Getting ready for the Sensory-Friendly Nutcracker.
House lights partly on, the explosion removed, flashing lights steady, softer sound, and quiet areas in the lobby. One show only, Sunday, November 29. Here is the quiet way through it, in the ballet's own words.
Colorado Ballet's Sensory-Friendly Nutcracker, Ellie Caulkins Opera House
1385 Curtis Street, Denver 80204 · One show: Sunday, November 29, 2026, 1:00 pm. About 1 hour 50 minutes including a 20-minute intermission (Act I 42 minutes, Act II 43). The box office opens 90 minutes before.
“Loud noises from props and the orchestra will be softened or removed” and “For this performance, the explosion is removed.”
“Quiet areas and activity areas in the lobby for taking a break”
Our note This is the only Colorado Ballet sensory-friendly date between now and the end of January. The regular Nutcracker run (Nov 28 to Dec 27) is not described as modified.
Our note Nov 29 is a Sunday, so the garage's $18 event rate applies all day. Expect to be out by about 3 pm.
Our note Bring your own headphones. The ballet says its supply is limited.
Headphones and earplugs: a limited number at the theatre, so bring your own. A lobby table has fidget toys, visors, sunglasses, headphones and earbuds to borrow.
Quiet and activity areas in the lobby for breaks. You can get up, move around, and leave or return to the theatre whenever you need to.
Tickets from $20 with promo code FRIENDLY (a regular Nutcracker is from $40). Children 2 and younger may sit on a lap; ask Patron Services for the free lap seat ticket.
More: parking, security, bags, food, the touch table
Named by Colorado Ballet's sensory page and social narrative; it publishes no noise scale
Louder or brighter, in the ballet's words
The orchestra (music from the orchestra pit can be loud (the ballet's social narrative))not stated
Applause (can be loud; covering ears or headphones helps)not stated
Lights (the lights above the seats dim during the show; sunglasses can help if the lights are too bright)not stated
Leaving after the show (visitors wait in line to exit)not stated
Quieter
Quiet areas in the lobby (exact spot not stated)quiet zone
Activity areas in the lobbyquiet zone
Parking: Arts Complex Garage, entered from Arapahoe St between 13th and 14th; $18 event rate on weekends; cards and phone pay, no cash or American Express. Take the elevator to Level 3 to enter the theatres. Accessible parking is by the elevators (one page says Levels 3 to 5, another says all levels).
Drop-off: curbside ramps on 13th St under the Arts Complex; the DCPA's official drop-off is 14th St between Curtis and Champa. Courtesy wheelchairs can meet you in the garage or at the curb.
Security: a metal detector in the lobby, and the DCPA asks you to arrive early. The venues are cashless.
Bags must fit under your seat. The ballet says up to 12 x 17 x 12 inches, the Arts Complex says smaller than 12 x 12 x 12; pack to the smaller one. Strollers must be checked at the theatre. Coat check is on the left side of the lobby.
Food: no outside food or drinks except factory-sealed water; snacks and drinks at the lobby bars. The Arts Complex makes exceptions for disabilities, medical needs and special needs; contact the venue before the show.
A touch table in the lobby (the social narrative calls it the Tutu Petting Zoo) has tutus, pointe shoes and costume pieces to feel.
Bathrooms on all four levels, with stairs and an elevator. A first aid room is listed for the Ellie; where it is: not stated.
Late seating is up to the House Manager; TV monitors in the lobby show the performance. The ballet recommends the Nutcracker for ages 5 and up; booster seats from the ushers.
Patron Services: (303) 339-1637, tickets@coloradoballet.org. The ballet publishes its own social narrative (English PDF); this page links to it rather than replacing it.
What the ballet doesn't say
not stated where in the lobby the quiet area is
not stated where the first aid room is
not stated whether borrowed headphones or fidgets need a deposit or ID
not stated re-entry after leaving the building
not stated what ushers and volunteers wear
not stated a lost child procedure
not stated per-section prices, or whether $20 includes the 10% seat tax
Park in the garage, ride the elevator to Level 3, walk through a metal detector, then a lobby table with fidgets, sunglasses and headphones next to a touch table of tutus and costumes. Act I is 42 minutes, then a 20-minute intermission that ends with a bell, then Act II, 43 minutes. House lights stay at about 30%, loud sounds are softened and the explosion is removed. You can leave the theatre and come back any time. Change anything.
One tip from a dad who's been there
Read the ballet's own social narrative the night before, and pack your own headphones, because the theatre has only a limited number. Find the quiet area in the lobby before Act I starts. Leaving early still counts as a ballet day.
Common questions
What if my child won't look at the schedule or story?
That is common at first. Leave it where the moment happens, point to one picture at a time, and keep it low-pressure. Many kids warm up to it after a few calm tries, in their own time.
Can I make this in Spanish?
Yes. Every tool and this page exist in Spanish, and the printed page comes out in the language you choose. Use the language switch at the top.
Do I need an account?
No. There is no signup, and we don’t keep what you type; anything you save stays on your device. Make it, print it, done.
