Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQ's)
TICKETS
They're welcome all; let 'em have kind admittance" Timon of Athens |
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All tickets are $10 general seating, $8 for Arden Club members, and $5
for children age 12 and under. BARGAIN MATINEES
(Sunday at 2pm) are $5 for everyone! For
reservations call (302) 475-3126. Reserved
seating is for the convenience of our audience; we don’t charge extra
for it, and there is no difference in price for bench or ground seating.
With our ticket prices kept to a minimum, we do not have additional
discounts for groups or seniors. The only discounted tickets we offer
are for members of the Arden Club. Membership is open to the public and
includes discounts to other club events, including concerts and other
theater events. Information
about joining the club is available
HERE and
brochures are available at all our performances.
Running time of our shows vary, but you can
usually expect an hour and 20 minutes to an hour and a half from the
start of the show to intermission, a 15-minute intermission, followed by
the second half of the performance, somewhat shorter than the first
half.
While no reservations are needed, you can always call the reservation
line if you are in need for special seating of some sort (wheel
chair access, hearing impaired, etc...). We will be happy to accommodate
you. 302-475-3126.
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RESERVATIONS
FOR BENCH SEATING
"..those who stand so much on the new form, that they
cannot at ease on the old bench? O,
their bones, their bones!" Romeo and Juliet |
We have room for 96 on our wooden benches. So we
take reservations for 96 people for each performance. There are no
assigned seats, and seats are filled as people arrive. If you reserve a
seat, your ticket will say “bench seating” and will allow you to find an
available seat on the benches. We hold reservations until 7:15.
After that, your reservation will be considered a “no show” and your
seats may be sold to people who are waiting.Our benches have backs,
but they are still wooden benches. You will be a lot more comfortable if
you bring seat cushions or back cushions.
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VIEW A SEATING CHART OF THE FIELD THEATER
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UNRESERVED
SEATING and "GROUNDLINGS"
"Stand, stand! We have the advantage of
the ground!" Cymbeline |
Any bench seating that has not been
reserved by 6pm on the night of the show will be available for purchase
on a first-come, first-served basis. Otherwise, “groundling” seating is
always available without a reservation. Groundling seating is just what
it sounds like – space on the ground in front of the benches, closer to
the stage. You are welcome to bring a blanket, cushions, or low beach
chairs to sit on. There is room for many people to sit comfortably in
our “groundling” area, but there is not room to spread out, picnic-like.
So don’t plan on claiming a large piece of ground for yourself with a
big blanket. Because of the design of the theater, regular-height
folding chairs are not suitable in the groundling area because you will
block other audience members. If you would like sit on a regular-height
folding chair, you will be asked to put it at the back of the audience,
near the street. This is still close to the action, and you can get a
good view from behind the benches.
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SPECIAL
SEATING
"All
places yield to him ere he sits down."
Coriolanus |
We have a few places in the theater
that are suitable for parking a wheelchair. We are also happy to save a
front-row seat for hard-of-hearing or visually impaired audience members
and people accompanying them. You can call the
reservation line ahead of time to let us know that you require special
seating, and we will reserve and mark specific
seating for you.
302-475-3126
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RAIN LOCATION
"Here's neither bush nor shrub, to bear off any weather at all, and another storm brewing."
The
Tempest |
In the event of
foul weather, we move our performances to the Gild Hall, which is
located on the other side of Harvey Road, around 2 blocks from the
outdoor Field Theater (a.k.a, Frank Stephens Memorial Theater). We move to
the hall only if we have to, sometimes (but not often) in the middle of
a performance. There is seating for 250 at the Gild Hall, so space is
not a problem. All seats are general seating at the Gild Hall.
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KIDS AND
PERFORMANCES
"Here, said they, is the terror of the French, The
scarecrow that affrights our children so."
Henry VI
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We encourage
young people to see Shakespeare in performance. We stress clear,
understandable delivery of Shakespeare’s language. Often children have
less problem adapting to Shakespeare’s language than adults do.
However, we do not
alter the plays for younger audiences, and plays containing murder
(Macbeth, Othello, Richard III) will still contain murder. Our 2008
production of Macbeth included the murder of Macduff’s family, with Lady
Macduff murdered offstage, but her young son murdered onstage. It is a
brutal act, even (as we did it) without blood effects. So you have to
judge for yourself whether a particular production is suitable for your
child and at what age. It’s a good idea to become familiar with the play
ahead of time, either by watching a movie version or
reading an adaptation of the story. That’s good advice for adults, too.
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SOLD OUT?
Those are they that most are
willing." Coriolanus |
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As long as
you are able and willing to sit on the ground or take your chances at
getting an unclaimed bench seat, there is room for you!
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BATHROOMS
& PARKING
"A potty! A potty! My kingdom for a potty!" A crude
misinterpretation from 'Richard III' |
At the outdoor Field
Theater, we have porta-potties for our audience. They are
handicapped-accessible, but are located behind the stage and down a gravel driveway. They
require a small step up to enter them. Parking is in an open field,
Arden's Village Green. Passengers and wheelchairs may be discharged
directly in front of the theater before your vehicle is parked on the
Green.
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CALL AHEAD! For reservations call (302)
475-3126
Prepare for mirth, for mirth becomes a feast." Pericles
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Below is an image of the Field Theater. This will give you an idea of
what the seating arrangements are.
CLICK HERE for more detailed
information about Arden's FIELD THEATER.
How did
the open-air Frank Stephens
Memorial Theater
get its name? WE'LL TELL YOU HERE!
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