CM Performing Arts Center (CMPAC) presents musicals, plays, community events, and educational programs throughout the year. While its productions entertain thousands of theatergoers annually, one initiative has become especially meaningful: Sensory Sensitive Performances, thoughtfully designed for neurodivergent audience members and those with sensory sensitivities.
Theater has long offered a magical escape into another world. It is one of the few places where a group of strangers willingly gathers to embrace their suspension of disbelief, stepping into someone else’s story for a few fleeting hours. Each performance is a once-in-a-lifetime experience; no audience reacts exactly the same way, no actor delivers a line in quite the same way, and the event is a living, breathing moment that can never be perfectly replicated. CMPAC extends that belief to every audience member so they can comfortably experience the wonder of live theater, regardless of their sensory needs.
Rather than expecting guests to adapt to the traditional theater experience, CMPAC tailors the experience to meet them where they are. During these special performances, lighting cues are softened, music is played at a lower volume, and startling special effects are either announced in advance or removed. Audience members are encouraged to bring comfort items from home and move around the theater as needed, ensuring everyone can experience the performance in whatever way feels most comfortable.
“It was my idea,” explained Marc Hollid-Ausset, CEO and President of CMPAC. “We had a little girl who was nonverbal. Her mother inquired about enrolling her in one of our educational programs and asked whether she would be able to participate. One of our expert teachers was a certified special education teacher and graciously took the little girl under her wing for a semester.”
After that one session of classes, a remarkable event occurred.
One day, the little girl and her mother were driving past the theater when the girl pointed out the window and said, “Dance with friends!” Those were the first words she had ever spoken.
Hollid-Ausset recognized this milestone as a stepping stone toward expanding the theater’s accessibility efforts.
“Our organization isn’t just a theater; we’re a community center that happens to produce really kick-ass shows,” Hollid-Ausset exclaimed.
With that mindset, CMPAC volunteers began researching how their programs could better serve community members who often find traditional theater overwhelming. Various theaters across Long Island offer sensory-friendly performances; however, these are often scheduled on weekday mornings for school groups or are limited to children’s productions, making them inaccessible to many families and adults. CMPAC took note of that gap and adopted a more inclusive approach.
CMPAC’s Sensory Sensitive Performances are intentionally scheduled during regular performance times, allowing guests with sensory sensitivities to enjoy the show alongside everyone else.
“These kids grow up,” Hollid-Ausset said. “They don’t just want to see children’s theater; they want to see adult shows too, but they have special requirements that need to be met, and we meet them there.”
Couples deserve to go on date nights, and families should have the opportunity to enjoy evening performances together, regardless of their sensory needs.
That philosophy extends beyond the performance schedule. Before each Sensory Sensitive production, cast members, crew, and volunteers receive specialized training to create a welcoming environment. Performers have said that at these shows, the applause tends to be louder and the energy in the room is bursting with excitement.
Accessibility also extends beyond the auditorium. At every production, whether Sensory Sensitive or not, CMPAC offers a Breakout Room for audience members who become overstimulated.
“For every performance, whether it’s a sensory performance or not, we have what’s called a breakout room, and in that room it is a dimly lit space with a TV screen that broadcasts the live performance,” Hollid-Ausset shared. “So, during any show, if any audience member becomes overstimulated, they can go into the breakout room, continue to watch the show on the screen, and have a calm place to reground and recenter themselves until they feel comfortable enough to re-enter the space.”
During Sensory Sensitive performances, the Breakout Room offers additional support, with event staff facilitating calming activities, games, and sensory-friendly experiences to help guests transition to a more relaxed state. Audience members are welcome to spend as much time as needed in this tranquil space before returning to the theater.
CMPAC is developing sensory-friendly versions of its educational programming through a new initiative called Sparkle, which teaches communication and social skills through the performing arts. Students will be guided toward a deeper understanding of how to read social cues and communicate with one another through acting.
“Parents always talk about how sports teach you to be a team player, but so does theater; theater does the exact same thing as sports,” Hollid-Ausset shared. “We were founded to teach stories to people through the arts, as a way to experience somebody else’s experience, see through somebody else’s eyes, and learn how other people think, so that in the end you can relate better to your own community.”
