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New York, NY – July 9, 2025 – TDF, the not-for-profit organization dedicated to sharing the power of the performing arts with everyone, will launch its 14th season of Autism Friendly Performances (AFP) with the 2025 Tony^®-winning Best Musical Maybe Happy Ending on Sunday, August 17 at 1 p.m. at the Belasco Theatre. The season will also include The Lion King on Sunday, September 28, 2025 at 1 p.m. at the Minskoff Theatre, the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes^® on Sunday, November 9, 2025 at 10 a.m. at Radio City Music Hall, and MJ The Musical on Sunday, March 8, 2026 at 1 p.m. at the Neil Simon Theatre, with additional shows to be announced.

“We couldn’t be prouder to launch our 14th season of Autism Friendly Performances with the poignant, Tony-winning musical for all generations, Maybe Happy Ending,” said Deeksha Gaur, TDF’s Executive Director. "This season will have something for everyone, from 2025's Tony-winning Best Musical to the continued support of long-running shows like our inaugural AFP production The Lion King, the ever-popular Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes^®, and fan favorite MJ The Musical. We are so grateful to share this diverse lineup of shows with families and individuals impacted by autism in a no-judgment, no-apology environment where everyone is welcome. We look forward to announcing several more shows to round out the season soon."

“I am thrilled to be a part of creating an Autism Friendly Performance of Maybe Happy Ending on Broadway,” said Michael Arden, who won his second Tony Award^® for Best Direction of a Musical for his work on the production. “This is a show about connection, care, and what it means to be seen and loved—themes that resonate deeply with all of us. At its heart, Maybe Happy Ending reminds us that everyone deserves belonging, and this performance is a meaningful step toward making theatre more inclusive. We hope this special event allows audience members to experience the show in a way that feels welcoming, joyful, and entirely their own.”

AFP tickets typically go on sale six to eight weeks before a performance and can only be purchased through TDF’s website. Tickets to Maybe Happy Ending will go on sale Wednesday, July 16 at 11 a.m. Individuals must create an account via this form for access to TDF AFP tickets. TDF is the only site for all AFP tickets.

TDF Autism Friendly Performances launched in 2011 with a performance of Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway. Since then, there have been AFP of Broadway's & Juliet, Aladdin, Cats, the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes^®, Come From Away, Elf: The Musical, Hamilton, Hadestown, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, How to Dance in Ohio, JOB, Kinky Boots, Mary Poppins, Matilda The Musical, MJ The Musical, My Fair Lady, New York City Ballet’s production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker^®, Our Town, SIX, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The King and I, The Phantom of the Opera, and Wicked.

The program operates under the umbrella of TDF Accessibility Programs. To create an autism-friendly setting, the shows are performed in a supportive environment for children and adults diagnosed with autism or other sensory sensitivities and their families. Slight adjustments are made to the productions where possible, including the reduction of jarring sounds and strobe lights focused into the audience. In the theatre lobby, there are staffed break areas in case audience members need to leave their seats during the performance. For AFP, TDF purchases every seat in the theatre and makes the tickets available at discount prices exclusively to families, groups, schools, etc. whose members include individuals on the autism spectrum.

Click here for Maybe Happy Ending production photos.

About Maybe Happy Ending

Winner of six Tony Awards including Best Musical, Maybe Happy Ending is the story of a chance encounter that sparks connection, adventure, and maybe even love. It is the offbeat and captivating story of two outcasts near the end of their warranty who discover that even robots can be swept off their feet. Helmed by visionary director and Tony Award winner Michael Arden, with a dazzling scenic design by Tony Award winner Dane Laffrey and book, music, and lyrics by the internationally acclaimed duo and Tony Award winners Will Aronson and Hue Park, Maybe Happy Ending is a fresh, original musical that reminds us what it means to be human and that love is never obsolete. The Broadway cast currently stars Tony, Emmy, and Golden Globe Award winner Darren Criss, 2025 Theatre World Award winner Helen J Shen, Dez Duron, and Marcus Choi.

About TDF Accessibility Programs

TDF Accessibility Programs make theatregoing possible for people with physical disabilities as well as individuals on the autism spectrum. The full range of services includes Autism Friendly Performances of Broadway productions; accessible seating for those with mobility issues; and open captioned, American sign language-interpreted, and audio described performances of Broadway and Off-Broadway shows for theatregoers who are Deaf or have hearing loss, are blind or have low vision. TDF also provides consultancy services to support shows in presenting sensory-adapted performances, and offers an educational enrichment program for students who are Deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have low vision. TDF partnered with The Broadway League to develop the website TheatreAccess.NYC, the official site for accessibility information for Broadway shows.

About TDF

Founded in 1968, TDF (formerly known as Theatre Development Fund) is a not-for-profit service organization dedicated to sharing the power of the performing arts with everyone. TDF’s mission is to engage a broad and diverse audience by removing the financial, physical, and invisible barriers to participation in the performing arts. TDF’s initiatives include the TKTS by TDF Discount Booths; TDF Memberships; the TDF Costume Collection; and TDF Accessibility, Education, and Community Programs. Those Programs include open captioned, audio described, and ASL-interpreted performances; Autism Friendly Performances; the Veterans Theatregoing Program; school programs serving more than 11,000 NYC public school students annually; and partnerships with over 150 NYC community organizations serving 18,000 people in the tristate area. TDF welcomes NYC’s vibrant communities to the theatre because experiencing the performing arts improves mental health and social connections. Learn more about TDF at tdf.org.

Facebook/Instagram: @tdfnyc

TDF wishes to acknowledge the following donors for their generous support of TDF Autism Friendly Performances:

Anonymous, Darlene and Stuart Altschuler, Theodore H. Barth Foundation, The FAR Fund, Howard Gilman Foundation, Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, Jane and In Seon Hwang, Morgan Stanley Soundview Complex, Thomas M. Neff and the Hadestown Education Initiative, NEXT for AUTISM, Paul Hastings, RBC Foundation USA, Adolph and Ruth Schnurmacher Foundation, Seventh District Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Standard Industries, The Start It! Foundation, The Taft Foundation, Ronald and Catherine Weiss in honor of Joseph Flom.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council's Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addictions. This program is made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.