Type to enter text Greater Boston Stage Company Social Story Welcome to Our Theatre!
Going to the Theatre I am going to see Tiny Tim s Christmas Carol at Greater Boston Stage Company. The address is 395 Main Street in Stoneham, MA. The show begins at 2:00pm on Saturday, December 15, 2018.
Entrance When I get to the theatre, I will walk up the ramp and enter the lobby through the glass doors. There may be other people walking into the lobby at the same time as me. When I enter the theatre, I will have a safe body and calm hands.
Tickets I will go to the Box Office to pick up my tickets for the show. I might have to wait in line with other people to get my tickets to the show.
Theatre Lobby In the theatre lobby, I will meet friendly staff members who can answer my questions. The lobby floor is uneven and goes up like a ramp.
Quiet Room The quiet room is located at the front of the lobby. I have to walk down three steps to get into the quiet room. I can visit the quiet room anytime I need a break. I will have a safe body and calm hands. If I need an accessible entrance, I can enter the quiet room through the door from the sidewalk.
Props In the quiet room there will be some props, which are objects used in the show that help tell the story. I can look and touch these if I want to.
Concessions I will see a counter that sells snacks and drinks in the lobby. If I want to buy something from the concession counter, I have to ask an adult to go with me. I am allowed to bring food and drinks into the theatre with me.
Restrooms The restrooms are located right before I enter the theatre. If I need to use the restroom, I need to tell the adult that I am with. All restrooms are accessible and can be used as family restrooms.
Ushers Ushers will be standing outside the theatre. Ushers are theatre staff that help me find my seat. I will give my ticket to an usher who will tear it and give it back to me. The usher will tell me which way to enter the theatre so I can find my seat inside the theatre. The usher will offer me a program for the show. A program is a small booklet that tells me details about the show. I can take a program if I want to.
Inside the Theatre When I enter the theatre, I will see the stage in front of me. I will walk down the aisle ramp to my seat. I will have a safe body and calm hands.
My Seat The number on my ticket tells me where I have to sit. My seat folds down. I will sit down, face forward and look at the stage. People may come into the theatre to find their seats while I wait for the show to start. I might have to get up or move to let other people get to their seats.
The Performance The lights will lower when the show is ready to begin. Someone will come to the front of the stage to give an announcement. There will be 2 adults at the front of the stage for the entire show. They will wave glow sticks in the air if there will be a loud noise or scary moment about to happen in the show.
Sounds If the show or the inside of theatre is too loud, I can use my headphones or hands to cover my ears. Other people watching the show may clap or laugh. I can clap or laugh too if I want. If it gets too loud, I can take a break in the quiet room or lobby at any time.
Taking A Break If I need to take a break, I can ask the adult I am with to take me to the quiet room or into the lobby. If I need to leave the theatre during the show, I will walk quietly out of the theatre using a safe body and calm hands. If I need to move around, I can stand in the aisle, but I need to watch out for other people. If I need more room, I can leave the theatre and go to the quiet room or the lobby.
End of Show When the show is over, I can clap and cheer when the actors take their bows. If the noises are too loud, I can use my headphones, cover my ears or ask to leave the theatre. When the actors leave the stage, I will stay in my seat until the adult I am with gives me directions.
Leaving I will exit my seat row and walk up the aisle ramp to the lobby. I may have to wait for other people to leave their seats before I can leave mine. If there are too many people, I can stay in my seat until the crowd leaves, and then I will leave the theatre. I will have a safe body and calm hands as I leave the theatre.
Goodbye! I will exit the Greater Boston Stage Company the same way I entered it. I will walk down the lobby and out the front doors. There will be actors from the show in the lobby. I can say hello to them and ask them a question if I want to. I will wait until the actor is not talking to someone before I say hello and ask my question. I can go to the quiet room or back into the theatre if the lobby is too loud or crowded.
About Greater Boston Stage Company Greater Boston Stage Company s mission is to bring vibrant professional theatre and dramatic education beyond the boundaries of Boston, featuring world and regional premieres alongside fresh interpretations of familiar work. Within this setting, we uniquely foster the artists of tomorrow by providing ongoing performance and employment opportunities to our company of current and former students. Greater Boston Stage Company (GBSC) is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible environment for all. Additional Pre-Visit resources are available on-line on our Sensory-Friendly webpage dedicated to this performance: https://www.greaterbostonstage.org/sensory_friendly.html Acknowledgements GBSC had to opportunity to partner with Communitas for our first ever Sensory- Friendly Performance! Communitas welcomes, values, respects and supports people of all abilities. Our mission is to meet individual needs whatever they are and however they change while inspiring dreams. We advocate passionately while compassionately delivering services and programs that expand opportunities, empower people, support independence and enrich lives. Thank you to Jess Viens and Joe Desjardins for their help with this social story. https://communitasma.org GBSC is a proud member of the Massachusetts s Cultural Council s Universal Participation (UP) Network. As a designated UP cultural institution, we are committed to inspiring and creating inclusive and accessible experiences for all. Thank you to Charles Baldwin for your guidance and support. http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/services/up_organizations.asp GBSC is a National Autism Friendly Performance Training Program Partner with Theatre Development Fund (TDF) which is committed to bringing the power of the performing arts to everyone. Thank you to Colleen Mullen and Lisa Carling for this invaluable opportunity. https://www.tdf.org/nyc/131/national-autism-theatre-initiative We look forward to seeing you at the performance!