Providing Accessibility to Arts & Cultural Events for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communities
Upcoming Shows
Explore Hands On’s Instagram feed by hovering over or clicking the images below. Click “Follow Us” to stay up to date on upcoming shows and stories that highlight our shared commitment to community and access.
✨ The Winter's Tale is coming to Free Shakespeare in the Park! Tony Award-winning director Daniel Sullivan returns with Shakespeare's enchanting tale of jealousy, loss, love, and redemption. Join us for this magical story where fate, forgiveness, and true love take center stage. As always, we'll do our best to accommodate everyone interested in attending our interpreted performances. If tickets are limited, priority will be given to Deaf audience members. Reserve your tickets through the link in bio! 🎭
Jul 20
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The power lies in her hands, one drop at a time. What begins as one act of survival sparks a secret sisterhood determined to reclaim their freedom. But can Giulia Tofana save them all without losing herself? Join us for this interpreted performance on July 23rd. ✨
Jul 12
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Hands waving to the incredible interpreting team for Girl, Interrupted! 👏✨
Jul 6
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Access to the arts doesn't happen by accident. It happens because of a community that believes everyone deserves a seat in the audience. ❤️ This season, together, we: ✨ Interpreted 27 performances 🎟️ Distributed 1,000+ tickets 🤟 Welcomed 600+ Deaf audience members 🎭 Expanded partnerships with theaters across New York City As we prepare for an exciting fall season, your support helps make every interpreted performance, every training, and every accessible theater experience possible. If you believe the arts should be accessible to everyone, consider making a gift today. Every donation helps create more opportunities for our community.
Jul 1
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5
We’re thrilled to announce that Hands On has been featured in the Forbes Accessibility 200! Being recognized by Forbes alongside organizations and leaders driving accessibility forward is an incredible honor. This recognition belongs to our entire community: our team, interpreters, partners, artists, and Deaf/HH audiences who inspire our work every day. Here's to continuing to make access the standard, not the exception.
Jun 24
114
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Whoopee! 👏👏
Jun 15
19
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The story of GIULIA: The Poison Queen of Palermo comes to you in just over ONE month 🥀 ㅤ LINK IN BIO for tickets 🎟️
Jun 12
7
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This team did astonishing astroclating work at The Emporium ✨
Jun 10
15
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GIRL, INTERRUPTED! TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW! Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Martyna Majok brings GIRL, INTERRUPTED to the stage for its world premiere at The Public! This shattering new take on Susanna Kaysen’s groundbreaking memoir features original music from two-time Grammy Award winner Aimee Mann and choreography by Tony Award winner Sonya Tayeh. Tony Award nominee Jo Bonney directs this captivating new play with music about a group of young women fighting for control, stability, and hope. You won't want to miss it on June 27th!
Jun 4
6
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Girl, Interrupted on June 27th! After being checked into a psychiatric hospital, Susanna finds herself trapped in a place that’s both refuge and prison, discovering unexpected connections with the young women of her ward as they all fight for control, stability, and hope.
May 29
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Congratulations to Alexandria Wailes on her incredible win for Outstanding Director of a Musical for A Strange Loop! 🎉👏 We are also celebrating the brilliantly talented VOCA team at the Helen Hayes Awards for this well deserved recognition! ❤️ Pics from @vocarts_ ✨
May 27
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Watch the company of ‘Thornton Wilder’s The Emporium’ bring the playwright’s final work to life! More than 75 years in the making, don’t miss your last chance to experience a Wilder premiere. Catch it at CSC on June 2nd! ✨
May 22
25
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SHAKESPEARE FOR THE CITY 2026 is here 🎭✨ Interpreted performances are available on June 20 & 23! 🤟 Free tickets. Free theater. Free for all, forever. We can’t wait to see you at The Delacorte, in your neighborhoods, and throughout the city this summer. ☀️
May 18
15
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Calling Deaf families! Experience theater in ASL on May 17 at 12 PM 🎭 Follow Bart on an urban adventure filled with towering hot dog carts, dog nappers, and unexpected friendships. New Owner is a heartfelt, wordless story told through stunning puppetry and animation, capturing friendship, loss, and new beginnings from a dog’s point of view. Join us at The New Victory Theater for New Owner! 📩 Email info@handson.org to reserve your tickets.
May 13
17
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Only 10 tickets left! ✨ June 2nd at 7 PM! Don’t miss the interpreted performance of The Emporium—Thornton Wilder’s long-unfinished final play, newly completed by Kirk Lynn and finally brought to the New York stage. A journey through wonder, meaning, and the search for something deeper.
May 12
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A night out you’ll remember for a very long time. Experience Richard O’Brien’s THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, directed by Sam Pinkleton. Only at Studio 54 on May 16 and 19!
May 7
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Happy National Interpreter Appreciation Day 💛 We’re grateful for all that you do, today and every day.
May 6
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A round of hands waving for this team!! ✨
May 5
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About Hands On
Offering Sign Interpreted Performances in the not-for-profit theatrical arena along with information on Deafness and the arts across New York City and the country.
Browse Shows by Theater
Alexandria Wailes welcomes you to our community website.
Our Services
Interpreted Performances
Hands On offers the Deaf community a diverse range of quality interpreted performances at some of the city’s most popular venues.
Consulting Services
Hands On offers services including marketing strategies, staff training and disability community outreach and engagement campaigns.
Cultural Calendar
The Calendar provides the Deaf community with information on a variety of cultural offerings available in New York City metropolitan area.
Put Your Hands Up for Hands On!
We’ve accomplished so much in the last 35+ years and we want to keep interpreted theater around for another 35+ years. To keep going, we need your help.
Hands On programs and services are generously supported in part by grants from:
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