Off-Broadway Access Review -
This Is Not A Drill
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Image of the This Is not A Drill Playbill in front of the stage with the text “Access Review” on top
General Note
This is a review of the accessibility of the theater, of the lighting/sound/scent design of the show, and a list of content warnings as a way to prep folks with various needs before they go see it.
This is not meant to scare anyone away from seeing the show. Most productions have about the same amount of content warnings and sensory warnings to go along with it, they’re just rarely explicitly written down.
For some people, knowing these things ahead of time makes it easier to enjoy the show because they know what to expect. And, often, makes those people more likely to see it in the first place. I hope that it’s helpful!
I am also happy to clarify any specifics, just send me a message or an email and I will respond when I can.
Also please note that I make these while seeing a show for the first time, so I may miss some cues or be slightly off as to their placement/cue line!
Theater
York Theatre
All comments on the accessibility of lighting are in reference to seats in the far right of the third row
Bathrooms:
divided into the binary
located straight ahead once you enter, with the men’s on the far side of the box office and women’s on the closer side
Other theater accessibility:
this theater is located down a flight of stairs, but there is an elevator
Click here for more information on the physical accessibility of this theater.
Light/Sound/Scent
General:
I might recommend earplugs for this show. I had one in the whole time
the show runs 90 minutes with no intermission
there are lights on either side of the stage that point toward the audience (sort of stoplight style)– any time I reference a quick light on or a flash, I am referring to those lights
when the back wall is down at an angle, there is a light through it that slightly shines onto the audience
the sensory accessibility of this show is similar to that of Hadestown, Suffs, and The Notebook
Pre-Show: medium volume music is playing - also they give out plastic leis in the lobby (via the person with the bucket), you are welcome to say no and/or avoid them if that’s not your thing!
The Show:
the drums at the beginning of the opening song are a little loud; there is also a quick green light on after “flash”, followed by a few high pitched beeps
slight jumpscare after the biker checks his teeth in the mirror
some very slow alternating lights pointed at the audience (the side ones) and slow spinning floor projections during the chorus of Cincinnati Boys
slow flashing red after he hits the red button for ~45 seconds
emergency alert noise after that scene change - loud for about 5 seconds
last “could this be the end” when the line walks forward - red light on the audience & singular air raid siren at full volume (then continues quietly for some time after)
“the line is drawn/a nuclear flash” - quick green on
briefly loud after “this is the land of Aloha”
loud alert noise after the Grey’s Anatomy line
“I hear a beach calling!” - lights pointed at the audience get fairly bright for ~15 seconds
“it’s not my fault” - quick red at the audience
flashing red for ~10 seconds after “life’s hard and I’m sorry”
alternating lights at the audience and a slow moving wash from the left at the clapping in the finale for ~10 sec
slow wash over the audience at the end of the post-bows song
Content Advisory
racism/tokenism
imminent panic of death
some ableist language used in the tweets pulled from Trump & Kim Jong Un (specifically a reference to the r-slur)