{"id":197339,"date":"2026-04-14T21:12:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T21:12:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/197339\/"},"modified":"2026-04-14T21:12:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T21:12:12","slug":"for-patrons-with-a-disability-masquerade-is-a-journey-that-is-accessible-for-all","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/197339\/","title":{"rendered":"For Patrons With a Disability, Masquerade Is a Journey That Is Accessible For All"},"content":{"rendered":"

When I first heard rumors rumbling around the theatre industry that an immersive Phantom of the Opera was\u00a0coming to New York\u00a0City and it was going to span\u00a0a five-floor venue full of stairs\u2014as a notorious Phantom of the Opera\u00a0mega-Phan<\/a>, you\u2019d think my immediate reaction would be excitement. Instead, I was skeptical.<\/p>\n

How was I, as someone who has health conditions that keep me from standing\u00a0for long periods of time, going to journey safely and comfortably\u00a0through the Phantom\u2019s lair?<\/p>\n

In my early 20s, I experienced an onslaught of autoimmune issues all at once. By the age of 25, I was learning to manage Lupus, which is difficult enough on its own, as well as a common comorbidity:\u00a0Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). It\u2019s an\u00a0autonomic nervous system disorder where the blood flow in my body basically doesn\u2019t enjoy gravity\u2014when I am standing too long, walking too far, or climbing too many stairs, everything flows down. My heart has to work much harder to keep things flowing towards my brain. When I push too hard and my body can\u2019t keep up with that demand, I pass out. <\/p>\n

Throughout my theatre-going\u00a0career, I\u2019ve had to\u00a0slip away into bathrooms or find the nearest seat, so I can put my head between my knees before my vision blacks out\u2014hopefully without anyone noticing and making a fuss. With Masquerade<\/a>, I feared I would not have that option and\u00a0I would have to miss parts of the show\u00a0in the event of a POTS episode, or even risk embarrassment if I ignore my symptoms altogether\u00a0and crash amidst the crowds.<\/p>\n

For most people,\u00a0Masquerade is nothing short of immersive excellence. Rather than sitting down and viewing a story onstage, you are a part of the story as you physically follow characters such as the Phantom, Christine, and Madame Giry through the Paris Opera House. This journey spans from the roof of the five-story venue where Christine and Raoul pledge their love,\u00a0all the way down to the basement where the Phantom sings “Music of the Night.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s every Phan\u2019s wildest dream. But for someone like me, it could become a nightmare. Like most of my experiences in an able-bodied world, I assumed that because I do not always use a wheelchair, my disability would be pretty much overlooked.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I was wrong.\u00a0Masquerade\u00a0actually has a special team dedicated to accessibility for all.<\/p>\n

My first two times seeing Masquerade, I did not contact the access team with an inquiry about my disability, partly because of that incorrect assumption, but also (admittedly) because I am only just beginning to find the courage to ask for help without shame. Unfortunately, during\u00a0my second time at\u00a0Masquerade, I very nearly fainted in the final minutes of the show (right in front of the Phantom himself), which was a wake-up call for me\u2014as on brand as that would be for a Victorian heroine, I did\u00a0not wish to emulate Christine Daa\u00e9 in this particular way.
<\/a><\/p>\n

READ:\u00a05 Key Differences Between Phantom of the Opera and Masquerade<\/a><\/p>\n

The third time would have to be the charm for me, and I decided to document my experience seeing Masquerade\u00a0on the \u201cADA track,\u201d which is essentially the guest-tailored experience designed by the show\u2019s access team to ensure that every patron is able to safely enjoy their journey through the Op\u00e9ra Populaire, no matter their specific needs. I also interviewed members\u00a0of the accessibility team after the show for this piece\u2014so that\u00a0Playbill readers like myself can know they have options, and readers without disabilities can get a closer look into this incredible feat of accessible theatre.<\/p>\n

Prior to my performance date, I made sure to brief the production via email ([email\u00a0protected]<\/a>) on exactly what I\u2019d need throughout the show, which is opportunities to sit as often as possible, and to avoid stairs. I knew the venue is fully ADA compliant with elevators, but I did not know that they could assign one of the shows \u201cButlers\u201d\u2014the incredible crew that ensures audiences flow into each scene and room seamlessly\u2014to follow me around with a folding stool to set up in each room in the event they couldn\u2019t scout one of the built-in seats for me. (Most rooms have places for the audience to sit, but with a limited amount of seats, some of the audience is left to stand.)<\/p>\n

I arrived a little bit earlier than the show recommended, waiting outside about 30 minutes prior to my entry time. Soon enough, someone emerged from the newspaper-clad doors, ushering me inside. This is where I was introduced to my butler, Matthew Ballestero (a phrase that feels very silly to write, but it certainly does add to the immersion!). I was able to go over my needs with him one more time. More importantly, I was able to get to know him\u2014we talked about life, the show, and the weather. By the time the show began, I no longer felt vulnerable, but comfortable with the person who would be standing by my side every step of the way.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Masquerade Butler Matthew Ballestero and Playbill’s Meg Masseron
\n (Meg Masseron)<\/p>\n

\u201cThat little 15 minutes before is so nice to ease the waters,\u201d Ballestero later said in our post-show interview. \u201cI get to let everyone know that we\u2019re going to have a good time, and I\u2019m going to be here for you.\u201d <\/p>\n

Ballestero has been with the production since the beginning of previews, moving all the way from Anaheim, California, to take the job. Back home, he worked on several Disneyland live productions such as Frozen: Live at the Hyperion. On the side,\u00a0Ballestero did behavioral work with autistic kids and teens;\u00a0his approach always came from a theatrical perspective. “In my experience directing, having people not only onstage but also in the audience, I’m always thinking about how we can make things more accessible … When a friend recommended me for this job, everything lined up, and I was like, wow, this is the perfect gig for me to move to New York City, because it married everything that I’ve done.”<\/p>\n

Moving from scene to scene with\u00a0Ballestero as my guide, Masquerade felt entirely different. I had wondered if doing the ADA track would leave one feeling less immersed, like the illusion is somewhat broken, or left out from all the action.<\/p>\n

Fortunately this time, I felt even more at the center of the story. I had several fun interactions with members of the cast. I\u00a0won\u2019t go so far as to say it was purposeful every time, but I do get the sense that the cast had been directed to keep an eye out for those who could easily be overlooked\u2026like my 5\u20192\u201d self sitting on a tiny stool in a sea of taller people. Visibility\u00a0wasn\u2019t a problem, either, because Ballestero methodically picked every single spot for me with the height of people or set pieces in mind, ensuring there was no obstructed view. In one scene, he even admitted to me that he has a favorite spot he always tries to place ADA track guests in for a little extra Masquerade magic.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always try to get my guests in the spot for the \u2018Infinity Mirror\u2019 moment, where Christine is singing to the mirror as it backs up and all the guests move to either side, then the curtain opens and the Phantom is there. It\u2019s one of the most visually stunning things I\u2019ve ever seen, and just to see the awe that comes across every single guest\u2019s face in that moment is amazing,\u201d said Ballestero.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

in Masquerade
\n (Andy Henderson, Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman, and Luis Suarez)<\/p>\n

Throughout the evening, I took note of aspects of the show that could be a challenge for other disabilities, and wondered how the production approaches them. In addition to my post-show interview with Ballestero, I also spoke with Cesar Hawas, who leads the accessibility team. He told me that not only is accessibility one of Masquerade\u2019s core priorities, but also, the show was built with accessibility in mind from\u00a0day one. <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think we ever considered a version of this experience that didn\u2019t have an accessibility component to it. Lots of us have been involved with big scale, high-profile immersive experiences. In immersive work, we\u2019re constantly asking ourselves: What\u2019s it like to be an audience member? [Director] Diane Paulus<\/a> was very clear early on that this needed to be a component of all the decisions that we were making throughout the space,\u201d said Hawas. \u201cI think a lot of people often will consider accessibility once the work is done, and try to back into it. But from the initial design process all the way through our earliest previews, we were thinking about how accessibility impacted our decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n

The meticulous mapping of crowd flow is evident in the show\u2019s default track, which\u00a0seamlessly moves groups of up to 60 patrons around a dark, cavernous venue. The ADA track is similarly\u00a0flawless. When the time came to move from scene to scene, rather than taking the stairs or the one escalator that normally transports guests into the Phantom’s basement lair for the title song, Ballestero discreetly guided me to an elevator, aglow with blood-red lighting (very on theme). These moments went by so quickly that they didn\u2019t take away from the story. At some points, I even caught glimpses and angles of the show I\u2019d hadn’t before, like the Phantom\u2019s boat gliding through the floor (encased in thick fog to look like a lake)\u00a0before the audience trickled in behind it.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

(Thomas Mundell\/Mundell Modern Pixels)<\/p>\n

From the misty landscape of the underground lake to the flickering lights of the chandelier before it crashes, Masquerade has carefully considered how to help audience members have a safe and exciting adventure. \u201cWith someone who is low vision or Blind, our team will guide you around and give an audio description. I\u2019ll alert all the other butlers as we are heading into certain spaces that I\u2019m going to be trying to get us as close to the action as possible,\u201d Ballestero shared. <\/p>\n

I asked him if a guest with epilepsy or sensitivity to certain lighting could be accommodated. As with all my other questions thus far, he gave an enthusiastic yes: \u201cThe only time you can consider it being strobe light-like is when the chandelier crashes, as well as when the mirror breaks as the Phantom appears. We notify guests about those two moments and let them know when they happen. And we also give butlers stationed in each area a description of the guest, so they are watching and monitoring if they need to step out.”<\/p>\n

With so many physical disabilities to consider, I made sure to ask Ballestero how disabilities on the neurodivergent spectrum could be accommodated. Autistic guests, guests with sensory issues, or even guests with mental health conditions such as PTSD or anxiety are encouraged to contact the access team with their needs. \u201cWe have definitely had guests who are neurodivergent and sometimes that didn\u2019t necessarily lead to needing a guide if they didn\u2019t specifically want one, so we just flag our butler team so that they can\u2014as our leads call it\u2014\u2019trail the pulse.\u2019 They\u2019ll just be moving with the audience, looking out to ensure that a guest with any of those disabilities is taken care of, because we do have moments of shock and awe and some things that might overstimulate.\u201d<\/p>\n

By the time the Final Lair scene arrived, I could not stop smiling out of sheer wonder and joy from experiencing Masquerade the way it is meant to be, without having to fight or push through my own barriers. And if you know anything about Phantom, you know the Final Lair scene is not the time for smiling! But feeling like my experience was finally equal to everyone else\u2019s was truly euphoric.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As the Phantom rang out his final notes reprising \u201cMusic of the Night,\u201d I couldn\u2019t help but reflect on how Phantom, at its core, is not only a romance and a tragedy, but also a disability story. It all centers on one man who, because of a facial difference, has been cruelly cast out of the world, forced to fend for himself.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With that, Masquerade certainly gets to the heart of Phantom in a way that goes much deeper than storytelling\u2014it puts theme to action for its audience.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

in Masquerade
\n (Andy Henderson)<\/p>\n

With one in four American adults having some sort of disability\u2014and countless more who know and love someone disabled, almost every audience member will have their lives impacted by disability in one way or another. Taking that into consideration, what Masquerade has accomplished in keeping all patrons in mind is certainly a successful formula for reaching a wider audience (and one that other productions, whether immersive or standard proscenium, can keep in mind).<\/p>\n

I confessed to Hawas during our discussion that my previous two times attending Masquerade, I didn\u2019t seek the help I needed, because I wasn\u2019t aware it could be offered. I told him how in the show\u2019s final moments, I very nearly alerted a butler about my declining condition, but I worried it would disrupt the show or attract attention. He told me that not only are patrons more than welcome to flag down a butler if they are in need of assistance, but this exact scenario had already been considered in their training.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy sister has very recently gone through lung cancer treatment, and throughout the majority of her day to day, she\u2019s perfectly fine. But there are certain instances in which moving around may become a little more difficult, and oftentimes she doesn\u2019t really know that until she\u2019s in the moment, so I always had her experience in the back of my mind,\u201d said Hawas. \u201cI\u2019d think, if my sister was trying to go through this moment, is there an alternative to these stairs? If she decided halfway through the show she wouldn\u2019t be able to get up these stairs without overextending herself, could she seamlessly opt in [to the ADA track] and still be a part of the experience without the illusion and the storytelling work that we\u2019re doing being ruined?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hawas revealed that eventually when his sister did attend the masked ball, she did not opt into the ADA track. Simply knowing she could at any given moment brought her the peace of mind she needed to have a good time. \u201cHaving my sister know it was available made her much more comfortable with engaging with the experience at all,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m very proud of our team and their ability to read signals from folks that may not even know that there\u2019s an alternative way to experience any given scene. Our team is well experienced both in accommodation and also empathy, and trying to meet folks where they\u2019re at.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Masquerade<\/p>\n

At the end of the evening, the audience is led downstairs to the Lair Bar, where guests (and sometimes cast members!) can mingle over drinks. There\u2019s a few tables scattered around, but usually they\u2019re all occupied before I can reach them. Typically, at this point in the night, if I can\u2019t sit, I just go home. But to my sheer awe, as I entered the Lair Bar, Ballestero flagged me down; he had secured a table for myself and my date already. For the first time, I got to experience a part of the show I hadn\u2019t been able to before. And most importantly, I got to debrief with Ballestero, and thank him profusely for all he does, for myself and anyone with a disability.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just love the idea of having someone who loves theatre come to see a show that might seem to them like a huge challenge, and for them to get here and have it be the most non-challenging thing for them,\u201d said Ballestero. \u201cAny sort of work where you\u2019re helping someone and adding theatre with that\u2026. That just speaks to me and my heart, and that\u2019s how this job came to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though safely journeying through my favorite musical was a dream come true, the highlight of my night was gaining even more perspective and appreciation for how much it takes for this production to work on a nightly basis. I realize now, even more than before, that the butlers are the true MVPs of Masquerade\u2014and\u00a0most audience members don’t even know\u00a0their names.<\/p>\n

Their incredible contributions are aptly summed up in something Hawas said: \u201cWe always knew that as an immersive experience, we were going to need these incredible butlers to help shepherd the audience through the space. So, we worked with folks who had the right sort of temperament to be able to navigate any audience member through the show and have them feel like they\u2019re just having an experience\u2014not an accessible or accommodated experience, but just a great experience.” <\/p>\n

To all the butlers in Masquerade, “Brava, brava, bravissima!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Homepage<\/p>\n

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