dead) - blood warning

  • cigarette smoking in the scene where everyone’s wearing sparkles, also low bass is very quiet here but gets louder when he stands wearing the mask

    • gets louder as everyone enters, then there is a lot of sparkle that creates a disco ball/accidental strobe effect, also slow moving on/off down lights

  • when the bed goes up there are ~20 sec of on/off flashy blue, green, and pink lights with loud beat

  • that sound cue returns when R+J exit in their party clothes

  • after big bear is used to tease Tybalt, ~30 seconds of full stage white strobe that slowly speeds up with bass - blood warning

  • then a second fight scene, ~20 sec of white up lights that are a speeding up strobe, but it’s significantly less than the earlier one - blood warning

Intermission - music and lighting from the pre-show return

Part 2:

  • music gets louder when actors return to the stage, slight on/off down lights but they’re tame

  • this half uses some haze

  • blood warning for the end of the act

  • loud music and the lights quickly flash on for bows

  • medium volume music as you exit the theater

Content Advisory

  • sexual content

  • death/murder/suicide

  • violence and blood

  • smoking (both cigarettes and vapes)