Accessibility

Hearing Amplification

The Little Theatre provides options for the hearing impaired including hearing amplification headphones in all theaters. The hearing amplification headphones can also be used for descriptive listening.

Thanks to the support of our friends at Hart Hearing Centers, all five theaters are equipped with Hearing Loop Systems. This loop is a wire that circles the room, and is connected to a sound system. The loop transmits sound electromagnetically and that electromagnetic signal is picked up by the telecoil in hearing aids. To use the hearing loop, you flip on the t-switch on your hearing aid.

Open Captions

“Open Captions” refers to on-screen text that explains what is going on, including dialogue. Open captions are displayed on screen, throughout a film, for everyone to see.

The Little offers open caption screenings twice a week: on Thursday evenings, and the first matinees on Sundays.
Please check individual film pages for exact details on which screenings are or are not captioned. Look for the phrase “Open Captions” or the abbreviations “OC” or “OCAP” on the Little’s website, printed schedules, email newsletter, and social media to see which films have the option available.

PLEASE NOTE:

• Not every film includes open captions. The Little is only able to show captions if a film’s distributor/filmmaker has created and provided captions.
• Captioning information may not be available until after showtimes are initially posted. The information is usually available by Friday morning, for the upcoming week’s screenings (Friday-Thursday). The Little must wait for a film’s distributor/filmmaker to provide us the information.

Closed Captions / Personal Captioning Devices

Closed captions are also text on-screen, but require a device to be seen by individual viewers. Personal captioning devices are available for all theaters, but will only work if the film includes closed captions. Please inquire at the box office.

PLEASE NOTE:

• Not every film includes closed captions. The Little is only able to show captions if a film’s distributor/filmmaker has created and provided captions.
• Captioning information may not be available until after showtimes are initially posted. The information is usually available by Friday morning, for the upcoming week’s screenings (Friday-Thursday). The Little must wait for a film’s distributor/filmmaker to provide us the information.

ASL Interpreting

If a customer is in need of ASL Interpreting services for a special event, please contact The Little as soon as possible — at least week prior to the scheduled event date — so we can arrange for an interpreter. Email the Little’s Business Office at info@thelittle.org

Physical Accessibility

Theater 1 includes:

• Accessible seating. Two spaces for wheelchairs plus companion seating exist in the back row of the theater.
• Accessible stage access. Use the brick hallway, directly onto the stage.
• Single-person, gender-neutral bathroom on the ground floor. An elevator allows access to additional bathrooms in the basement, as well.
• The auditorium, box office, concessions, and bathroom are all at street level, without any stairs.

Theaters 2-5 include a ramp (no stairs) to enter the building. The rest of the building (auditoriums, bathrooms) is one-level.

• Theater 5 features companion seating in the back of the theater and the aisle.
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant bathrooms are accessible.

The Little Cafe is entirely one level, without stairs.

Sensory-Friendly Screening

For sensory-friendly screenings, the auditorium lights will remain on but dimmed, and the sound will be turned down to provide a safe and accepting environment.

Audience members are welcome to get up and dance, walk, shout, sing, or do anything they feel they need to do in order to be comfortable, unless the safety of the audience is in question.

Please send any feedback to movetoinclude@wxxi.org

Parking

There are two designated accessible parking spots in the Little’s parking lot (in between our two buildings). The parking lot is up a small ramp; its entrance is at 8 Winthrop St.

If using street parking along East Ave, the ramp onto the sidewalk is on the corner of East Ave and Winthrop Street.

If street parking along Winthrop St, there are ramps entering The Little’s lot and the REDD/”The Winthrop” lot.

For additional accessibility questions, please contact the Business Office at info@thelittle.org