Sensory Room Debuts at Starlight
Variety KC, The Children’s Charity of Greater Kansas City, and Starlight Theatre celebrated the official opening of the Variety KC Sensory Room with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, July 21.
The dedicated space is designed to support individuals with sensory processing differences while attending live performances and community events at one of Kansas City’s most iconic entertainment venues.
Designed as a quiet, calming environment, the Variety KC Sensory Room gives guests a place to step away from the stimulation of a live performance, regulate in a supportive setting, and return when they’re ready. Rather than leaving early or missing a performance entirely, families can experience live theater at their own pace.
For many individuals with sensory processing differences and other neurological or developmental conditions, bright lighting, amplified sound, large crowds, and extended performances can become overwhelming. The Variety KC Sensory Room helps remove those barriers by providing a comfortable, accessible environment where guests can pause, regroup, and return to the performance with confidence, ensuring more families can create lasting memories together. The space includes calming sensory tools, comfortable seating, and an environment intentionally designed to help guests regulate before returning to the performance.
“Accessibility isn’t about changing the performance; it’s about making sure more people can experience it,” said Marc Harrell, CEO and Chief Inclusion Officer of Variety KC. “The Variety KC Sensory Room gives families the confidence to attend live theater knowing there’s a welcoming place to step away if needed and return when they’re ready. Every child, every family, and every guest deserves to feel they belong.”
“Creating meaningful arts experiences begins with creating an environment where everyone feels welcome,” said Lindsey Rood-Clifford, CEO of Starlight Theatre. “Thanks to our partnership with Variety KC, the new Sensory Room expands access for guests of all backgrounds and abilities and reflects our commitment to making Starlight the home for accessible live arts experiences for all generations.”
Starlight has partnered with Variety KC in the past to create sensory kits that may be checked out during Broadway performances, concerts, movie nights, and other live entertainment. The kit includes noise-cancelling headsets, weighted blankets, and fidget toys.
The Variety KC Sensory Room is the latest example of Starlight’s commitment to making live theatre more inclusive. Through partnerships like this one, Starlight continues to remove barriers so every child and family has the opportunity to experience performing arts in a way that is best accessible to them.