Accessibility & Ticket Access
The transforming and entertaining experience that live theater provides belongs to everyone. Philadelphia Theatre Company is dedicated to its mission to serve all theater audiences, and to eliminate the barriers that keep individuals with special needs isolated from the arts and from their communities. In recognition of our dedication to this mission, we are proud recipients of the 2004 Mayor’s Commission on Disabilities Award and the 2004 Accessibility Beyond the Ramp Award.
Philadelphia Theatre Company’s Suzanne Roberts Theatre features state-of-the-art accessibility for patrons with disabilities, including:
- Street level access to bathrooms
- Elevator access between floors and wheelchair seating in both the Mezzanine and Orchestra
- Assisted listening devices for all performances (please ask about our T-coil compatible device options that will work with your hearing aide)
- Wheelchair-level ticket windows accessible to all
- Automatic doors from the street into the theater
- Braille signage throughout the building
- Audio Described Performances & Pre-Show Sensory Workshops For audience members who are blind or low vision. Through wireless headsets, a trained audio describer fills in the details of action on the stage, which might otherwise have been visually missed. Check the season calendar for specific dates. Reservations are required for Sensory Workshops, which start 90 minutes before the show.
For more information, please contact Artistic Associate Allison Fifield
at 215.985.1400 x100, or [email protected].
Ticket Access
- Thanks to a sponsorship from PNC Arts Alive, ten seats will be offered at $10 for every performance throughout the 2018-19 season. The day of each performance any patron may visit or call the box office at 215-985-0420 or go online to purchase up to two 10Tix. Unlike typical rush ticket policies which are subject to availability, these seats will be kept off sale to the public, to ensure availability.
- The ACCESS LIVE ticket initiative provides $2 tickets to ACCESS cardholders; these are PA residents who monitor their government-issued cash, food or medical benefits with an EBT card. Simply show your access card at the box office.
- PTC also offers free or deeply reduced tickets to Philadelphia school students and senior citizens.
Accessibility
The following matinee performances are crafted for Audio Description:
A Small Fire – Wednesday, October 6th @1pm
Everything is Wonderful – Wednesday, March 4th @1pm
The Wolves – Wednesday, April 15th, @1pm
- Open Caption Performances For audience members who are hearing impaired. A large LED captioning screen, positioned beside the stage, scrolls text of the lyrics/dialogue in tandem with the lyrics/dialogue of the performance.
- Sensory Friendly Performances (More information below) For persons with autism or with other disabilities that create sensory sensitivities. We are pleased to present this special opportunity to give audiences a world-class theatre experience modified for those with sensory needs. It’s part of our mission to make professional theatre accessible to everyone.
The following matinee performances are crafted for both Open Captioning and Sensory Friendly audiences:
A Small Fire – Saturday, October 9th @2pm
Everything is Wonderful – Saturday, March 7th @2pm
The Wolves – Saturday, April 18th @2pm
So that we may serve you better, please specify any special needs you may have.
Please call us at 215-985-0420 or email us at [email protected]
Performance adjustments may include:
- House lights will remain on at a low level in the theatre during the performance
- Lower sound levels, especially for startling or loud sounds
- A reduction of startling and/or strobe lighting
- Freedom to talk, vocalize, and leave seats during the performance as needed
- Space available throughout the theatre for standing and movement
- Limited crowds and visitors through the theatre lobby during the day and time of the performance
Feel free to bring noise-canceling headphones, fidget and stress sensory toys, and/or anything else you may need to ensure maximum comfort and safety.
Resources available before and during the performance:
- A quiet area will be provided in the theatre lobby to relax as needed
- Fidget and stress sensory toys will be available to borrow
- Staff from PTC, who have been trained to be inviting and accommodating of families’ needs, will be available throughout the theatre and the lobby
- Disposable earplugs
- Pre-show preparation materials will be available as the performance date approaches to help prepare all attendees for the experience of attending these performances
