Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse Play

Nashville Children's Theatre repertoire this year is almost

entirely book-based - typical for this fine company that

consistently brings the best children's shows to Nashville.

Recently they've begun adding a sensory friendly performance

for each show. The main difference is that you don't have

to worry if your child talks or gets upset - if you want to

go to the comfort room or the lobby you may, but you don't

have to do so. You and your kids can do what suits you best

without worrying about the neurotypicals around you.

This is a wonderful gift. 

They also signal before surprising parts of the show with an 

orange light.

The usher assigned to do so didn't at yesterday's performance,

but there were only two surprising moments (a confrontation

with bullies, and an imagined arrest by the FBI) and no kids

seemed overly affected by them.

My kids had a great time and I think the non-sensory friendly

performances will be sensory friendly enough for many. If your child gets loud or needs to move around, you can use the comfort room which has a good view and adjustable sound-of course it may also have crying babies. Be aware that people in the middle near the front may get soap bubbles on them. Lilly (Amanda Card, who effortlessly radiates the happy Queen of the World Lilly vibe) puts on a cat mask to scare some bullies and uses her squirt gun to chase them away and protect her friends.

If you're interested, here's more information about this show.

Upcoming sensory friendly performances in the rest of the season: 

Number the Stars  March 1, 2014

(based on Lois Lowry's middle school novel about

WWII)

Lyle the Crocodile April 19, 2014

(based on Bernard Waber's picture book bathtub loving reptile)