Accessibility
Should anyone appreciate any assistance or special accommodations, please feel free to contact the Theater by email or call in advance, 412.259.4182.
The Lindsay prioritizes accessibility and inclusivity, and intentionally extends its cultural offerings to those who face geographic, economic, transportation and physical challenges. The Theater welcomes service animals.
Patrons Who Have Limited Hearing
Assistive Listening Devices are headsets that amplify sound.
If a film has Closed Captioning, a personal screen can provide typed, low-contrast captions of the dialogue.
Every Wednesday, the Theater screens every film on each screen, all day, as Open Caption Screening. Please find more details on our Open Caption Wednesdays page.
Patrons Who Have Limited Vision
The Theater’s Assistive Listening Devices (headsets) can enhance your experience through Audio Description, a running commentary of what’s happening on screen. If possible, please provide a heads-up to the Theater so we make sure the film you want to watch has this narrative option.
Patrons Who Have Mobility Challenges
Ramps are steps away from the Green Street municipal parking lot next to the Theater and close to the front entrance from Walnut Street. The entire theater is fully ADA accessible, including the Community Room, our restrooms and our two screening rooms, which each offer both stadium and sloped seating. A gender neutral restroom accommodates families and wheelchairs.
Staff is available to meet you in the parking lot at every event and screening, if you’d like. Please contact us in advance, 412.259.8542, and we can make arrangements. Please email our accessibility coordinator, Ben McGroarty, Assistant Director of Theater Operations, with any questions.
Sensory Friendly Screenings and Events
A sensory friendly screening offers the option for families, children and adults impacted by autism and other special needs to watch films together by lowering film volume, keeping on dim house lights and having a door open to restrooms and the lobby throughout the film. Trailers are eliminated to reduce the necessary “sit time.” Staffing levels are increased to allow a personal, unhurried cinematic experience for everyone. To ensure the comfort of all guests, a sensory friendly screening is typically the only event scheduled at The Lindsay.
In addition to sensory friendly screenings, The Lindsay partners with Band Together Pittsburgh to regularly offer autism friendly Open Mic sessions in the Community Room. Participants can tell stories or jokes, sing or play (including karaoke), just say “hi,” or enjoy being part of the audience. While the Open Mics are free, Band Together Pittsburgh requests reservations to make sure enough snacks are available for everyone!
Additionally, in partnership with Azure Pittsburgh, free sensory friendly family concerts are offered annually in the Community Room.
These events are examples of the Theater’s focus on accessibility and inclusivity as it fulfills its mission to strengthen the region’s cultural, educational and entertainment experiences. The Theater is grateful for individual and foundation contributions that make sensory friendly events possible and for the audience participation that supports this effort. Through our donors, discount tickets are available by contacting hello@thelindsaytheater.org.
On-the-Job Workplace Training
Since its opening, the Theater has partnered with organizations providing supervised workplace training to students and young adults with special needs, including those impacted by autism. Short-term job training experiences offer an opportunity to learn if the Theater environment is a fit for the trainee; long-term experiences offer a chance for the trainee to be coached through every aspect of the job. And these training opportunities have resulted in Theater hires!
Economic and Geographic Accessibility
Economic accessibility is a part of all we do. Since opening in 2017, the Theater has not raised its ticket prices: $11 for general admission, and the all-day, every-day discount of $8.75 for senior citizens 65 and older, children 10 and younger, college students and military with IDs.
The Lindsay regularly offers free events: screenings; a wide range of music and dance performances, including sensory friendly events; speakers familiar with the cultural arts and other experts; exhibitions including art, history and information; and community conversations.
Special free events are tailored to senior citizens, an often overlooked group that benefits from the social interaction, mental stimulation and overall enjoyment of cultural events, and youth.
At times, the Theater is able to provide or subsidize transportation, particularly for suburban and rural youth living in disconnected low-wealth neighborhoods.
Suggestions or questions about these accessibility initiatives can be emailed to hello@thelindsaytheater.org.
