A lack of accessibility nearly caused me to miss my date with ‘Dracula’

I had a date with Count Dracula. An award-winning ballet adaptation of Bram Stoker’s immortal creation — “Dracula: Ballet at its Darkest” — was to arrive in my homeland of Singapore for the summer, and a friend of mine got wind of the news.

The production promised an evening of sparkling spectacle, splendor, and sin. It had sold out in London and Australia, and was critically acclaimed, which is befitting of the titular vampire and his tale. I knew I had to see the show before it took flight to its next tour stop at the end of a five-night limited run here.

By the time I booked my tickets, the show was nearly sold out in Singapore as well. The only reason I could secure seats with a fantastic view in the middle of Esplanade theater was because it was the designated wheelchair section. Sometimes living with SMA has its perks! I cherished all the more the opportunity to see the dance company perform. It was the first time I’d witness a ballet show after a childhood of admiring the craft thanks to the Barbie animated films from the 2000s.

(I vaguely remember exclaiming, “Mummy, ballet!” when my mother was worried about me developing foot deformities. My feet were stiff and often pointed downward. Leg braces soon followed. I was 3 years old — hence the lack of understanding and eloquence.)

Recommended Reading

May 14, 2026 Columns by Sherry Toh

How my mother gave everything she had to a child with SMA

In the end, my friend couldn’t make the show. I contemplated going alone with my hired caregiver, but decided to ask my dad to join us, too.

The anticipated evening finally arrived on July 17, the third night of Dracula’s stay in Singapore. I was abuzz and went all out in dressing for it. I chose a black off-shoulder dress, stockings with rhinestones, and my black Billy Footwear sneakers. Champagne-colored eyeshadow shimmered on my eyelids, and I painted my lips a deep wine red. Upon picking me up, my dad said I looked like I belonged to the vampire’s coven. (He would know — he was the one who got me into “Twilight.”)

Vampirism would be better than this scene

We left my apartment with what we thought was plenty of time to spare. I even made a point of telling my dad to fetch me at least a half hour before he actually needed to because he’s notoriously always late. I knew we might need some extra time to navigate our way to Esplanade, since neither of us had visited it before via the public train system. My dad could’ve driven us, but my power wheelchair can’t be folded, and his car can’t accommodate it.

I cheered on the train when he told me we would alight at our stop with almost an hour to spare. My smile lasted until the midpoint of the underpass linking the train station to the theater.

Despite being located in central Singapore, where the richest of the rich, corporate workers, and tourists all gather, there was no proper elevator at the three flights of stairs we had to navigate to reach the theater. People who don’t use wheelchairs could ride the escalators. There were platform lifts for wheelchairs, but no elevators with doors, walls, space, and crucially, technology operable without the help of a security guard or technician.

The extra time we had quickly vanished. Not only did we have to wait for security guards to arrive twice because different sections of the underpass were under custody of different guards, but the last lift stopped working with me on it. My dad checked his watch. It was time for the show. Yet there I was, dangerously aloft on malfunctioning machinery, stuck.

When my caregiver asked if I was OK, I said I was going to cry. I was missing an event I had looked forward to for months. The show was a limited run. The tickets couldn’t be refunded or exchanged for another night. Who knew if I’d get another opportunity to see it?

Thankfully, I eventually got unstuck. With haste, my party made it to the show in the middle of the first act. It wasn’t ideal, but I’ll take it over missing the entire performance.

I usually check how accessible a place is if I’m unfamiliar with it, but I took it for granted this time because Esplanade is in an area with much investment and an incentive to make its ecosystem as accessible as possible. Still, it’s unacceptable that my night was almost ruined due to a lack of true accessibility. What if I had remained stuck? What if I had been a tourist? What would my impression of Singapore have been?

If vampires were real, I’d probably ask Dracula to turn me just so I could fly. Unfortunately, I shall remain mortal and fighting for access in the year 2026 and beyond.

Note: SMA News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of SMA News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to spinal muscular atrophy.