Zoellner Arts Center hosted its first sensory-friendly show, “Exceptions to Gravity,” to give families with members who have sensory sensitivities and other special needs greater access to the arts.
“The objective is to bring artists from around the world to provide artistic, entertaining experiences for multiple audiences,” artistic director Deborah Sacarakis said. “We want the performances to be open access and interesting for everybody. We hope it will give families who may be apprehensive to see shows the opportunity to see and enjoy those shows.”
“Exceptions to Gravity” was a one-act, one-man, family-friendly physical comedy show written, directed and performed by Avner Eisenberg, also known as Avner the Eccentric. Eisenberg, who has been working on the show since 1975, was chosen because he performed at Lehigh in 1990, 1994 and 1997, and because of his ability to cater to sensory-friendly audiences.
Eisenberg showcased his abilities in physical comedy through his silent performance and props that mysteriously keep breaking. He is a self-proclaimed “dropologist.”
The sensory-friendly performances are specially designed to include adjusted lighting so there are no sudden flashes or changes and the lights remain on throughout the performance. Additionally, sound is also adjusted so there are no particularly loud effects. Audience members are free to move in and out of the theater. Quiet areas are opened in empty rooms where kids are free to paint, color and relax if needed. Refunds are available throughout the performance.
The Autism Resource Community Hub of Lehigh Valley provided special training for ushers to help in case of a situation that requires an extra level of sensitivity.
“My original show on Broadway, (which ran 1984-1985), was two hours long with an intermission,” Eisenberg said. “I used to do back flips back then too.”
In regards to the differences between all his show offerings, Eisenberg said he considers them all sensory friendly, even the ones not intentionally catered to special-needs audiences. He hasn’t changed a thing, he said.
Audience member Bridget George said she enjoyed the performance.
“(Eisenberg) is delightful,” she said. “He finds the humor in the smallest things and presents a sense of wonder from the simplest gestures. Eisenberg is not a big showbiz type of clown. He is a subtle clown that knows how to read the audience.”
George said it is both important and wonderful to see special needs kids enjoy the performance.
Andy Cassano, Zoellner’s administrative director, had a more personal stake in the performance.
“My 3-year-old daughter has Rett syndrome,” Cassano said. “I have brought her to the arts center plenty of times and I have met families who are either too scared or find it too difficult to find an experience for them to go out with their kids in public.”
Cassano said the show is an effort to help address this issue. He said we all know what the power of the arts can do.
For instance, he said, some kids who attend the show don’t otherwise have the opportunity to see a national touring artist.
“It’s often hard to find families who feel like they won’t be judged if their kid, who can’t understand what is going on, all of a sudden has an issue,” Cassano said.
This performance also is in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires equal services for people with disabilities.
Cassano said there’s a nationwide push to honor the act.
“As an arts center, we are constantly making sure we are serving as many audiences as possible and the underserved audience are kids with autism in the sensory spectrum,” he said.
Originally, the first sensory-friendly show was supposed take place a year later than it did. However, when Cassano saw that Eisenberg would be performing, he thought it would be a good idea to host an event earlier.
“Because (Eisenberg has) done shows like this before, and because it is a single performance, a lot of elements were already out of way,” Cassano said. “It was an easy entrée to do our first event successfully. We said to ourselves we would be missing an opportunity if don’t jump on this, so we just made it happen.”
Cassano said the art gallery is also offering programs for the blind community to experience visual art in a way that is still stimulating to them.
“Just because they can’t see it, doesn’t mean they don’t have a way to appreciate it,” he said.
There are plans to host another sensory-friendly event at least once every year.
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