Accessible Seating and Wheelchair Policy  

The Arden aims to seat all our patrons in locations that will make their theatre experience comfortable and enjoyable. We offer seating accommodations to patrons who use wheelchairs or have other accessibility needs, such as an aisle need or limited stairs. Patrons who use a wheelchair can transfer to a theatre seat, or may remain in their chair and request for a seat to be removed. You may choose your own seat when purchasing online, or can request these accommodations by calling the box office. If the production is General Admission (such as some performances in The Bob and Selma Horan Studio Theatre), please call the box office to reserve an accessible seat for that performance, and please let us know if you will need the seat removed.

To best meet your seating needs, we encourage you to plan your Arden visit early. Please call the Box Office at 215.922.1122 or email at boxofficer@ardentheatre.org so that we can assist you with purchasing wheelchair accessible seating.

Assistive Listening Devices

The Arden offers Assistive Listening Devices (ALD’s) for every performance in all three of our theatre spaces. Our ALD devices were recently replaced in the fall of 2019, thanks to a generous grant from the McLean Contributionship.

ALD’s clarify onstage sound by amplifying the sound directly to your ears and eliminating unwanted ambient noise. Any patron can use this service within each theatre with a device and headphones provided by Arden staff. Patrons with hearing aids that have a t-coil setting are also able to borrow an ALD along with a neck loop that will connect the device to your hearing aids once the t-coil setting is enabled.

Should you wish to borrow an ALD during your visit to the Arden, check in with the Box Office staff or House Manager to request one. Please note that you will need to hand in a Photo ID to borrow a device that will be returned to you after the performance.

Open Captioning (CAP)

Open captioning is a text display of all of the words and sounds heard during a production. To reserve tickets for a Captioned performance, please call the box office at 215.922.1122 and ask for a manager or email boxofficer@ardentheatre.org to ensure that your seating location will provide a suitable view of the captioning screen.

  Audio-Description (A-D)

Audio description for patrons with vision loss includes live verbal commentary, providing information on the essential visual elements of a production as it unfolds, such as the style and design of a production, facial expressions, and visual jokes. The description is delivered in between the dialogue of a performance and is only picked up by the audience member wearing a specific headset provided by the theatre.

American Sign Language (ASL) Shadow Interpretation

Shadow Interpreting using American Sign Language (ASL INT) – Shadow interpreting offers ASL by interpreters who “shadow” the actors, following them onstage while interpreting.  This allows patrons who are Deaf or hard of hearing the ability to watch the actors and interpreters easily. The Arden offers Shadow Signed Performances, in partnership with HANDS UP Productions for Arden Children’s Theatre

The Arden is offering ASL Shadow Signing by Hands Up Productions.