Round House Theatre
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Ticket policies and attendance tips

The Golden Rules of Theatre Etiquette
This article on theatre etiquette originally appeared in Stagebill. It is reprinted here with permission.

Tips & Policies

Kathryn Kelley and Wilbur Edwin Henry in Orson's Shadow. Photo by Stan Barouh.

  1. Go easy with the atomizer: many people are highly allergic to perfume and cologne.
  2. If you bring a child, make sure etiquette is part of the experience. Children love learning new things.
  3. Unwrap all candies and cough drops before the curtain goes up or the concert begins.
  4. Make sure cell phones, beepers and watch alarms are OFF. And don't jangle the bangles.
  5. The overture is part of the performance. Please cease talking at this point.
  6. Note to love birds: When you lean your heads together, you block the view of the person behind you. Leaning forward also blocks the view.
  7. THOU SHALT NOT TALK, or hum, or sing along or beat time with a body part.
  8. Force yourself to wait for a pause or intermission before rifling through a purse, backpack or shopping bag.
  9. Yes, the parking lot gets busy and public transportation is tricky, but leaving while the show is in progress is discourteous.
  10. The old standby: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Policies & Tips

Ticket Policies
Ticket sales are final. There are no refunds. There are no exchanges except on subscription tickets -- series upgrade charges and late exchange fees may apply.

Cameras and Recording Devices
Camera and recording devices are not allowed in the theatre. Use of such devices may result in ejection without refund.

Cell Phones/Pagers/Watch Alarms/Electronic Devices
Please turn off all cell phones, pagers, watches, and other electronic devices upon entering the theatre.

Cancelled Performances
Round House Theatre reserves the right to make schedule and production changes. The local media will be contacted regarding cancellations of specific performances whenever possible and an announcement will be placed on our phone recording. When possible, we will call all ticket holders regarding the cancellation of a specific performance.

Curtain times
We try to start our performances on time. If you arrive after the scheduled curtain time, you’ll normally find that the performance has begun. If you arrive after the play has started, you’ll be seated at the designated late seating break. Please keep this in mind when planning your trip so you arrive in time for curtain. To check performance times, please see our online calendar.

Dress Code
There’s no dress code. Generally, we advise patrons to avoid wearing their fanciest tuxedoes or their most hole-ridden jeans. Anything falling between those extremes is usually all right when attending a play at Round House. Many patrons dress in business casual for regular performances and in formal business attire for Opening Nights. It’s your choice, though. However, we’d rather have you come in jeans than not come at all out of concern for what you’re wearing.

Children
Children under the age of 4 will not be admitted to performances at Round House. All patrons, including children, must have a ticket in order to be admitted.

If a child cries or becomes vocal during a show, parents are asked to immediately accompany the child from the theatre to minimize the distraction for both performers and other patrons. House management may ask patrons (including children and their parents) who create a disturbance to leave the theatre. There are no refunds or exchanges for patrons who are asked to leave the theatre.

We also offer Childcare Matinees – click here for more information.

Age Appropriateness for Children & Teenagers
The content of some shows may be inappropriate for persons under the age of 18. Here are our guidelines for the 08/09 season.

  • How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents is recommended for ages 17 and up as it contains nudity and adult situations.
  • Alice is recommended for ages 6 and up.
  • Eurydice is recommended for ages 14 and up.
  • One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is recommended for ages 16 and up as it contains mature themes.
  • A Sleeping Country is recommended for ages 16 and up as it contains mature language.

If you’re planning on bringing children or teenagers and have further questions as to whether a show is appropriate for them, please call our box office at 240.644.1100.

Admission & Re-admission to the Theatre
If you must exit the theatre before a scheduled break, please do so as quickly and quietly as possible. Re-admission to the theatre will occur only at the discretion of the house manager. Until you can be reseated, you may view the performance on the lobby monitor. At some performances, especially those performances without an intermission, patrons who leave the theatre prior to the end of the performance may not be able to be re-admitted to the theatre. If you believe you may have to leave the theatre prior to an interval break or the end of the performance, please check with the house manager regarding the possibility of re-admission. Round House Theatre reserves the right to refuse admission to anyone.

Food and Drink
Food and drink (including bottled water) are not allowed in the theatre.

Audience Events
From discussions with directors, designers and actors to childcare matinees and audio-described and sign-interpreted performances, each production features a lineup of fun and informative audience events. For information, call 240.644.1100 or click here. For the dates of our audio-described and sign-interpreted performances, click here.

Subscribing
Subscribers receive priority seating and can save up to 26% off our regular ticket price. If you’re planning on seeing three or more shows at Round House, it pays to subscribe. Call our box office at 240.644.1100 or click here and start enjoying the privileges, savings, and benefits of subscribing.

 

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»  DISCOUNT TICKETS
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»  BOX OFFICE HOURS & CONTACT INFORMATION
»  TIPS & POLICIES
»  SUBSCRIBER SERVICES & TICKET EXCHANGES
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Round House Theatre Bethesda
4545 East-West Highway
Bethesda, MD 20814
Round House Theatre Silver Spring
8641 Colesville Road
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Round House Theatre Education Center
925 Wayne Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20910
© 2008 Round House Theatre | P.O. Box 30688 | Bethesda, MD 20824-0688
E-mail: roundhouse@roundhousetheatre.org
Box Office: 240.644.1100 | Admin Office: 240.644.1099 | Education Center: 301.585.1225