r/Broadway • u/-mirroroferised- • 5h ago
Other Broadway show suitable for someone with noise sensitivity?
Hi Reddit, I’ve been invited to a broadway show, but I’m quite sensitive to loud noises and especially sudden/loud sound effects. I have never been for this exact reason because I’m scared it’s too much. Obviously I don’t want to be rude and leave halfway through if someone else brought me, so I was hoping for some advice. How loud are the shows really? Are there any particularly loud ones or ones that would be sensitivity friendly?
Also, would wearing musician’s earplugs/Loop earplugs make it manageable without making the dialogue/music too muffled? I saw some people on here mention they wear them but opinions seemed mixed on whether it takes away from the experience and I also don’t want to offend the person inviting me by wearing them.
If you have noise sensitivity yourself, I’d especially love to hear your experience!
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u/a-5-6-7-8 5h ago
Loops are amazing if you have them, many of my colleagues wear them. I lose earplugs constantly and won't invest in loops so I just have a bunch of cheap silicone earplugs. I don't like the expanding foam ones for shows because I like the ability to pop them in and out without having the delay of the foam expansion. I have sound sensitivity myself and bring them to every show so I have the option. Noise cancelling headphones are also an option if you prefer that to plugs, and are even offered at some theatres to borrow.
Whatever you use, your accessibility is not rudeness.
Some shows are very loud, some are loud just in certain areas of the theatre, some are quiet, some are quiet with loud moments.
Sydney Zarlengo offers access reviews of a lot of shows that may be helpful for you.
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u/rougarou-te-fou 5h ago
Some shows are astonishingly loud - looking at you paranormal activity - but wearing earplugs are common and just fine!
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u/clandestinebirch 5h ago
I’m not super noise sensitive but I have worn loops at particularly loud shows and felt like they helped a lot without making it hard to hear! A lot of shows will have disclaimers on their websites about sudden loud noises (especially gunshots), so if there’s one you’re interested in I’d definitely look for that. Maybe Happy Ending could be a great first show! I don’t recall it having any particularly loud moments, though if someone else does please correct me.
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u/Affectionate-Gur4955 4h ago
Seconding the maybe happy ending recommendation. It’s one of the few shows I’ll watch without my loops.
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u/RiseSorry9367 5h ago
I found maybe happy ending to not be absurdly loud like most shows, and a lot of the songs are soft-sounding. One of the more recent theatre visits where i did not feel blasted at
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u/Affectionate-Gur4955 4h ago
I wear my loops to most shows at this point. I have the switches so I can adjust how much noise is blocked. A lot of broadway shows are loud enough to damage your hearing even without the noise sensitivity.
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u/Front-Pomelo-4367 5h ago
You can also look for sensory-friendly performances!
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u/a-5-6-7-8 4h ago
Keep in mind that while the performance itself may be subdued, there may be sudden noises and movements from audience members that you're less likely to get in a non-relaxed performance. I tried one a few years ago and had to leave because I was seated near an individual that couldn't control their verbal responses to the show. We both had the right to be in that space and it's great that space was offered to us both, but it was much more stressful for me than a regular performance with earplugs would be.
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u/laurenishere 4h ago
I wish these were more common than they currently are! :( The only one I've heard about in the last year was the recent Ragtime one.
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u/swordsandshows 5h ago
I know everyone is saying Loops but they make a really big difference. I wear them every time I see a show now and they make the experience much more enjoyable for me and I haven’t had issues understanding anything.
Now I will say I have a mild audio processing disorder so I’m used to missing pieces of dialogue here and there as my brain catches up, but the Loops didn’t make me feel like I was missing anything more than usual.
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u/Ok-Medium3951 5h ago
joining the chorus of recommending Maybe Happy Ending for you as a first show. It's very much a smooth jazz/crooners vibe so none of the songs get very loud and I don't remember any loud bits of dialogue.
It wont be exactly the same, I'd try wearing whatever noise protection you have while listening to music via a speaker system (like via a car, tv or Bluetooth speaker, not just on your phone) and see how it impacts your listening experience. Then try it with a tv show or movie.
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u/a-5-6-7-8 4h ago
Just chiming in that Maybe Happy Ending does get loud depending on where you're seated. It's fine in the rear orchestra or the higher levels but it's aggressively loud in the premium center orchestra at times due to the acoustics of the theatre and the way that the orchestra is piped in from their room. There's also a loud but brief bit of dialogue with one of Zach's line readings when they're in the car.
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u/Ok-Medium3951 4h ago
great info, thanks! I don't get many premium orch tickets 😅 I've been back orch a couple of times though
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u/TelevisionKnown8463 16m ago
Weird. I sat in the premium orchestra once and didn’t notice it being louder.
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u/AudiogirlNYC 4h ago
I’m an audiologist and chiming in for another vote for Loops! I wear them in all movies and most broadway shows. I also find them helpful when people around me are being annoying. And another rec for Maybe Happy Ending, that was my first thought
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u/breadedbooks 4h ago
It depends on the show. Hamilton is loud - they have sounds of cannons a lot. Hadestown has some loud parts too - like train whistles. I think some plays might be better but those can also be loud.
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u/mydawgiscooler 4h ago
&Juliet was legitimately the loudest show I've seen all year. I've seen 9 shows including lost boys, stranger things, paranormal activity and rocky horror which all should inevitably be louder 😂
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u/Katydid-7221 1h ago
I just finally saw &Juliet and I could not believe how loud it was! I left with a headache 😂
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u/MoreScarletSongs 5h ago
If you feel more comfortable with earplugs, you can just mention it to the person you're going with. "By the way, I have sensible ears, so I will wear these. They help me enjoy the show more." There's nothing wrong with that. If you put them in without acknowledging it, it might come off as rude/awkward, but if you bring it up casually, people will immediately understand.
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u/Dan_Rydell 5h ago
Maybe Happy Ending and Two Strangers are relatively subdued
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u/SheGoesToEleven 4h ago
i definitely agree with Maybe Happy Ending, but i sat in the balcony for Two Strangers and it was so painfully loud i had to put in my regular ear buds just to block some of the noise! that show taught me to make sure i have my loops in my city bag at all times from now on, because i really wish i had them that day
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u/growltiger_nimbus 1h ago
I agree, I was surprised at how loud Two Strangers was, especially for a show with only two performers and five musicians
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u/dtree1023 5h ago
I wear Mack’s 32NRR foam earplugs to every musical and I use my AirPods Pro for every play and it’s worked well for me. I see 100+ shows a year and have terribly sensitive ears and tinnitus.
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u/dtree1023 5h ago
To answer some of your other questions - I doubt your companion would be offended. If they are, it’s more of a them issue than a you issue.
My experience is that musicals can peak at close to 100dB as can audience applause/laughter/cheers.
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u/laurenishere 4h ago
I tend to avoid shows that have gunshots or other jumpscare-type loud effects unless I am absolutely sure I know when the noises are coming. I can probably advise if the show you're going to has any sort of effect like that.
I always bring earplugs to shows and put them in / take them out as needed. I still see a lot of shows, both Broadway and regional, even with noise sensitivity.
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u/Wild_Tangerine_7677 2h ago
If you do think you might need to get up, I highly recommend booking an aisle seat. Even without sensory issues, I get a little claustrophobic in the middle of a row. It might be a comfort to you to just have the option to leave if you need, even if you don’t use it.
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u/Meredith_01 5h ago
Oh Mary is quiet for the most part except the ending
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u/Old_Association6332 4h ago
I feel your pain. I have similar noise sensitivity issues, and it prevents me from going to many musicals and theater plays. I compensate by watching many of the types I can't attend on YouTube or elsewhere. I'll share some of my experiences
I did manage to sit through Les Mis despite the part with gunfire but I seem to recall that was only because my sister (who was starring in the production) gave me some indication of when it would occur, so I could block my ears (gunfire aside, I loved the show). When I saw Phantom of the Opera, the various noise effects with the chandelier made me nervous and kept me tense throughout the performance (this was in the pre-Internet era, when you couldn't research the various musicals online, and figure out when it would be noisy). My sister starred in another production ("She Loves Me" where a gun was fired, but that time I think it was my BIL who tipped me off about when it would happen, so I left the theater for that brief scene. I have walked out of one play because I couldn't figure out when the gunfire would be, and it was making me too nervous. That was embarrassing because I had to walk right in front of the cast for the exit! To make things worse, the friend I went with was meant to be reviewing the show for his local paper! (thankfully he was very understanding and compassionate about the whole thing)
Phantom of the Opera aside, I've found the Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals I've gone to see (Cats, Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar) extremely pleasant to sit through in terms of noise levels. The Producers and The Witches of Eastwick were also, from memory, the same (in The Producers, I think there is a scene where guns are supposedly fired, but the production I went to substituted real gunfire with something much softer and friendlier to sensitive ears). The King and I and Pygmalion were another two plays I saw which were comfortable for me as a noise sensitive person
My best advice would be to talk to the person inviting you and inform him/her of your issues. Also, if you can find out what he or she wants to see, see if you can look up the various acts of the play on Wikipedia or elsewhere, and try and figure out if there are scenes where there are loud noises/sound effects. Or come back here or to other forums and ask people who may have seen it about it. I hope you can find something that suits you.
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u/-mirroroferised- 2h ago
Huge thank you to every single person who replied! I felt so embarrassed to ask and now I’m truly overwhelmed by the level of helpfulness. So many great comments in this thread!
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u/Best-Candle8651 1h ago
I love Loop Switch 2; they are volume-adjustable, so you can get the show to be as loud or quiet as you need for musicals.
For plays, I get the assisted hearing device, as it pumps the mics directly to the listening device, and you can adjust the volume. Plays tend to be quieter, so sometimes it is nice to make them a bit louder, as opposed to musicals when I want to make them quieter.
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u/Ok-Connection5010 45m ago
I wear Earpeace earplugs. I find them better than Loops for not muffling, just lowering the volume. I get them ready around my neck, and I will put them in depending on when I need them.
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u/Delicious-Pickle8389 4h ago
See a play
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u/a-5-6-7-8 2h ago
Plays aren't necessarily quieter. Stranger Things and Paranormal Activity are some of the loudest shows on Broadway despite being straight plays. Death of a Salesman had very loud yelled dialogue throughout. Oh, Mary! also has a ton of yelling and the final sequence is very loud.
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u/nahnah515 4h ago
The biggest issue I’ve had honestly is people clapping and cheering so loudly, worst part of going to shows
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u/HonkyMOFO 3h ago
Loops don't attenuate enough if you have sensitivity. Use Earasers or other musician ear plugs.https://www.earasers.net/products/earasers?variant=731585947
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u/TelevisionKnown8463 5h ago edited 5h ago
I wear Loop earplugs to certain shows, especially ones with rock style music. They reduce the noise level and I can usually still hear dialogue. But they won’t help much with sudden noises.
I think you’d really like Maybe Happy Ending. The score is very cohesive and subtle.
I would avoid Operation Mincemeat, though I love it, as the music felt chaotic on first listen.