Seattle’s December Lineup of Accessible and Inclusive Performances
ASL interpreted, open captioned, sensory sensitive, and audio described performances are dazzling audiences in the Puget Sound this holiday season.
Seattle’s arts scene is embracing the holiday spirit with a growing commitment to accessibility. Across the city, organizations are ensuring that everyone has the chance to enjoy the magic of the season by providing services from ASL interpretation to sensory-friendly performances designed for young audiences.
If you’re seeking inclusive experiences—whether it’s festive musicals, enchanting ballets, or heartwarming theatre productions—this season offers a variety of performances to make the holidays bright for all.
A Christmas Carol
- ASL Interpreted: December 14 at 2 p.m.
- Audio Described: December 14 at 2 p.m.
- Sensory Friendly: December 15 at 2 p.m.
Seattle’s favorite holiday tradition returns for its 49th year! Gather with your family and friends for Charles Dickens’ timeless tale of hope and redemption. On a haunting Christmas Eve, the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge spirited away by three ghosts for a transformative journey through his past, present, and future.
ACT Contemporary Theatre
acttheatre.org
Back to the Future
- Open Captioned: December 15 at 6:30 p.m.
- Touch Tour: December 15 at 12 p.m.
- Audio Described: December 15 at 1 p.m.; December 22 at 1 p.m.
- ASL Interpreted: December 21 at 8 p.m.; December 22 at 1 p.m.
- Closed Captioning: Provided for all performances by GalaPro mobile devices
When Marty McFly finds himself transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, he accidentally changes the course of history. Now he’s in a race against time to fix the present, escape the past, and send himself... back to the future. When Back to the Future hits 88mph, it’ll change musical theatre history forever.
Broadway at The Paramount
seattle.broadway.com
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®
- Audio Described: December 7 at 7:30 p.m.; December 19 at 2 p.m.
- Sensory Friendly: December 19 at 2 p.m.
Join PNB for the Northwest’s favorite festive tradition, featuring all the sparkle and joy you’ve come to expect. The Nutcracker experience features a picture-perfect lobby, Tchaikovsky’s classic score (played brilliantly by the PNB Orchestra), gorgeous costumes and scenery, impressive performances, and so much more.
Pacific Northwest Ballet
pnb.org
A Sherlock Carol
- ASL Interpreted: December 7 at 8 p.m.
Moriarty is dead, to begin with. And Sherlock Holmes is a haunted man. But, when a grown-up Tiny Tim asks Holmes to investigate the death of Ebenezer Scrooge, the Great Detective must use his gifts to solve a Dickens of a Christmas mystery!
Red Curtain Foundation for the Arts
redcurtainfoundation.org
The Snow Queen
- ASL Interpreted: December 14 at 1 p.m.
- Audio Described: December 22 at 2:30 p.m.
- Access Performance (sensory sensitive performance that includes ASL interpretation and audio description): December 22 at 2:30 p.m.
Join Gerda on a harrowing journey in The Snow Queen, a wildly original adaptation of the beloved Hans Christian Andersen tale. When her best friend Kay is taken by the Snow Queen to a world of numbing ice and snow, Gerda embarks on an unforgettable adventure across singing flowers, leaping reindeer, and unbreakable riddles.
Seattle Children’s Theatre
sct.org
Blithe Spirit
- Open Captioned: December 12 at 7:30 p.m.
- ASL Interpreted: December 21 at 2 p.m.
- Audio Described: December 21 at 2 p.m.
When Charles arranges a séance in his home as research for his upcoming novel, scatterbrained psychic Madame Arcati accidentally summons the spirit of his late wife, Elvira—which infuriates his current wife, Ruth. Charles suddenly finds himself caught in a supernatural love triangle and his attempts to fix the situation only make things worse.
Seattle Rep
seattlerep.org
Jeff Arcuri
- ASL Interpreted: December 7 at 7 and 9:30 p.m.
Jeff has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Comedy Central’s Roast Battle, Laughs! on Fox, SiriusXM, and a plethora of comedy festivals around the country. Based in New York, Jeff can be seen nightly at The Comedy Cellar.
Seattle Theatre Group
stgpresents.org
The Jinkx and DeLa Holiday Show
- ASL Interpreted: December 21 at 8 p.m.
Another holiday season brings another year of fabulous spectacle, whip-smart comedy, brand new songs, and annual favorites. Join the sugary DeLa and spicy Jinkx for an evening the New York Times says is “sure to lift your spirits and make you howl with laughter.”
Seattle Theatre Group
stgpresents.org
Mary Poppins
- ASL Interpreted: December 6 at 7:30 p.m.; December 8 at 1:30 p.m.; December 21 at 1 p.m.
- Open Captioned: December 6 at 7:30 p.m.; December 8 at 1:30 p.m.; December 21 at 1 p.m.
- Audio Described: December 7 at 1:30 p.m.
- Sensory Friendly: December 21 at 1 p.m.
With a spoonful of sugar, Mary Poppins flies across the stage in a brand-new production just for The 5th Avenue Theatre audiences. Precocious children Michael and Jane Banks have exhausted every nanny—that is, until Mary Poppins drops in on a strange breeze.
The 5th Avenue Theatre
5thavenue.org
Fiddler on the Roof
- ASL Interpreted: December 29 at 2 p.m.
Set in the little village of Anatevka, the story centers on Tevye, a poor milkman, and his five daughters. With the help of a colorful and tight-knit Jewish community, Tevye tries to protect his daughters and instill them with traditional values in the face of changing social mores and the growing anti-Semitism of Czarist Russia.
Tacoma Little Theatre
tacomalittletheatre.com
Next Fest NW: Total Chaos
- ASL Interpreted: TBA (festival runs December 6 to 14)
Next Fest NW is Velocity’s experimental new works festival, celebrating contemporary dance and movement-based artists innovating in our region. For this iteration, artists were asked to respond the idea of “total chaos.”
Velocity Dance Center
velocitydancecenter.org
Legally Blonde
- Captioned: December 14 at 2 p.m.
Elle Woods appears to have it all. But her life is turned upside down when her boyfriend dumps her so he can attend Harvard Law. Determined to get him back, Elle ingeniously charms her way into the prestigious law school, and soon she discovers—and proves to the world—the power of being legally blonde.
Village Theatre Issaquah
villagetheatre.org
