# Disney offering "autism friendly" performances of The Lion King musical



## Ooh-Rah (Jul 24, 2016)

With autism more common than ever today, I thought this was a fine story to share on a quiet Sunday morning.  Well done to the production (and Disney I am assuming), for putting on these modified shows. 

Sensory-friendly production of 'Lion King' tempers the roar

_Shannon Stauff will take her 7-year-old son, Wyatt, to see “The Lion King” Saturday at the Orpheum in Minneapolis.

That hardly seems remarkable as Twin Cities families flock to the biggest blockbuster in theater history. But for the Stauffs, it’s a momentous event.

Wyatt has autism. He’s sensitive to loud noises and bright lights, so family outings are a challenge.

“Dinner or Target? Forget those,” said Stauff. “He would have a meltdown.”

A special “sensory-friendly” staging Saturday of the Disney musical gives her St. Paul family of four the chance to finally take in a Broadway tour.

That show reflects an array of new steps by arts organizations to welcome patrons on the autism spectrum — a group that has surged nationally in recent years. In the Twin Cities, Stages Theatre and Children’s Theatre Company offer sensory-friendly presentations. “Lion King” is the first Broadway production to try it._


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