“Please don’t eat. Stay in your seat.
Don’t walk about. Don’t talk or shout.
Don’t take pictures, or touch the display fixtures,
And, if the babies ball, take them down the hall.”
- Allan Stevens -
What to Expect When You Come to the Theater
Main Stage Shows
When you first come to the theater, someone will go to the box office window and pick up the tickets. For school groups that will be a teacher who will receive a pass for the entire group, for families everyone two years and older will get a “sticket” which is a ticket you can stick on your clothing so it can be seen at all times, and won’t get lost.
Everyone with a sticket and groups that have checked-in at the box office may line up in the lobby. There are displays of puppets along the lobby walls, and videos about what to expect in the theater, and shows in the Puppet Co. repertory. About 15 minutes before the show starts, the House Manager will open the doors to the theater. The audience will file in, and take their seats: children on the designated areas of the carpet, adults on the carpet or benches. Family members will be handed a program, groups will get a bundle of programs to be handed out at school. Programs tell about the actors and the people who make the puppets, costumes, and scenery.
When the show starts, the lights in the theater will get dark, and the audience should get quiet. Sometimes a person will come out and talk to the audience about the show. If that person asks a question, it is okay to answer. Otherwise, there should be no talking so you, and the people around you, can understand what is going on. It is okay to laugh, and when a scene is over and the light on stage go dark, you can clap if you liked what you saw. It is important to let the performers know you like the show by laughing, clapping, and most important, paying quiet attention. It will make them work even harder to do the best possible show for you.
Tiny Tots Shows
Tiny Tots performances are presented as an introduction to the theater for very young children. Families and groups can expect much the same as with the Main Stage shows, but with a few exceptions. There are no programs handed out, as they would probably only get eaten, and the lights in the theater will not get as dark. We still encourage very fussy children to take a break in the lobby, but usually as long as no-one is seriously disturbing others minor infractions of the noise rules are overlooked. We are still strict about no food in the theater, but baby bottles and sippy cups are permitted.
When the show is over, the performers will come out and take their bow. At that time, the audience shows how much they liked the show by how loudly and how long they clap (maybe even cheer.) This is important to the performers, as they will have worked very hard to do a good show, and are rewarded for their efforts how you respond at the end of the show. When the lights come back up in the theater, the audience will leave. Children should never leave the theater without the adult with whom they came. On your way out, there is usually (but not always) a performer with a puppet that will be available for picture taking, and to answer a question or two.
