Winter Garden Theatre Rules

The Winter Garden Theatre has an established list of rules, regulations, and policies that have been put in place to ensure the safety of the audience as well as its staff and performers. 

These rules need to be followed at all times to ensure that everyone within the theater remains safe and happy during their experience. Let’s take a look at some of the most prominent policies that attendees need to abide by when visiting the Winter Garden Theatre. 

Weather policies

Performances at the Winter Garden Theatre will rarely be cancelled due to the weather. The show must go on, as they say! 

Heavy rain or snow is usually not going to cause a cancellation, though extreme events will likely be assessed and a decision will be made by theater management. This typically includes weather that is a danger to life, such as dangerous storms or hurricanes.

If you are in a situation where the weather is so bad that it seems like a performance could be cancelled, be sure to check the Winter Garden Theatre’s website. You can also give the theater a call if you are unsure. 

If the weather is particularly bad, make sure to wear suitable clothing. This could include a blanket to wrap around yourself while watching the performance if things get cold. The theater will do everything it can to keep you warm and toasty in the cold weather, but if you are someone who feels the cold, make sure to prepare yourself. 

There is no dedicated cloakroom at the Winter Garden Theatre, so you will have to keep any items that you bring with you during the performance. You can always ask if there is a safe place for the staff to keep your items. 

Although the staff at the theater will do their best to accommodate you, there might not always be a way to store your items. 

Make sure that you do not have anything with you that is too bulky or could disrupt those you are sitting with in the venue.

Some other weather-specific items you might want to consider bringing with you include the following: 

» An umbrella, as compact as possible to avoid disruption

» Weather appropriate shoes
» A lightweight poncho
» A separate, weatherproof bag to store wet items
» Small hand warmers
» Gloves
» A hat
» A scarf
» A hand fan
» A small, sealed water bottle

Remember to be mindful of others, including the staff and performers at the theater, before bringing any weather-specific items with you. 

Recording equipment

All recording devices are prohibited during the performances at the Winter Garden Theatre. This includes cameras, cell phones, and any other recording devices (both audio and video recording). This is standard for most Broadway theaters. 

Electronic devices of any kind are also prohibited during a performance, such as beepers. However, certain electronics are allowed as long as they have been approved for accessibility services.

You are allowed to bring your smartphone into the theater but be sure that you follow the rules and either silence it or turn it off completely. 

Prohibited items

As with all theaters, there are also several items that are completely prohibited in the Winter Garden Theatre. This is to ensure the safety of everyone within the building, including you! 

Here are the items that you are not allowed to have with you when entering the Winter Garden Theatre:

» Alcohol
» Recording equipment
» Pets that are no service animals
» Outside food and drink (other than one bottle of sealed water, as mentioned above – contact the theater to make sure you are permitted to bring this with you)
» Any distracting items
» Weapons
» Oversized bags and luggage
» Cigarettes, vapes or cigars
» Banners or large signs
» Illegal substances

If you are unsure of any items that you need to bring with you, such as items for health purposes, make sure to contact the Winter Garden Theatre beforehand. 

Seating

Guests need to abide by their purchased tickets and only sit in the seat that they have been assigned. Tickets can be purchased directly via the box office at the theater, but they can also be purchased online from official Broadway websites.

Emergency procedures

There are emergency exits clearly marked around the Winter Garden Theatre. If there is an emergency, guests will be directed to the closest emergency exit by staff. These exits can be found in both the Orchestra and Mezzanine seating areas. 

In case of a medical emergency, be sure to locate the nearest staff member, as they will be able to contact the closest trained medical personnel to assist you. 

Accessibility

There are various accessibility services available for those who need them at the Winter Garden Theatre, so let’s take a closer look at what they have to offer. 

Wheelchair access

Unfortunately, the Winter Garden Theatre is not completely wheelchair accessible. From the sidewalk, there aren’t any steps into the theater. However, when there are steps inside the theater or into the theater, staff will not be able to help.

Because of this, you’ll need to make sure to plan accordingly if you are wheelchair-bound or if you are planning to visit the theater with someone in a wheelchair. 

Audience accessibility services

Within the theater, there are various accessibility services available. Accommodations for those who are deaf and blind, or who have partial hearing loss or sight, can be found at the theater. This includes infrared assistive listening devices that are available for every performance. 

A month after a show has had its opening night, more accessibility services become available. This includes handheld captioning devices and handheld audio description devices. 

The theater also offers unlimited access to captioning and audio description services, which can be downloaded on personal mobile devices. These are available free of charge. 

Before four weeks have passed since opening night, the theater offers a live caption service through CART. This can be accessed with a handheld device. 

These devices can be obtained by requesting them two weeks in advance of the performance you are due to attend.

For any queries regarding accessibility services for the audience at the Winter Garden Theatre, you can contact the team at Shubert Audience Services. 

You can call them on 212- 944- 3700 or email them at [email protected]. There is also a representative available at the Shubert Audience Services kiosk within the theater. 

Accessibility within seating sections

There are two seating sections in the theater – the Orchestra and the Mezzanine sections. 

In the Orchestra section, all seating is accessible to the areas without steps. There is also a designated wheelchair area, which has no steps. The Orchestra area also features aisle seats with folding armrests. 

The Mezzanine is not as friendly for wheelchair users. The section is on the second level, up two flights of stairs. There are also two steps down on every row of seats, making it a difficult area for wheelchair users to navigate.  

Handrails can be found on every aisle and every row at the rear entrance stairs. The only exception is in the Mezzanine, where there are only handrails on the far side of each end of the section. 

Unfortunately, there are no elevators or escalators at the Winter Garden Theatre, but there is a wheelchair-accessible restroom.