Download Going to the Victoria Theatre to see THE CAT IN THE HAT

Going to the Victoria Theatre to see
THE CAT IN THE HAT
Production Photo Courtesy of Childsplay
Grant Support from
Supported by Levin Family Foundation
Going to see THE CAT IN THE HAT
On Sunday, April 9, 2017, I am going to the Victoria Theatre to watch a play called
THE CAT IN THE HAT. The Victoria Theatre is a place in downtown Dayton where
people can go to see different shows. THE CAT IN THE HAT is based on the Dr.
Seuss book which is also called The Cat in the Hat.
Actors, who are people dressed up in costumes,
will act out the story of THE CAT IN THE HAT on
the stage. The actors will tell the story by using
their voices, by talking, and by using their bodies.
There will also be one actor that uses a puppet.
I will get to watch the actors on stage and listen
to them talk. I can read more about Dr. Seuss
and his other books, the story of The Cat
in the Hat, or watch a video on VTA’s website,
https://victoriatheatre.com/shows/cat-hat-sensory-friendly/,so I know what to
expect when I go to the Victoria Theatre.
Getting to the Victoria Theatre
The show will start at 2:00 p.m. in the afternoon. I can ride to the Victoria
Theatre with my group/family. We can get dropped off in front of the building,
we can park on the street, or we can park in the Arts Garage and then walk a few
blocks and cross the street to the theatre. My parents/group can tell me what we
plan to do.
In the Lobby
We will plan on getting to the theatre by 1:30 p.m. When we get to the Victoria
Theatre, we will go inside the building. The lobby is the room you pass through in
order to get into the theatre. Inside the lobby, we will see people who work or
volunteer at the theatre. They will be wearing special nametags. They will greet
us at the door and will scan our tickets. They can also help to answer questions
and show us where to go. I can say “hi” or “good afternoon” to the ushers.
Inside the lobby, we will also see other people who are coming to see THE CAT IN
THE HAT. Because there may be a lot of people in the lobby, it is important for
me to stay close to my parents/group so I feel safe. It is also important for me to
listen to instructions and wait my turn if I am asked to. If I think it might be too
loud in the lobby, I can cover my ears or pack my headphones to wear.
The show begins at 2:00 in the afternoon. The doors to the theatre will open at
1:30, so if I am early, I will have to wait inside the lobby before going into the
theatre. While I wait I can look around the lobby, go to the restroom, eat a snack,
or play with the things I brought from home.
Restrooms
If I need to use the restroom, both a Men’s and Women’s restroom are located on
the left side of the lobby. There are additional Men’s and Women’s restrooms
located upstairs on the 2nd floor. I will have to use the stairs or the elevator to get
to the 2nd floor. There are also two Family restrooms located on the 2nd floor. I
will look for signs leading me to the Family restrooms.
The restrooms are hand flush and have paper towels that I can use to dry my
hands. If there are lot of people who have to use the restroom, I may have to
wait in line. I will try to be patient and wait my turn to use the restroom.
Food and Drinks
This is a special performance, and I am allowed to bring snacks and drinks from
home and take them inside the theatre. Because other people might be allergic, I
will not bring any nuts to snack on during the show. They will not be selling
snacks or drinks at this performance.
Quiet Areas
For this performance, there will be a quiet area that is available for me if I need to
take a break or would like to go to a quiet space with fewer people. I can tell my
parents/group that I need to take a break, and we can go to this area. The Quiet
Area will be on the 2nd floor. To get to the Quiet Area, I will need to either climb
the stairs or take the elevator. There will be a sign that says “Quiet Area.” I can
go to the Quiet Area before, during, or after the show if I need quiet space. There
will be headphones and fidgets in the Quiet Area if I need them.
Entering the Theatre
When it is time to go into the theatre, I will enter with my family/group. When I
go inside the theatre I will see lots of seats. Each seat has a letter and a number.
The seats are all facing the stage. All of the people who sit in the seats to watch
the play are called the audience. This show is General Admission which means
that I do not have an assigned seat and may pick any seat that is available.
If someone is already sitting in a seat, I will have to pick another seat. If I need
help, ushers will be available inside the theatre to help me. If I need help seeing
the stage, I can sit in a booster seat.
The ushers will also give me a program
that tells me more about the play, THE CAT
IN THE HAT. While I wait for the show to
begin, I can look at my program to learn
more about the actors and the show.
When I come in I will see the stage. The stage is where the actors perform. I will
stay off the stage and sit down with the audience. It is important to sit in my seat
or on my booster seat during the show, so that people sitting behind me can see
the stage.
Watching THE CAT IN THE HAT
When it is time for the show to begin, there will be a short announcement and
the lights will get a little darker, but they won’t turn off. They will stay at 30
percent brightness during the show. The stage lights will come up on the stage,
and the actors will enter. The actors will be wearing different costumes to help
tell the story. They may be wearing hats, wigs, and makeup and one of them will
be using a puppet. They are pretending.
Production Photos Courtesy of Childsplay
During the show, the actors will be coming on and off the stage. Lights will be
used to make it look like daytime or nighttime. Sometimes a light might be
focused on a specific actor or part of the set. If I follow the light with my eyes, it
will help me look at important things. In addition to hearing the actors’ voices,
I will also hear music and special sounds that will help tell the story. If the sounds
are too loud, I can cover my ears or wear headphones.
If I need a break during the show, I can tell my parent/group, and they can walk
me out of the theatre. Since this is a special performance, it is okay to get up and
take a break during the show. If I take a break, I can walk around in the lobby.
There will be two monitors on the walls that will be showing the performance,
and I can watch it from there if I want. I can also visit the restroom. If I need
some quiet time, I can walk up the stairs to the Quiet Room. I can come back into
the theatre and watch the rest of the show when I can ready.
The show will last about 60 minutes.
There are 8 different scenes in the show. I can learn more about these scenes
and characters in the Timeline and Character Guide.
SCENE 1: THE CHILDREN’S HOUSE
SCENE 2: THE ARRIVAL OF THE CAT IN THE HAT
SCENE 3: THE CAT ON THE BALL
SCENE 4: MORE FUN ON THE BALL
SCENE 5: THE ARRIVAL OF THINGS 1 & 2
SCENE 6: THE CLEANING MACHINE
SCENE 7: MOTHER’S RETURN
At the end of the show, the actors will take turns coming to the stage so that the
audience can clap for them. I will clap my hands to show the actors that they did
a good job. Sometimes when the audience really likes the show they will stand up
to clap. This is called a standing ovation. This shows the actors that they did a
great job! The curtain will close and the lights will come back on in the theatre.
This means that the show is over.
I will look around my seat and make sure that I pick up all my things before I
leave. I will walk to the aisle and wait for my family/group to walk out of the
theatre together. A lot of people will be leaving the theatre at the same time, so I
will try to be patient while I wait my turn to walk up the aisle and into the lobby. I
can stop in the restroom if I need to on my way out of the theatre. I will walk
with my group/family through the lobby and to our bus or car.