THE VERGE

Access Initiatives for The Verge

Fiasco Theater is deeply committed to making the performing arts accessible to everyone. We believe that theater should be a shared experience, and we strive to remove barriers so that all members of our community can enjoy our productions. For the duration of THE VERGE, we will be offering a range of accessibility options at select performances, including: 

• Free Childcare - Saturday, November 7th @ 1:30pm

• Open Captioning & Audio Description - Saturday, November 14th @ 1:30pm

• Sensory Friendly - Sunday, November 15th @ 1:30pm

• ASL Interpretation - Friday, November 20th @ 7:30pm - Hands On

At every performance, Closed Captioning and Assistive Listening Devices are available.

Saturday, November 7th @ 1:30pm - Free Childcare in Partnership with Broadway Babysitters and PAAL 

As part of Fiasco Theater's ongoing efforts to help make theater more affordable for caregivers, audience members can access free childcare onsite through Broadway Babysitters for ages 3 months and up! Limited spots available, pre-registration required. 

Caregivers who wish to attend The Verge on November 7th at 1:30pm and are interested in requesting care should go to THIS link. Once your spot is confirmed you will receive an email to purchase your tickets for the performance. 

Broadway Babysitters is an arts-focused childcare company led by an ensemble of expert childcare professionals. Our personally vetted and individually trained playmakers bring the stage to your living room, drawing on their skills to help kids meet the world with wonder and cast themselves in any role they imagine. By encouraging creative play, providing behind-the-scenes support, and sharing the spotlight with caregiver-focused nonprofits, we connect families to the arts and empower artists to build families of their own. 

Saturday, November 14th @ 1:30pm - Audio Description & Open Captioning

For Open Captioning: During this performance, an experienced captioner scrolls up to three lines of text onto a four-foot-long LED sign in sync with the performance.

For Audio Descriptions: Using a single earpiece connected to an FM headset, patrons who are blind or have low vision can listen to trained audio describers give live, verbal descriptions of actions, costumes, scenery, and other visual elements of a performance. Audio describers start pre-show notes approximately 15 minutes before the performance begins.

Sunday, November 15th @ 1:30pm - Sensory Friendly Performance

In collaboration with TDF, this sensory-friendly performance is designed to welcome neurodivergent audience members, including patrons with autism or sensory sensitivities. While the experience is created with this community in mind, many benefit from the adjustments at this performance. Sensory-friendly performances include…

• Technical Adjustments - Lighting, sound, and high-sensory technical elements are adjusted slightly. The house lights remain on and dim throughout the performance.

• Preparatory Materials - We will provide a “Know Before You Go” visual guide. This outlines what to expect at the theater and performance.

• Sensory Supports - A variety of fidgets are available for audience members as well as noise canceling headphones and sunglasses. There is a break area outside of the theater where audience members can take time away from the performance and continue to watch a video stream of the show 

• Flexible Expectations - Expectations around audience etiquette are relaxed at this performance. Audience members are invited to react as they need, make sounds, and move around in ways that feel comfortable.

At the box office, staff can provide earplugs, noise-canceling headphones, and fidgets. Please return the noise-canceling headphones after the performance.

Tickets can be reserved through a form that will be available in early November. Please email info@fiascotheater.com to make sure you are on the list to receive the form when it becomes available. 

Friday, November 20th @ 7:30pm - Hands On

An American Sign Language-interpreted performance will be held on Friday November 20th at 7:30pm. Interpretation will be provided by Hands On, an organization dedicated to providing access to the performing arts to the Deaf and hard of hearing community.

Hands On is a nonprofit arts service organization whose mission is to provide the services, information, and resources necessary to ensure the Deaf community's active participation in New York's cultural mainstream through the provision of high-quality artistic interpreted theater, dance, performance art and literature.  For more information, please visit Handson.org.

Tickets can be reserved by contacting Hands On directly at  https://www.handson.org/events/the-verge/

For more information about Hands On, please visit HandsOn.org

At Every Performance: Closed Captioning

Closed Captioning is available at all performances on any personal smart device, made possible by GlobeTitles. Patrons will be given a URL and access to free WiFi in order to follow along on their own devices. Closed captions can be turned on or off by the viewer, at their discretion, and will be available at all performances of The Verge with the use of a personal smart device. 

At Every Performance: Assistive Listening Device

Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) amplify and clarify sound by cutting down or eliminating ambient noise. FM radio assistive listening systems are installed in all of our theaters, and headsets may be used at any seat. Headsets with induction neck-loops are available for patrons who use hearing aids and cochlear implants with a "T" switch. Ask your audiologist whether your hearing aid or cochlear implant has a "T" switch (telecoil) and how to use it with an assistive listening headset.

Headsets are distributed 30 minutes before performances free of charge and on a first-come, first-served basis at the entrance to The Public by speaking to the House Manager or Ticket Taker.