“Fish In A Tree” was the most wonderful experience from soup to nuts for my family. The play itself was so imaginative and incredibly well executed—from the performances, to the music, to the messages about learning differences and kindness. I really appreciated how it introduced dyslexia and anti-bullying in ways that children could understand, engage with, and have fun. I also wanted to thank you sincerely for all the care and attention put into creating a sensory-friendly experience and making it accessible to children who can’t read. There was so much thought put into making the show sensory-friendly, from the fidget toys and pre-show activities, to the lighting, sound, etc., and the imaginative use of digital technology. My older child has been a rapt theater goer since she saw her first NYCCT show – The Ballerina Swan – at the age of two, but my second child has never enjoyed live performances of any kind, because he is frequently over-stimulated and has trouble paying attention and being quiet/still. At age seven, this was the first time he has ever enjoyed a live show. And, I can’t tell you how wonderful it was for me to watch him interact enthusiastically with the performance, without having to stress about shushing him or telling him to sit still the entire time. My heart melted when we walked out of the show and he said, “I really liked that,” then later that day asked if we could go again. As the parent of a child with a learning disorder who tells me he hates going to school because he struggles to read/write, I teared up a couple of times during the performance, when Mr. Daniels was introduced and my son said, “I like this teacher,” and when Allie asked if she’d ever learn to read, and my son said “Yes.” I’m very grateful that NYCCT creates such inclusive experiences for children and their families with performances that are both entertaining and adept at imparting meaningful lessons about kindness, acceptance, and the importance of believing in oneself.

The show was moving and inspiring – our daughter has dyslexia and could definitely relate to some of Ally’s struggles. The projections of sets and drawings from Ally’s book were very entertaining as well.

We absolutely loved the show! The writing, acting, direction and design were all excellent. The story was so clear and yet held the attention of both child and parents. We are a theatre family and so glad to now know about your company. Truly we were blown away by the quality, especially the acting.

A funny, real, and heartwarming piece of theatre. It was visually innovative and whimsical. The kids and kids at heart in the audience were fully engaged with Ally’s journey. My favorite part was actually the pre-show where the teaching artist asked questions of the audience. The kids were so imaginative and brave with their responses. It set the tone for the piece we were about to see.

My 8 year old was totally absorbed and claimed the play was terrific. She was fascinated by how much she learned and questioned me after about dyslexia. She loved that the play was totally relatable to her, especially the mean girls and nice people’s relationships and situations. It didn’t pander but presented a very real situation. She was particularly concerned about why no other teacher was aware of Ally’s problem. The play sparked lots of good talk after. Thanks for an intelligent and entertaining afternoon.

“In devising an  onstage gateway to Ally’s imagination, “We were like, what if the portal is actually her notebook?” said Sammy Lopez, the show’s co-director. “And what if we gave the audience the opportunity to jump into the notebook with Ally? And so that kind of inspired the ways in which we built out the physical life of the show.”

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