More homeschool deals at Stratford!

Enjoy $10* tickets in A, B, or C
seating for the following performances:
The Matchmaker
July 11 at 8 p.m.
July 28 at 8 p.m.
Much Ado About Nothing
July 14 at 8 p.m.
July 26 at 8 p.m.
Cymbeline
July 13 at 2 p.m.
July 28 at 2 p.m.
42nd  Street
July 12 at 2 p.m.
July 14 at 2 p.m.
July 26 at 2 p.m.

The Pirates of Penzance
July 12 at 8 p.m.
Henry V
July 13 at 8 p.m.
July 27 at 2 p.m.

Hirsch
July 14 at 2 p.m.
Wanderlust
July 14 at 8 p.m.
You're a Good Man, Charlie
Brown
July 27 at 8 p.m.
Act Now
Order your tickets today. Order online at stratfordshakespearefestival.com or call our Groups & Schools Department at 1.800.567.1600 and use promotion code 42927 to make your purchase.
Want your tickets delivered even sooner?  You can choose to have your tickets e-mailed directly to your inbox by selecting our print@home delivery option at checkout.

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A.O.D.A. Customer Service Regulations

I did some looking around on the Government of Ontario website to look more closely at the customer service standards for accessibility.  this is what I found:

http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/about/videos/transcripts/accessible_ontario_webcast_2.aspx

 

" Let me give you a for instance to illustrate this one. Imagine you are organizing a meeting in a small board room. You’ve invited twelve of your customers but it’s a tight fit with little room between the chairs and walls.
The first customer to arrive uses a walker, the next uses a cane. After they are seated, you become concerned that others entering the room may trip on the assistive devices, possibly injuring themselves or damaging the walker or cane.
You say, "I'm just going to take your walker and cane and put them over in the corner, so they won't break if someone steps on them."
While your concern is well meaning, this practice is not consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity, because the participants might not be able to choose to leave the meeting, change their seats, stand to make a point, without asking you to return their assistive devices.
There are other examples and more information about the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity available to help you understand this requirement in the on-line Manual I mentioned earlier that you can find under the tools to help you comply section at ontario.ca/accesson ."

I may have to send this to the front of house manager at the Avon Theatre so that he can review it.  This issue has come up for us a few times in the last couple of years during trips to Stratford.

 

Stratford Update

I had a phone call from the front of house manager at the Avon Theatre today.  My concerns with the usher have been addressed.  We have been invited back to see "Pirates of Penzance." 

I still have concerns about how the A.O.D.A. customer service regulations are being interpreted.  I do not believe that it is acceptable to take away an indivual's assistive device the way the usher wanted to.

Happiness is: You Are a Good Man Charlie Brown

We travelled to Stratford yesterday to see "You Are A Good Man Charlie Brown at the Avon Theatre.  The production itself was wonderful.  There were several school groups in the audience and it was great to observe kids so completely engaged in a show.  We started smiling with the opening scene and didn't stop.  Both sons were surprised as the show seemed to fly by without being aware of the passage of time.  This would definately be a great show for the whole family.

Unfortunately the behaviour of an usher left its mark on the day.  Despite the fact that my walker was tucked into the corner and in no one's way she insisted that it be removed from the theatre because it was a safety hazzard in the event of a fire.  I asked how I was supposed to get out if she took my walker away and was informed that she would try to get it back to me.  I pointed out that the Ontarians with Disabilities Act customer service policies prohibit the removal of assistive devices.  The usher told me that she would be getting the front of house manager "to speak to me."  She then walked away without giving us any programs.  Just before the show began we observed her speaking to the house manager.  No one made the effort to speak to us again but she glaered daggers at us for the rest of the afternoon.

 

Our sons were also bothered by the fact that she was very rude and abrupt with the students coming to the performance.  While I understand that it was busy I didn't observe any inappropriate behaviour from the students that warranted such treatment.  If I were a student coming to the theatre for the first time I would not want to come back after being treated like that.  Students should always be encouraged and supported to enjoy the theatre.

 

Another gentleman joined us in the accessible seating area.  The usher pulled an unused chair around for him to prop his  feet on for the duration of the show.  While I don't begrudge anyone accomodations that are needed I do not believe that it was appropriate to have see and smell bare feet on the chair inches away from me for the duration of the show.

 

We have attended performances at Stratford many times over the last 8 years and greatly enjoyed the shows.  When the issue of an usher removing my son's walker came up last year at the Festival Theatre is was handled without a problem.  I had hoped that by this year all ushers would be trained on the customer service segment of the Ontarian with Disabilities Act as required.  I hope that this problem will be addressed before we return again.