A Relaxed Performance (RP) is a designated performance in which the artists and audience agree to relax traditional theater etiquette regarding sound and movement in the house, as well as offer slight technical modifications to make the work more accessible to those with sensory differences. Technical modifications might include leaving the house lights on as a glow, and adjusting sound volume slightly to prevent surprising or possibly uncomfortable sound experiences. Sudden or extreme changes in light or sound such as flashes or bangs might be reduced in a relaxed performance. Additionally, a printable document with images and information about the theater’s layout and the show’s features is provided so that audience members can prepare for their experience.

Because our medium doesn’t rely on spoken language, we find Relaxed Performances in which audience members feel free to respond to our work verbally or with sound in the house especially rewarding. We delight in the challenge of adapting our work to best suit audience needs and provide a meaningful and inclusive experience for audience and artists, alike.

BKBX regularly includes RPs in its production schedule. We performed our first RP in 2017 during our mainstage production SEE REVERSE. Since then, we have included RPs in our family show, DESTINATION: EVERYWHERE, and in our 2019 mainstage, SKIN. We have also toured DESTINATION: EVERYWHERE throughout NYC, including at a Transitional school in Brooklyn where we performed for a wide range of neurodiverse students.

Because we stage narratives without spoken language, we are especially interested in sharing our work with the d/Deaf community. We consider our mainstage shows accessible to d/Deaf audience members who read English, as the only language in our shows are written title cards. We now provide ASL interpretation at events including our Out Loud Series and our annual community event, the Black & White Ball. Support for American Sign Language interpretation for the Black & White Ball provided in part through funding from Access A.R.T./New York, a program of the Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York (A.R.T./New York).

In 2019 we partnered with the Minnesota Family Fringe Festival to offer accessible performances of our family show, DESTINATION: EVERYWHERE. Accessibility resources included ASL interpretation, Open Captioning, and Audio Description.

As part of our spring 2020 programming, we launched our BKBKids! Youtube channel. All videos that include spoken English are either open or closed captioned. We also produce wordless kids’ videos, which are especially welcoming to people who are non-verbal, on the autism spectrum, and those with sensory needs. Support for audio transcription and video captioning on this production provided in part through funding from Access A.R.T./New York, a program of the Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York (A.R.T./New York).

Our main stage shows are presented in theaters that are wheelchair accessible, and when we hold workshops, meetings, or other events we aim to utilize ADA compliant spaces and provide robust accessibility information to guests. We begin our workshops with an invitation to all participants to access the physical games and exercises we offer in a way that feels authentic to their unique body, on that day; and communicate their needs with us if we can do anything to enhance their ability to access the work.

Our medium is uniquely accessible to audiences with language differences, and we aim to bring shows to communities in which languages other than English are prevalent, within our home city of New York, in other US American locations, and internationally.