Broadway Access Review -
Water for Elephants
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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
(Imperial Theatre)
All comments on the accessibility of lighting are in reference to seats in the far right of the middle orchestra
Bathrooms:
divided into the binary, though there is a sign that says “Please use the restroom that best fits your gender identity and expression”
located above the orchestra, with the women’s on the left and the men’s on the right. The accessible restroom is on the right of the hallway where you go left to enter the theater
Other theater accessibility:
the entrance to the theatre is step-free, as is the orchestra. The mezzanine is up two flights of stairs and there is no elevator
they offer closed captioning, assistive listening, loop receivers, and audio description devices
Click here for more information on the physical accessibility of this theater.
Light/Sound/Scent
General:
the back half of the stage has some lights on each side of it that point down onto the stage, if you are on a far side they may be kinda bright in your direction
there are bulb lights around the proscenium, but they are super spaced out so any pulsing or alternating of them does not feel super movement-heavy
I did not need earplugs for this show
the sensory accessibility of this show is very similar to that of Hadestown and Sweeney Todd - there were only 2 moments I personally found straining, and some startles with quick light shifts
this show has a lot of energy in it! There is a whole lot to look at in many of the scenes which is nicely balanced with quieter/more pensive scenes – if you struggle with transitions from super high sensory input to lower sensory input, I’d recommend bringing a fidget toy to help get the wiggles out
Pre-Show - semi-quiet circus music playing
Act I:
quick light change after crescendo
train song - flashing white light on Jacob for nearly the entire song (maybe 90 seconds?) - it’s not an on/off strobe, it’s more of a continuous pulse, so you can look away from it or close your eyes and escape it
there are also lights kind of on their feet that slowly move back and forth, this motif returns every time they’re on the train, you don’t really notice it
quick light shift after the jacket appears, second when cane hits the ground
quick light shift after animals come out
loud lion roar, second one after the bucket
The Lion Has Got No Teeth - has some quick light shifts, some moving downlights, some quick pulses, and the bulbs alternate - nothing felt flashy to me
“gunshot” just after the aerialist gets to the top, but the shot is more of a loud drum than a gunshot noise
quick light shift after “god’s green earth”
flash after the birthday cake bit
small crash after Marlena says “let’s enjoy the party”
very sparkly jacket, causes some accidental strobe
some small bulb pulses
elephant roar
loud drum for each elephant foot
alternating bulb lights
Act II:
bulbs light up around the stage after Mr. Jankowski sits
Zostań - two quick light changes when Jacob and Marlena make eye contact
train whistle when the center train section goes up high. Also this doesn’t make sense without context but it will in context - don’t worry, you don’t see anything!
quick light change after concussion
quick light change on “wind in your sails”
the next song has light smoke/haze (starts after the two Jacobs meet each other)
quick light change when chair touches back down
loud whip crack noises & lion roar
accidental strobe from knife jugglers’ knives
quick light change & loud train whistle when Marlena is carried away
boom & quick lights on at “at the center of the ring”
when people start running it gets loud and there is a blackout - the following sequence is several periods of like ~5 seconds of full stage flashing white with loud noises followed by ~5-10 seconds of a frozen tableaux with a low ominous rumble back and forth maybe 5-7 times?
huge crack after “Rosie stop!” - this is the last tableau
Content Warnings
domestic violence
alcoholism
animal abuse
murder