Hickory – The award-winning play The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time marks its final performances this weekend, April 11-14 at the Hickory Community Theatre. The Thursday night performance will be a sensory friendly performance, designed to accommodate the needs of individuals with autism spectrum disorders, sensory sensitivities, or other disabilities.

Based on the 2003 novel by Mark Haddon, and adapted for the stage by Simon Stephens, the play follows a transformative period in the life of Christopher Boone. Fifteen-year-old Christopher is exceptionally intelligent but ill equipped to interpret everyday life. When he’s suspected of killing his neighbor’s dog, his search for the real culprit leads to an earth-shattering discovery and a journey that will change his life forever.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time rewires the conventional theatrical circuitry with bright lights and sounds that are intended to show audiences the world in the way that young Christopher Boone, the play’s protagonist, experiences it.

For the sensory friendly performance on Thursday, there are small changes to lighting and sound effects for this performance. This includes the removal of strobe lighting and flashing lights, as well as reducing loud noise. These are the only changes; everything else in this dynamite production remains the same. After the show, there will be a Q&A session with representatives from the Autistic Education Foundation.

The final four performances of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time are Thursday (Apr 11) at 7:30pm, Friday and Saturday (Apr 12 & 13) at 8:00pm, and Sunday (Apr 14) at 2:30pm. Tickets for Thursday night care $14 for adults and $10 for students and youth 18 and under. Tickets for Friday through Sunday are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors (60 and over), and $10 for students and youth 18 and under. Call the box office at 828-328-2283 or visit hickorytheatre.org to purchase tickets or get more information.

This production is rated R because it contains strong, adult language.

HCT is a Funded Affiliate of the United Arts Council of Catawba County. The Theatre’s 2018-2019 Season is sponsored by Paramount Automotive and A Cleaner World. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is produced by Cargo Transporters and Hickory Allergy, Asthma & Sinus. This production is supported by grants from the Corning Incorporated Foundation and from the United Arts Council of Catawba County through the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, with funding from the State of North Carolina from the National Endowment for the Arts.

PHOTO: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at the Hickory Community Theatre features Jordan Correll (foreground left), Jordan Smith (foreground right), Emma Lee Kurts. The final performances are this weekend, Thursday April 11, through Sunday April 14. Photo by Ken Burns.