In an unlikely turn of events, disabled people have turned to the internet to vent about the “ungodly abundance” of accessibility features found at the Lincoln Center performance venues. Minimum accessibility features have been legal requirements for decades, but this above-and-beyond approach has the community asking, Should there be legal maximums?
One disabled patron described his experience being overwhelmed with access. “As soon as I entered the lobby, I found myself drawn in by the subtle texture of the tactile site map, the hot-off-the-press braille programs and that long, curvy wheelchair ramp. I nearly forgot why I was there!”
Accessibility doesn’t stop at the lobby, according to another guest. “Once I was in the theater, I couldn’t take my eyes off the stunning ASL interpreters and the live captions drifting across my phone screen. I don’t speak ASL, and my neurological disorder makes it impossible for me to read captions, but boy were they thrilling!”
When we asked another disabled guest how they enjoyed their show, they seemed quite flustered. “Wait, did it start? I was so comfy in the designated Chill Out Space … I must have been relaxing inside there the whole time. But hey, to find a peaceful room in this city? Worth the price of admission.”
If your disability makes you late to your show, they allow late seating. If you’re worried you can’t afford tickets, most of Lincoln Center’s performances are free or Choose-What-You-Pay starting at $5. And even if you just don’t like the complete silence and darkness of a theater, you’re out of luck because they offer relaxed performances as well.
No matter what excuse you’re trying to use, Lincoln Center has an accommodation ready for you. For the 3.7 million disabled New Yorkers, this summer there is no escaping the magic of the performing arts.
This story is brought to you in partnership with Lincoln Center. Lincoln Center will be presenting two upcoming events in partnership with ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York, including a virtual panel discussion with Squeaky Wheel writers, Let’s Laugh More: Exploring the Relationship Between Disability and Humor, on Monday, May 1 at 7:00pm. Learn more at lincolncenter.org.
That is so cool!
And thanks for the LET’S LAUGH MORE session.
[in Australia too the Melbourne International Comedy Festival has been exploring accessibility and humour].