Let go of any ideas you may have about a Performing Arts Center, and open yourself up to a live entertainment experience unlike any other you’ll find in the region.
Here are things to know for a great visit!
1. We’re Here to Help
Above all, we hope you enjoy your experience at the McCallum, and please know that we are here to help. If you have a question or need assistance of any kind, please just ask a member of our staff. We believe in great entertainment experiences, and we want to be our guests’ favorite place for live events.
2. There Is No Dress Code
While going to the McCallum is certainly a special occasion, there is no dress code, except that shirts and shoes are required for entry. You’ll probably be most comfortable in casual business attire, but you’ll often see people in jeans, khakis, and other more or less formal wear. Some people enjoy dressing up and making a special night of it, and you can too, but most of all we want our guests to be comfortable.
We would ask you to politely consider other guests’ possible allergic reactions when applying fragrances like perfumes or colognes, as the McCallum Theatre is a closed area with many people in close proximity to each other.
3. Come Early. Don’t Be Late
It’s the #1 complaint we hear from our veteran guests. Late-arriving guests can truly dampen the magic and the mood that is created when the lights go down and a performance starts. We recommend planning your travel so that you arrive at the McCallum twenty minutes before show time. There is nothing worse than having to rush to the theater, and then arrive just as the doors close for the start of the show. Our lobby doors open 45 minutes prior to show time; seating areas open approximately 30 minutes prior to show time for all shows. With the schedule we recommend above, you’ll arrive with plenty of time to find your seat, get settled, or enjoy a pre-show drink or a light snack. Also, if you’re late, you may end up listening to the beginning of the show from the lobby. Most shows require that our ushers hold late arrivals in the lobby until a suitable pause in the program. The timing of allowing late arrivals into the seating area is determined by the show and designed to cause as little disruption as possible to other guests and the performers on stage.
4. Snacks and Refreshments
We invite you to enjoy drinks and light snacks before the show in the theatre lobby.
Bars and Snacks: In our main lobby, you’ll find bars offering beverages and light snacks. These locations feature top-shelf cocktails, soft drinks, coffee, bottled water, wine by the glass and a selection of premium domestic and imported beer. Our snack menu includes a variety of candy, brownies and fresh baked cookies.
Pre-order Drink Service: For Broadway shows and many shows with an intermission, the McCallum offers a pre-order drink service. You simply pre-pay for your favorite beverage before the show begins, and it will be ready and waiting for you at the start of intermission.
5. Hearing-Impaired Patrons
The theatre is equipped with a wireless system for the hearing impaired. Free headsets may be checked out from the lobby Coffee Bar; you must leave your government-issued ID, which will be given back after the show when the headset is returned.
6. Temperatures
Temperature management in a large four-story high open room filled with 1,100 guests, all with varying perceptions of comfort, is a complex challenge. Our temperature settings call for discharge air of between 65 and 70 degrees. By having air of that temperature enter the room, it mixes with the heat from body temperatures and the heat from the theatrical lighting, with the end goal being to achieve a temperature of 70 to 74 degrees. This range can be affected by many factors including closeness of the air vents, the air pressure of the system, the number of guests at the event and the amount of humidity in the air coming into the system. Meeting everyone’s sense of the perfect temperature is a complicated part of managing a public assembly building like the McCallum since perceptions of warm and cold can vary greatly and be affected by the age and gender of each guest.
Our recommendation is to dress comfortably for being in a large crowd, and if you are susceptible to cold, just bring a sweatshirt, light jacket or sweater just in case. We try our best to make the temperature as perfect (and adjustable) as possible in each and every one of our 1,100 seats.
7. Show Length
Most shows usually last two to three hours, and many (including almost all Broadway shows) have an intermission. Ask any usher or staff member for the exact schedule of the performance you’re attending.
8. Intermission
Intermissions for most shows move very quickly and commonly run just 15 – 20 minutes. While we wish we could extend these breaks, each show we host sets a very strict schedule from which we cannot vary. Within the time allowed, you can socialize with your companions, get a drink or a snack in the lobby, or simply stay in your seat and relax so you’ll be ready for the second half of the show.
9. Restrooms
The McCallum has men’s and women’s restrooms on the lobby and mezzanine level, as well as a Family restroom on the east side of the main lobby.
10. Content Advisory / Parental Discretion
The McCallum offers a diverse selection of entertainment. Not all productions may appeal to or be appropriate for every guest or for all ages. Ticket buyers should take responsibility for making informed decisions regarding their purchases. We recommend visiting the official website of each show, or for popular Broadway shows, websites like Broadway.com are a good resource to learn more about the show you are coming to see. If you ever have questions about the content or appropriateness of a show, please contact us at info@mccallumtheatre.com.
11 Guest Etiquette
At the McCallum, we’re committed to Guest Courtesy. Please follow these rules when attending any of our events:
Quiet, Please
Once the show starts, please let the stage be the center of attention. We ask that you turn off all cell phones and limit conversation. If children are attending this performance with you please exit the theater immediately if they become restless or talkative.
It Can Wait
Please also save texting until AFTER the show. The light from phones is distracting to others throughout the theater. Please keep them turned off.
Kids at the McCallum
All guests require a ticket, regardless of age. Children must be able to sit quietly in their own seat without disturbing other guests. Some shows make further age appropriate recommendations, and the McCallum will provide those on its website; however, parental discretion is always advised, and judgment of the content for each show should be made on an individual basis prior to purchase. When available, we provide links to show websites for further information and recommendations.
Cameras / Recording
Photography and video recording is prohibited. All electronic devices (cell phones, smart phones, tablets, digital cameras) must be turned off before entering the seating area. Cameras with detachable lens are not allowed into the building, and for some shows no cameras of any kind are allowed including small point-and-shoot cameras.
Service Animals
Service animals are allowed into the theatre under the guidelines of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). No other pets or animals are allowed into the venue.