# Sensory-Friendly Performance of The Nutcracker — Colorado Ballet

> Event for families in the Denver–Aurora–Centennial area (CO). Times are Mountain Time.

- When: Sun, Nov 29 · 1:00 PM
- Where: Ellie Caulkins Opera House, 1385 Curtis Street, Denver, CO 80204
- Ages: Production recommended for ages 5 and older; this performance is for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, ASD, SPD and other sensory sensitivities and their families
- Price: Accessible pricing (enter promo code FRIENDLY to unlock tickets); not eligible for other discounts
- For kids with sensory or other needs: Sensory-friendly. Sensory adaptations: startling effects and the battle explosion removed, flashing lights steady, loud sounds softened (bring headphones or earplugs; a limited number at the theatre), house lights at about 30%. Relaxed rules (move around, leave and return), therapeutic iPads allowed, fidgets provided, quiet and activity areas in the lobby, touch table, trained staff and volunteers, audio description. Tickets online with promo code FRIENDLY; groups of 8+ call 303-837-8888 ext. 2.
- Organizer: Colorado Ballet
- Official page: https://tickets.coloradoballet.org/10177/10193?promo=FRIENDLY
- Last checked: Tue, Oct 27

Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Nov 2, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about
Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-01), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/denver/activities/sensory-friendly-performance-of-the-nutcracker-colorado-ballet--listing-60ff93c20a7a9f23403030fb

## About

Colorado Ballet sets aside its Sunday matinee of The Nutcracker on November 29 as a sensory-friendly and audio-described performance for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, autism, sensory processing disorder and other sensory sensitivities, and their families. The full ballet with the live Colorado Ballet Orchestra is kept, with Clara, the Nutcracker Prince, the mice and the Land of Snow, but the startling effects are taken out: the battle-scene explosion is removed, flashing lights shine steadily, loud prop and orchestra noises are softened, and house lights stay at about 30 percent. House rules are relaxed, so children can move around, leave and come back, use iPads for therapeutic purposes and hold the fidgets provided; volunteers are stationed through the theatre, the lobby has quiet and activity areas, and a touch table lets patrons feel costume pieces. The regular production runs 1 hour 50 minutes with one intermission and is recommended for ages 5 and up. A social narrative can be previewed online.

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