Introduction
Welcome to Soulpepper’s visual story for coming to our theatre. It is designed to help you understand more about what will happen when you come to see a play.
This basic guide is geared towards those on the autism spectrum, with sensory and communication disorders, people with learning and/or developmental delays or disabilities, or anyone who may find the benefit from a more relaxed theatre environment.
This guide will take you on a step-by-step journey through your experience at the theatre.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. The Theatre
3. How to Get Here
4. Distillery District
5. The Young Centre
6. Atrium
7. Will Call & Box Office
8. Café
9. The Theatres
10. Entering the Theatre
11. Stairs
12. My Seat
13. Clapping & Bow
14. Washrooms
15. Quiet Room
16. Leaving
17. Floor Map
The Theatre
I am going to a theatre at the Young Centre to see a show. I will check my tickets or email confirmation for the start time of the show. I am welcome to arrive up to 1 hour early to pick up my tickets.
How to Get Here
STREETCAR (504A)
The red streetcar (504A – Distillery Loop) will take me along King St. to the Distillery District to see the show at the Young Centre. I may have to wait for the red streetcar to pick me up. People I don’t know will get on the red streetcar with me.
BUS
I may take the bus to the Young Centre. I may have to wait for the bus to pick me up. People I don’t know will get on the bus with me.
DRIVING AND PARKING
I will park the car, then I will walk to the Young Centre. I can park underground or outside. I will pay to park the car before I leave. The underground parking lot may be darker than it is outside.
Distillery District
Cherry Street entrance
The Distillery Historic District is where I will find the Young Centre. The streets are bumpy here but I will walk carefully.
There are multiple entrances to the Distillery District. I can enter through any of them to get to the theatre.
The closest entrance is the Cherry Street Entrance. There is also the main entrance off of Mill Street at Trinity Street and the furthest entrance at Parliament Street.
The Young Centre
ADDRESS: 50 TANK HOUSE LANE
I will walk through the big doors into the Young Centre. There is a set of doors on both sides, but I can enter through either. There are two sets of doors to go through. I will end up in the Atrium. The left side has automatic doors that can open by pushing the button.
Atrium
The Atrium of the Young Centre is big. When I look up I will see lots of lights. The Atrium is sometimes noisy.
There are sometimes people standing here waiting to see the show. I will walk through the Atrium to get to the theatre where I will see the show.
There will be a sound of a bell and the lights may get brighter and darker a few times. This means that it is time to go into the theatre. I will hear a person’s voice telling me how many minutes are left until the show starts. The person is using a microphone so their voice can be loud.
Will Call & Box Office
A Box Office staff member will greet me at the Will Call desk at the back of the Atrium.
The friendly Box Office staff can help me purchase tickets.
Before I go into the theatre I will need my tickets. I will go to the Will Call desk at the back of the Atrium to pick up tickets. There may be a line up to pick up my tickets. Once I am at the desk we I will tell the person behind the desk my name and the show I am going to. Only the person who purchased the tickets needs to give their name. The person behind the desk will give me my tickets. Every person must have a ticket to go into the theatre.
Cafè
The café is where I get can drinks or food before the show. I will talk to the café staff to order. There may be lots of smells and sounds at the café. I can take my drinks into the theatre with me with a lid, but I can’t bring the food in with me. I can eat our food in the Atrium if I am hungry.
The Theatres
When the announcement in the Atrium says the doors are open I can move into the theatre that the performance is happening in. There are three theatre spaces at the Young Centre. My tickets will say which theatre the show I am attending is in. To enter I will have to wait in a line. If I go to the wrong theatre it is OK, an usher will direct me to the right theatre.
1. I might be in the Baillie Theatre.
2. I might be in the Michael Young Theatre.
3. I might be in the Tank House Theatre.
Entering the Theatre
There will be a person in front of the theatre door called an usher. There may be other people waiting to see the usher. When it is my turn the usher will take my ticket to scan with a machine that beeps. After the beep I can go into the theatre.
Inside the theatre there will be another usher. They are a friendly helper. I can ask the theatre usher for help. The theatre usher will help me find my seat.
There will also be an usher inside to give us a playbill. This playbill has information about the show, the cast, and the production team. I can say “no thank you” if I don’t want one.
Stairs
Stairs up to the balcony seats in the Baillie Theatre.
Stairs down to the main level seats in the Baillie Theatre.
Riser stairs in the Michael Young Theatre.
I may need to walk up or down stairs to reach my seat. I will walk carefully and hold onto the railing.
My Seat
Every ticket has a letter and a number. I will match the ticket letter and number with the seat letter and number. If I need help I will ask an usher. My seat is where I will sit for the show.
Clapping & Bow
The show ends when the actors bow. If I like the show I can clap when the actors bow. Other people will clap. I can cover my ears if the clapping noise is too loud.
Washrooms
Inside the Women's washroom.
Inside the Men's washroom.
I can go to the washroom any time I need to. I will have to go through two doors to get into the washrooms. The bathroom is very bright. The sound of the hand dryers and flushing toilets can be loud. There may be people I don’t know in the washrooms as well.
Accessible washrooms are available. If I need them I can ask someone at the Box Office to access them.
The Women’s washrooms are at the back of the Atrium and to the right.
The Men’s washrooms are at the front of the Atrium and to the right.
Quiet Room
If I need some quiet time I can go to the quiet room. The quiet room will be in the CABARET. I can sit in a chair or on the floor in the quiet room, or I can walk around the quiet room. I can ask an usher to help me find the quiet room.
Leaving
All the people will leave the theatre at the same time. The path will be crowded and I may have to wait as people make their way out. I will walk slowly and carefully on the stairs.
Floor Map
This is a floor map of the Young Centre’s main floor. I can use this to find the different areas I may need to find while at the Young Centre for a show. I can ask an Usher where something is if I cannot find it.
For more information ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY AT THE YOUNG CENTRE, Please Contact:
Karen Turner
Senior Manager of Patron & Operations Services
Young Centre for the Performing Arts/Soulpepper Theatre Company
416.866.8666 x402
karen.turner@youngcentre.ca