Broadway Access Review -
Yellow Face

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ID: image of the Yellow Face 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

Todd Haimes Theatre

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

Bathrooms:

  • no explicitly gender neutral bathrooms, though each has a sign that says “this restroom may be used by any person regardless of gender identity or expression”

  • located in the penthouse lobby (level 5) and lower lounge (beneath the orchestra) with accessible options on level 5 and the orchestra level

Other theater accessibility:

  • the theater has a step-free entrance to the orchestra, though please note that the last 4 rows of the orchestra are up anywhere from 1 to 3 small steps

  • there is an elevator to each level of the theater

  • they offer hearing devices, captioning, and audio description

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

Light/Sound/Scent

General:

  • I did not need earplugs for this show

  • there is no intermission

  • the majority of the show is fairly quick lighting transitions but they did not feel jarring or straining to me and you get used to it pretty quickly

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

Show:

  • loud crescendo and bright blue lighting for the opening

  • “with Lily Tomlin!” - ~5 seconds of moving white downlights over the audience 

  • brief on and off speaker feedback squeals after the set turns

  • “2 million dollars” - blue light on the floor of the stage sort of pointed toward the audience, ~10 sec

  • “strangest thing though, he didn’t look very Chinese” - loud transition

  • “journalists please welcome David Henry Hwang” -
    ~5 seconds of quick white photo flashes. There’s another after the next person is introduced and another after that

  • slow alternating blue/purple lights for “Justice for Wen Ho Lee”, ~30-45 seconds

  • “so can we meet? - floor blue light returns, ~10 seconds

  • “including Tony award winning playwright, David Henry Hwang” - ~3 seconds camera flashes, with a single flash after “Siberian Jew”

Content Warnings

  • racism/anti-asian hate 

  • discussions of suicide (specifically in a comedic manner in reference to Miss Saigon)

  • cancer/death