Broadway Access Review -
The Great Gatsby

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ID: image of The Great Gatsby Playbill in front of the [Broadway] 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

(Broadway Theatre)

All comments on the accessibility of lighting are in reference to seats in the center back of the orchestra

Bathrooms: 

  • divided into the binary, but have a sign saying “Please use the restroom that best fits your gender identity and expression”

  • located down a flight of stairs from the main floor (the accessible one is on the lobby floor by the stairs) and up a flight of stairs (mezz level)

Other theater accessibility:

  • the theater has a step-free entrance to the orchestra

  • there is no elevator and mezz seats have steps between each row

  • they offer assistive listening devices, loop systems, and CC and AD devices

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

Light/Sound/Scent

General:

  • there is medium volume jazz music playing in the lobby pre-show

  • there is a startlingly loud phone/alarm noise just before lights down

  • there is some smoking onstage that front orchestra may be able to smell

  • the cars have real headlights that may point into the audience at various points

  • the lighting tends to favor single light pulses in all the fast-moving songs, so it’s never strobey, but there are small singular flashes throughout. It also often does one big change at the end of songs. And there are so many sparkly shiny things, as well as carnival bulb lights that occasionally move

  • I did not need ear defenders/earplugs for this show, but some people around me were wearing theirs

  • the sensory accessibility of this show is very similar to that of Spamalot and Shucked, and similar to Water for Elephants and The Outsiders

Act I:

  • Opening song (Roaring On) - includes lots of single pulses, starts after ensemble appears

  • New Money - another pulse-heavy song

    • “small parties there isn’t any privacy” - light wash over the front orchestra

    • after the car drives off - moving downlights & also fire, with a big firework flash at the end

  • Valley of Ashes - any time this set appears there is some haze and fog on the ground 

  • Second-Hand Suit - moving projections while they’re driving to create an optical illusion that may be lightly dizzying to some

  • CW for sex noises (maybe ~20 seconds?) after For Better or Worse

  • occasional small white camera flash, I counted 10 but was only maybe startled by 2 or 3 that were angled toward the audience - also there’s a DV hit in this scene

  • thunder/lightning after delicatessen dialogue, “are you in love with me, Nick?”, and “the willow tree”

  • big green flash at the audience at the end of Green Light

Act II:

  • Shady - haze, pulse-heavy song, and one or two pulses that were brighter than the others after “dammit Gatsby”

  • Past Is Catching Up to Me - lots of light pulses at the end

  • Gilda Gray is really really really sparkly

    • this song has moving bulb lights as well, which stop for a bit and then return after “brute”

  • One-Way Road - lots of fog/haze in this song (and during the Valley of Ashes scene beforehand, the contrast is just higher here so you notice it more)

  • after the applause for One-Way Road there is a loud screech noise and headlights pointed toward the right orchestra, followed by a loud crash and a yellow/amber light flash on the audience (similar to the Act I green light, just a different color)

  • two gunshots after Gatsby puts down the towel (after For Her), followed by a third shortly after that you can see the cue for

Content Warnings

  • adultery

  • smoking/alcohol

  • abuse/DV

  • murder/suicide

  • misogyny/sexism