As part of ongoing efforts to be more inclusive and accessible, the Omaha Community Playhouse’s free VROOM! Mobile Sensory Theatre takes the magic of the stage to sensory sensitive audiences.
Conceived by former OCP Artistic Director Stephen Santa, the program delivers an intimate, outer space-themed experience called “Starshine!” right to a family’s home courtesy of a specially-outfitted van. The interior contains a fully dressed set of surprises as “Starkeeper” participants discover their own star caretaker role.
VROOM! removes barriers that may make it challenging for families to bring their sensory sensitive loved one to a traditional theater.
Local English teacher Rana Jafar appreciated how the special experience catered to her autistic son Ismael.
“I just loved the convenience of it. They come and park up in your drive,” she explained. “It’s in the comfort of your own home. You just have to step outside, and it’s there for you.”
Program coordinator Katy Kepler said the neurodivergent-friendly performances mostly serve children with autism or some other sensory sensitivity.
“We don’t require someone to have a formal diagnosis to participate,” she said, indicating that shows are offered to sensory sensitive adults as well.
She notes that VROOM! breaks traditional stage performance rules in service of its audience.
“In a typical theater, you don’t touch the stage, you don’t handle props, you don’t talk to the person performing, but here you do,” said Kepler. “This is really, truly hands-on. The audience member is your scene partner. You communicate—verbally or otherwise—and react to what your audience member reacts to.”
Rather than a show that one passively watches, she continued, it’s an experiential journey or adventure.
“Instead of a strict start or end time, it’s flexible. We start when our audience member is ready to start,” Kepler said. “If an audience member needs to get up to take a break or use the bathroom, we pause the show. We can do that because we’re not dependent on a whole crowd and following a super tight schedule. If a performance is 10 minutes, and our audience member enjoys it, awesome. If it’s 45 minutes, also great. All those things become flexible to meet the needs of this person.”
“Each time we perform this experience, it’s completely different,” actor Kathleen Combs said. “That makes it fresh for each of us.”
That kind of performing is exciting for the actor. “The intimacy is unlike any other theater experience. It’s just the audience member, their parent or guardian, and the actors. It’s almost like you’re in this bubble,” she explained.
“You are laser-focused on your recruit,” Combs continued. “Everything else goes away. You don’t even know what time it is. So, it is really intimate. You’re so close that it’s really special. That bond is so strong.”
Combs said that performing for VROOM! makes for more personal and stronger theater connections for audience members and the actors themselves. “This experience has allowed me to grow as an actor and not be afraid to let moments play out in the silence,” she shared. “I’ve taken what I’ve gained from actively listening in silence to roles I’ve played outside Mobile Sensory Theatre, and I now feel comfortable in that.”
Families booking VROOM! are asked to share in advance practical information concerning accommodations and considerations, such as whether the audience member uses a wheelchair. OCP also incorporates the input of its target audience into the creative process.
“That’s all very helpful and we need to know it,” Kepler said. “Where it gets fun is learning about their special interests and incorporating them into the story.
Unfortunately, in the real world, if you have a special interest, you can get bullied about it. But VROOM! gives them an opportunity to be joyful and expressive of their interests without judgment.”
For example, Combs learned ahead of time that Ismael’s favorite scientist is Ibn al-Haytham, a medieval physicist, astronomer, and mathematician, and his favorite band is the Beatles. “I was able to mention many of his favorite things, and Ismael was then able to add to it,” she said. “It was the best experience. Mom and dad were both in the van, and they were in tears. They loved it.”
“Even though we were there next to him and were able to enjoy it with him, it was still his experience,” Rana added. “It was him they were engaging with. It was all about him. What stood out most was they actually used what I shared about my son’s interests. They incorporated mentions of these things into the storytelling. It was just a beautiful experience.”
Ismael was “impressed” and “surprised” by how much the show reflected his passions.
“It’s very important to us,” Kepler emphasized, noting that the program partners with Laura Dodge Elementary School’s Alternative Curriculum Program. “I go to classrooms working directly with young people with autism and other disabilities. It’s really helpful, because we get to test out our ideas and themes and see what resonates—and what doesn’t.”
All “Starshine!” actors have teaching and classroom experience, she added, to facilitate performances. A social narrative is used to create predictability for the audience.
“Sometimes neurodivergent people need a little extra information about what to expect,” Kepler said. “Surprises can feel really overwhelming. If you’re someone who doesn’t like surprises or has a sensitivity to all the other things going on—the lights, the sounds, the crowd around you—well, then you’re being bombarded with all this input. If you know what to expect, you can have a much more successful experience. Resources we provide are photos of the actors, some props, and narration that describes what’s going to happen.”
VROOM! also goes to schools and community events upon request. Offseason OCP additionally offers “Extended Universe” workshops at the Playhouse.
“It’s to provide different experiences for different levels of readiness,” Kepler explained. “For families that aren’t ready to bring their child or adult to what can be an overwhelming experience going to the Playhouse or any theater, we hope to be a bridge.
“If they enjoyed the van experience, maybe they’re ready to try this workshop,” she said. “It’s not one-on-one; it’s with a group of their peers.”
“The world we set up is very magical,” Combs said. “We use a lot of the props from ‘Starshine!’ We play a little bit with the lighting. We have music. It’s broken down into segments. Everybody checks off each activity as we do it, which makes everything predictable. It’s a wonderful, safe space to explore.”
While VROOM! starts shutting down for the season in October, the mobile theatre takes to the open road again in April 2025, when bookings for the new show also open. Kepler is currently developing the script for the new VROOM! show.
For more information about VROOM!, visit omahaplayhouse.com/inclusion/mobile-sensory-theatre.
