BOOK YOUR SCHOOL GROUP

School Reservations
On-school time performances run Tuesday-Friday mornings, from October through June. We begin taking reservations in the spring for the following school year. Our school performances often sell out, so we recommend making reservations early.

Click here to see our on-school time dates, times and grade recommendations for each show.

Booking Procedures
Once you have selected a play you would like to attend with your class, please call Lori Kujawa, School Sales Manager at 716.884.4400 x304 or e-mail lkujawa@theatreofyouth.org to make a reservation. Your reservation will be confirmed immediately.

Cost
Our full-scale mainstage productions offer professional theatre experience to your students at an affordable rate of $8.00 per ticket. For every 20 students, one teacher/chaperone may attend for free. Additional teacher/chaperones will also pay $8.00.

Payment
Groups of less than 25 must pay in full upon booking their date. For larger groups, invoices will be mailed to teachers several months prior to their chosen performance. Payment due dates will be stated on the invoice, with large payments divided into a deposit and a final payment. The non-refundable deposit is required by the stated date in order to secure your reservation.

Payments may be made by check, money order or credit card (we accept VISA, MasterCard and Discover). To pay with a credit card, please call 716.884.4400 ext.304. We will not accept cash for school performances. Your reservation count may not be decreased after the deposit has been paid and no refunds will be given after payment is received. Additional tickets may be purchased based on availability.

Show Times
Most school performances start at 10:00 am. However, if you are the first group to book a performance date and are coming a long distance or are from a later starting school, you may request a delayed start time of 10:30 am.

Estimated running times of each show will be stated on your invoice. Exact running times will be available closer to the date of the show. Most of our shows run approximately two hours, including intermission.

Task Guides
TOY’s TASK (Theatre Arts Study for Kids) Guides, aligned to the New York State Education Standards, are available on our website for every show. These teacher guides are full of production information and activities for your class to do before and after the show. Click here to see TASK Guides for our current and past productions.

Arrival
Please plan to arrive at the theatre 15-30 minutes prior to show time. Buses should pull up in front of the theatre, and our house manager will greet you to assist with unloading the buses. It is very important that our performances start on time. If your school arrives late, you will be seated at the discretion of the house manager.

Seating
Tickets are not issued for on-school time shows. Seats are pre-assigned based on order of reservation and any special seating needs. TOY’s staff and ushers are fully in charge of the seating process. Please have your entire group follow our instructions so that we may seat your group in a timely and orderly fashion. Please remember that you are seated as a school, not by individual classes. Once you are in your assigned seats, teachers will be given time to rearrange specific students to suit their needs.

Our theatre is fully accessible, and we have designated seating throughout our theatre for wheelchairs. We also have listening devices for the hearing impaired. ASL services can be made available with advance notification. Please indicate any special needs at the time of booking. Our school sales manager must be informed prior to the show date if anyone in your group requires special seating so that we may accommodate their needs accordingly.

During the Show
Food, beverages and electronic devices are prohibited in the theatre. No photographs may be taken during the production or of the stage. Please encourage your students to leave cameras, cell phones, ipods and other valuables on the bus or at school. To ensure everyone’s enjoyment, house management reserves the right to remove any students from the theatre for disruptive behavior.

Talkback
All performances are followed by a 10-15 minute interactive discussion with members of the cast. Students may ask questions to learn behind-the-scenes information on how the production was created.

Dismissal
After the talkback, schools will be dismissed by TOY’s staff based on the order the busses return to the theatre. If your school needs to be dismissed before the talkback, we must know prior to the date of your show so that we may have your busses waiting for you at the appropriate time. TOY has built a solid reputation for safely and efficiently dismissing over 450 students to busses on a downtown urban street. Our staff asks for your cooperation as TOY is responsible for the safety of our patrons and best understand how dismissal should be conducted.

Please email Lori Kujawa, School Sales Manager at lkujawa@theatreofyouth.org with any questions.