Blue Man Group Puts on Second Annual Sensory-Friendly Show to Raise Money for Autism Speaks

Blue is considered the color for Autism Awareness, so what better group to support this cause than the Blue Man Group! The Blue Man Group performed their second annual autism friendly show on January 21st at Universal City Walk at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. The event raised money for the non-profit organization Autism Speaks. If you have never been to a Blue Man Group performance, it is very sensory heavy and has some audience interaction.  This can be a lot for a typically developing child. In order to allow children with sensory sensitivities to enjoy the show, the Blue Man Group tweaked their performance to have reduced sound and light levels, subdued their approach to the audience and limited the amount of direct audience interaction. They also provided headphones upon request and a calming environment in the theater’s lobby for any families that needed a break. The show was extremely popular and has inspired the Blue Man Group to host similar events in New York, Boston, Chicago and Las Vegas. You can read more about the event and see an interview with one of the Blue Man Group members in which he discusses how they worked to put on a sensory-friendly version of a highly sensory show here