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Accessibility Guide for Seattle Area Performing Arts

A resource of accessibility services offered at performing arts organizations in the Seattle Area.

Below you will find a summary of select accessibility services at performing arts organizations in the Greater Seattle Area. This guide is meant to be a resource for discovering which services are offered—this is not a conclusive or all-encompassing list, and it is ever-growing. If you notice something missing, please let us know! Please be sure to visit the organization’s website for full details, policies, and instructions regarding each service.

This guide includes services that are available at every performance. For specific accessible performances—such as ASL interpreted, open or closed captioned, sensory sensitive, or audio described—please visit our Accessible Performances Page.

Notice something that is missing? Please let us know so we can add it to our list!

Accessible Seating

  • ACT Contemporary Theatre: Wheelchair accessible seating; swing arm and armless chairs
  • ArtsWest: Wheelchair accessible seating
  • Intiman Theatre: Wheelchair accessible seating
  • Meany Center for the Performing Arts: Wheelchair accessible seating
  • On the Boards: Wheelchair accessible seating; armless and mobile chairs
  • Seattle Children’s Theatre: Wheelchair and limited mobility seating
  • Seattle Opera: Wheelchair accessible seating and wheelchair-to-seat transfer
  • Seattle Rep: Wheelchair accessible seating; wider seats (Bagley Wright Theater); standing options; and easily moveable chairs 
  • Seattle Symphony: Wheelchair accessible seating
  • Seattle Theatre Group: Wheelchair accessible seating and accessible seating escort service
  • Tacoma Arts Live: Wheelchair accessible seating
  • Taproot Theatre Company: Wheelchair accessible seating
  • 5th Avenue Theatre: Wheelchair accessible seating; swing arm and no arm chairs; and wider seats
  • Village Theatre: Wheelchair accessible seating
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Assistive Listening Devices

  • ACT Contemporary Theatre: Williams Sound® audio equipment headsets
  • ArtsWest: Assistive listening devices
  • Meany Center for the Performing Arts: Radio frequency assistive listening systems; receiver and induction loops available
  • Pacific Northwest Ballet: Infrared assisted listening devices
  • Seattle Children’s Theatre: Hearing loop system
  • Seattle Opera: Infrared assistive listening device headsets
  • Seattle Rep: Hearing loop system
  • Seattle Symphony: Sennheiser radio frequency assistive listening system with headphones and telecoil-enabled induction loops
  • Seattle Theatre Group: Sennheiser Digital radio frequency signal transmission listening devices
  • Tacoma Arts Live: Assistive listening devices
  • Taproot Theatre Company: Hearing loop and Sennheiser assistive listening devices
  • 5th Avenue Theatre: Hearing loop and Sennheiser assistive listening devices
  • Village Theatre: Hearing loop systems
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Audio Described

  • Seattle Children’s Theatre: Audio Description On Demand (ADOD)
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Braille and Large Format Program

  • ACT Contemporary Theatre: Large print programs
  • Meany Center for the Performing Arts: Large print programs
  • Seattle Opera: Braille and large print programs
  • Seattle Rep: Braille and large print programs
  • 5th Avenue Theatre: Braille and large print programs; scripts and book lights
  • Village Theatre: Braille and large print programs
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Closed and Open Caption

  • ACT Contemporary Theatre: Figaro MobiTxt® closed captioning
  • Seattle Opera: English open captioning at all performances
  • Seattle Symphony: Open captioning at Family Concerts and Saturday evening Pops performances.
  • Seattle Theatre Group: GalaPro closed captioning
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Courtesy Wheelchair

  • Meany Center for the Performing Arts: First-come, first-served basis or can be reserved in advance
  • Pacific Northwest Ballet: first-come, first-served basis
  • Seattle Symphony: First-come, first-served basis
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Interpretive Services

  • On the Boards: ASL interpretation available a minimum three-weeks notice
  • Seattle Symphony: Available upon request with a minimum two-weeks notice
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Movement Areas

  • Pacific Northwest Ballet: Secluded rooms with a window facing the stage and music piped in through speakers with an adjustable volume knob
  • Seattle Opera: Two areas at the back of the orchestra section for standing or moving during performances
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Personal Care Attendant

  • Seattle Children’s Theatre: Complimentary tickets available for personal care attendants
  • Seattle Theatre Group: Complimentary tickets available for personal care attendants
  • 5th Avenue Theatre: Complimentary tickets available for personal care attendants
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Sensory Guides

  • Broadway at The Paramount: Sensory Access guides
  • On the Boards: Sensory information included in know-before-you-go emails
  • Seattle Children’s Theatre: Show guides available online
  • Seattle Opera: Sensory guides available at venue and online
  • Seattle Rep: Sensory guides available at venue and online
  • 5th Avenue Theatre: Sensory guides available online
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Sensory Kits

  • Pacific Northwest Ballet: Contain headphones, fidgets, and a card to assist in nonverbal communication of needs 
  • Seattle Rep: Contain noise reducing ear protectors, fidgets, sunglasses, and communication cards
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Service Animals

  • ArtsWest: Service animals allowed with prior notice
  • Meany Center for the Performing Arts: Service animals allowed
  • Pacific Northwest Ballet: Service animals allowed
  • Seattle Children’s Theatre: Service animals allowed
  • Seattle Symphony: Service animals allowed
  • Seattle Theatre Group: Service animals allowed
  • Village Theatre: Service animals allowed
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Visual Assistance

  • Pacific Northwest Ballet: Binoculars for rent
  • Seattle Opera: Binoculars for rent
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Additional Information

For more detailed information, please check out the offerings of arts organizations on their respective websites.

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Share Accessibility Services

If you have information about accessibility services from a Seattle Area performing arts organization that you don’t see here, please let us know! This guide is a work in progress and we are committed to expanding this resource. Connect with us at info@encoremediagroup.com.