Hadestown
A FREE Autism Friendly Performance
1. Who is this show for?
This is a special performance for individuals on the autism spectrum, as well as people with other developmental or cognitive disabilities who may benefit, not for the general public. Please read the venue and content information below to determine if this show is a match for you. You do not need to be a TDF Member to enter the ticket drawing.
2. When is the show?
- Sunday, August 23, 2026 at 1 p.m.
3. Where is the show?
Walter Kerr Theatre
219 West 48th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue
New York City
Jordan Tyson and Joshua Colley in Hadestown on Broadway. Photo by Matthew Murphy.
This event is FREE OF CHARGE for our Autism Friendly Performances community. All tickets will be awarded through a random drawing. By filling out the form, you are entering to win tickets for this performance. Limit four tickets per entry.
The form will go live on Thursday, July 9 at 11 a.m.
You have until Sunday, July 12 at 11:59 p.m. to enter. Winners will be selected the week of July 13 and will be sent a password-protected Eventbrite link to select free tickets. All tickets will be mailed out the week of July 27.
Read the rules for entering our Hadestown Autism Friendly Performance ticket drawing.
Email autism@tdf.org with any questions.
The Relaxed Autism-Friendly Performance is sponsored by Thomas M. Neff.
About the show
Hadestown combines two ancient Greek myths. Young musician Orpheus falls in love with Eurydice. But when she is lured to the Underworld by King Hades, Orpheus faces a difficult challenge to save her. Meanwhile, Hades struggles with his own problems, including his relationship with his wife Queen Persephone and managing his workers, who rebel against him. Through these stories, we learn how the choices we make and the people we trust determine who we become and the lives we lead.
Other information
Age recommendation: 8 and up. All audience members must have a ticket regardless of age. Children under 4 are not permitted in the theatre.
Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes including a 15-minute intermission
Accessibility:
- Stairless access is available from the street at 219 West 48th Street.
- Seating: Most rows in the orchestra are accessible without steps except for R and S, which require two steps each. The mezzanine is located up one flight of stairs: 37 steps. There is no elevator. A wheelchair accessible restroom is available on the left side of the orchestra. There is very limited wheelchair accessible seating at this theatre and reseating is not guaranteed. When selecting seats, please find a location that accommodates your group size and accessibility needs. We recommend using SeatPlan to determine the best seating for your party.
- Assistive listening: Infrared and neck loop devices are available. You can reserve a device at soundassociates.com.
- Closed captioning is available with an I-Caption device.
- For additional accessibility information, please visit theatreaccess.nyc.
Content and Venue Advisory:
- Language: There is mild profanity, including the use of the word Hell to refer to the Underworld.
- Violence: A character is beaten in one scene.
- Mature themes: Challenging topics are explored, including alcoholism, grief, death, power dynamics and control, inequality, poverty and forced labor. The show examines emotional and psychological struggles but contains no explicit sexual content.
- Sensory: While lighting adjustments will be made, there is the possibility of light shining into the audience. There is stage fog that may spread into the first two rows of the orchestra. One scene features a spinning umbrella. Characters interact with audience members, including one moment of call-and -response, but participation is not required. One character enters through the audience but does not interact with theatregoers.
What makes the performance autism-friendly? To create an autism-friendly event, the show is performed in a welcoming, supportive environment for individuals on the autism spectrum, with sensory sensitivities, communication challenges and/or learning disabilities. Slight adjustments to lighting and sound are made for the performance. There will be Break Areas staffed by autism specialists in case any theatregoers need to leave their seats during the show. Resource Materials, including a Visual Narrative with pictures of the theatre and the production, will be available to download on this page soon.
We can make no assurances that this performance will be suitable for everyone with autism. Every attendee, whether a person with a disability or a caregiver, is responsible for their viewing and engagement with the performance.
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, Sharon Chertok, The FAR Fund, Howard Gilman Foundation, Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, Jane and In Seon Hwang, Morgan Stanley Soundview Complex, The New York Community Trust, NEXT for AUTISM, Paul Hastings, Adolph and Ruth Schnurmacher Foundation, Seventh District Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Sony Corporation of America, 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 and Substance Use and the Committee on Disabilities. 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.