I am going to the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury Social Story for the Waterside theatre. Page 1
I will enter the building through the revolving doors Social Story for the Waterside theatre. Page 2
I will see a cafe when I first enter the building, it will be very busy. Social Story for the Waterside theatre. Page 3
I can collect my tickets from the booking office. Social Story for the Waterside theatre. Page 4
The theatre has three floors. My seats will be in a place called the Stalls or Circle 1 or Circle 2. Circle 1 and 2 are upstairs. I can use the stairs or the lift. Social Story for the Waterside theatre. Page 5
If I need to go to the toilet, I must follow these signs If I get lost or cannot find the toilet, I may ask a member of theatre staff Social Story for the Waterside theatre. Page 6
When the auditorium is ready, there will be an announcement, informing everyone that the doors are now open, and inviting people to take their seats. I may enter the auditorium at this point through one of the numbered doors with the rest of the group. I must remember to have gone to the toilet before taking my seat. Social Story for the Waterside theatre. Page 7
When I enter the auditorium, I may detect a strong smell of wood. This is normal, as a lot of the décor inside the building is various types of wood. This is the view of the stage from the entrance door into the auditorium when it is empty Social Story for the Waterside theatre. Page 8
This is the view of the auditorium from the stage Social Story for the Waterside theatre. Page 9
A person called an usher will look at my ticket and tell me which seat to go to. The numbers on the tickets tell us where we have to sit. It is not a choice. Social Story for the Waterside theatre. Page 10
If I feel that I am unable to see the stage clearly, I may ask a member of theatre staff to find a booster cushion for me to sit on. These cushions look like this Social Story for the Waterside theatre. Page 11
Just before the performance is due to begin, there will be an announcement asking everyone to turn off their mobile phones. The lights will go dark and everyone will be quiet. I must also quieten down in order to hear everything the actors say. Social Story for the Waterside theatre. Page 12
In the event of an emergency evacuation, I must follow the instructions given by theatre staff and follow these signs to leave the building Social Story for the Waterside theatre. Page 13
If I cannot keep quiet, or find the performance too loud, I may ask a member of theatre staff or an adult to take me to the quiet room which looks like this. There is a TV nearby, so I don t miss anything whilst I am out of the auditorium. Social Story for the Waterside theatre. Page 14
About halfway through the production, there will be a break called the interval. The actors will go offstage and the lights will come back on. People will also start moving around. During this period, I may go to the toilet, as I may not go during the second half. Social Story for the Waterside theatre. Page 15
I may also buy a drink from the bar or find an ice-cream vendor from whom I may purchase an icecream. Social Story for the Waterside theatre. Page 16
At the end of the interval, I will hear an announcement, informing me that the performance is about to restart. I may also hear five bells, acting as a five-minute warning to the audience. When I hear this announcement or the bells, I must return to my seat and try to be quiet. The lights will go dark again. Social Story for the Waterside theatre. Page 17
At the end of the performance, the audience will clap. This tells the actors that we liked the show. I may join in with the clapping if I want to. Social Story for the Waterside theatre. Page 18
When the actors have left the stage, the lights will come back on and everyone will start moving around. I may either leave the building immediately, or wait until the crowds have quietened down. Social Story for the Waterside theatre. Page 19
I am going to the Waterside theatre by Coral Collisson (Joint Branch officer Aylesbury Vale NAS) and Alexander Gillepsy (Young leader for the ACE youth club) in collaboration with John Coughlan (Creative learning manager of the Waterside theatre). Theatre photos by Alex Gillepsy. Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials on these pages are copyrighted by The Waterside Theatre and NAS Aylesbury Vale branch. All rights reserved. No part of these pages, either text or image may be used for any purpose other than personal use. Therefore, reproduction, modification, storage in a retrieval system or retransmission, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise, for reasons other than personal use, is strictly prohibited without prior written permission. Social Story for the Waterside theatre. Page 20