Seesaw Theatre Company creates original, sensory theatre for neurodivergent and disabled audiences. During this session we will introduce what sensory theatre is and why it is so vital to the theatre community. We will discuss how we devise and create sensory theatre and then gear it towards our intended audience. At Seesaw we create theatre that is accessible to all audiences from the very beginning instead of tacking accessibility on at the end. Theatre is a tool for creating connections and this can only be done when all audiences are included. Our shows subvert the notion that theatre is something to watch from afar, bringing the show to the participants and allowing them to interact with our cast on a personal level. The kids who come in as audience members create the shows as much as the cast does. We incorporate improvisational techniques, props, music and personalized interactions to engage our audience and help accommodate them on an individual level, providing an equitable theatre experience. After presenting about what it is we do we will take session participants through typical seesaw training, exploring the type of theatre we create. As we create sensory theatre a hands-on experience is much more effective and we encourage participants to explore what sensory theatre might mean to them. We will provide Seesaw sensory props and tools to help create sensory theatre as well as have participants explore what it is like to be a kid interacting with these props. We will end the session by talking about how our inclusive theatre can be incorporated into all types of theatre work.
