Puppet Showplace Theater

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Meet Fred: Know Before You Go!

      I am going to see Meet Fred at the Boston Center for the Arts. This guide is for anyone wondering about the details of seeing the play. If you need to purchase tickets online, visit the Meet Fred page.

Meet Fred is a play by Hijinx Theatre. They are from Wales, United Kingdom. They have come a long way to perform the play in Boston. 

A video trailer for the show is here. There are 7 actors in the show, and one puppet named Fred. The show is 1 hour and 20 minutes with no intermission.

The show is located at the Boston Center for the Arts Plaza Theatre. The address is 539 Tremont Street Boston MA.
To get to the Boston Center for the Arts I may walk, take a bus, train, or car. There is a curb cut for wheel access directly in front of the theater.
 Follow this link for detailed travel and parking information.

When I arrive at the Boston Center for the Arts I will see a lot of doors. If I have already purchased tickets I can go directly to the Plaza Theatre to pick up my tickets. There is a sign for Meet Fred outside.

If I still need to purchase tickets, I will go to the Box Office. The Box Office is in the Calderwood Pavillion. There is a blue sign that says “Buy Tix Here.” If I am not sure which door to use, I will go inside and ask. Someone on the staff will help me find the right place.

 If I am purchasing tickets, when I enter the Calderwood Pavillion, I can get my tickets from the Box Office. I might need to wait in line to do this. The lobby might be crowded. It is best to wait patiently.  

After I purchase my tickets I can exit the Box Office and go to the Plaza Theatre. If I have already purchased my tickets, I can go directly to the Plaza Theatre

I can pick up my tickets from an usher at the Will Call table. To the left of the Will Call table is lift access. 

 If I need lift access I will ask for assistance from the staff. This elevator can accommodate 1 person. The rest of my group can walk down the stairs (9 steps) and meet me in the lobby area.

If I need help, I can ask a Staff member. They will be wearing name tags. They can help me find my way to the theater, bathrooms, or answer any other questions.   

Before I enter the theater, I will wait in the theater lobby. I can arrive up to 1 hour early to get familiar with the space. There will be books and displays in the lobby. There may be a lot of people. I can wait here while the performers are getting ready for the show. If I need help with seating, I can tell an usher. There is another show called Vicuña happening in the same building, so not everyone in the lobby will go to the same place. I will wait until the usher says that it’s time for the audience for Meet Fred to go into the theater.

 Food and drinks are not allowed in the theatre. If I have a drink or a snack, I can enjoy it in the lobby.  We encourage you to bring any earphones, fidgets or helpful items you may need to enjoy the performance.

 

When it is almost time for the play to start, I will give my ticket to an Usher at the door of the theater.  When I enter the theater, there may be a lot of people waiting to sit. I will stay with my group inside the theater. There are floor seats and seats accessible by stairs.

I can sit with my family and friends during the show. I may be sitting next to someone I don’t know. It is best to stay in the seat I picked while the show is happening, but I can always ask my parent, family member, or friend, if I need a break.

During the show there is a moment where a confetti canon is used. There is also some swearing and speaking loudly. It is okay for me to cover my ears if the show is too noisy at any point.

 There is another moment in the show where Fred dances at a birthday party. There is a special colored light effect for this and music plays but NO strobe lighting is used.

 If I need to go to the bathroom or get a drink during the show, I can exit the theater via the ramp. The bathrooms & water fountain are just outside the theatre doors. A staff member can show me where the bathroom or water fountain is if I need help.

During the show, some people in the audience may laugh or clap. I can tell the actors I am enjoying the show by clapping. At the end of the show, many people may choose to clap to tell the actors they liked the show. I can cover my ears if it is too noisy.

When the show is over, the actors will answer questions about the show. I can choose to stay and listen or leave the theater. If I have a question, I will raise my hand. If we run out of time for questions, that is ok.

When I leave the theater, I will go out the same way I came in. There may be other people trying to leave too, so my group might have to wait our turn for the elevator or stairs. Another performance may still be going on next door, so I will be quiet in the lobby.

I look forward to meeting Fred, and to having a fun time at the theater!