Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Book-It Style™ of theatre?
What plays have you done in the past?
What time are performances?
Mainstage Evening shows begin at 7:30 p.m.
Mainstage matinées begin at 2:00 p.m.
Family Series shows begin at 11:00 a.m. (Doors open for crafts at 10:30 a.m.)
Student matinées for school groups begin at 10:30 a.m.
Do you have ADA-accessible seating?
Which theatre entrance is ADA-accessible? What is the closest drop off point?
When is your Box Office open?
Tuesday-Friday 12:00 — 5:00pm
(Wed-Sat during run of show)
The Box Office window is open one hour preceding each show. Unfortunately we cannot answer the phones in the hour preceding a show, as our staff is occupied seeing to our patrons in the lobby.
I printed my tickets at home; do I need to change them for real tickets at the Box Office?
No, the ticket that you printed out at home is all you need to get into the theatre. If you have tickets to multiple shows and would prefer not to print them at home, then stop by the Box Office window and we will happily give you a set of traditional theatre tickets.
I printed my tickets at home–and then left them there–can I still get into the theatre?
Yes, of course you can, but you will need to stop by the Box Office window and give us your order information and ID and we will be able to re-print the tickets for you.
Can I bring my six-year-old nephew to see the show?
If you have any questions about the appropriateness of content of the shows we produce, please give us a call at the Box Office, 206.216.0833. You may also consider bringing young theatre lovers to our Family Fun Series – which features original adaptations of children’s literature.
Do you produce any plays especially for kids?
Do you offer discounted tickets?
Do you offer Rush or SRO tickets?
Yes, we offer $10 RUSH tickets at 1/2 hour before curtain time. The configuration of the Center Theatre does not make it possible to offer Standing-Room tickets. We do offer tickets on a Stand-by basis when performances are sold out. See the Stand-by policy on our Tickets page.
What if the show I want to see is sold-out?
Again we refer you to our Stand-by policy. There are almost always tickets turned back in just prior to show time, even for a sold-out show, and Book-It has an efficient Stand-by system to seat folks who don’t mind taking a chance on where or whether they will be seated. Of course, a way to guarantee that you’ll be seated is to buy tickets in advance.
What is a Preview?
A Preview is essentially a final dress rehearsal of the performance–it’s a great opportunity to see a show before anyone else, at a low cost! Book-It generally offers three Previews before Opening Night; one Pay-What-You-Will Previews, and the third is a Final Preview. For Pay-What-You-Will Previews, Book-It reserves the right to stop, adjust, and re-start the play if necessary.
How do I get tickets to Previews?
You may purchase tickets to Final Previews online or by calling our Box Office at 206.216.0833, tickets cost $20 and have assigned seating. Pay-What-You-Will Previews are generally held on the Tues. and Wed. evenings preceding Opening Night (please view our calendar or call the box office 206.216.0833 to confirm). Tickets go on sale one hour before the performance, and are cash-only at the door with general admission seating. There is a suggested donation of $10 per ticket, with a limit of four per person.
Can I exchange my tickets?
Free ticket exchanges are an exclusive benefit to our season subscribers (up to two exchanges per patron; upgrade charges may apply; after two exchanges a service fee of $5 per exchange will be applied). If you are not a subscriber and can’t make a show, you may exchange your tickets for a $5 fee, and any upgrade charges based on seat selection and attendance day.
To change your performance date please call the Box Office at 206.216.0833; please do not email about ticket exchanges. Exchanges may be made from one performance date to another of the same production. It is not possible to make exchanges from one production to another. You must exchange your tickets at least 24 HOURS prior to the date of your ticketed performance. Tickets cannot be exchanged or refunded once the performance date has passed.
Can’t attend at all? We suggest you introduce someone new to Book-it, or you can donate your tickets back to Book-It and receive a full-value tax donation. Did you know there is a 47% gap between income from ticket sales and the cost of the many programs we provide to inspire people of all ages to read? Income from the resale of donated tickets helps us to close that income gap and supports our programs.
What is Book-It’s Canceled Performance and Inclement Weather Policy?
It is only in the rarest of instances that Book-It might find it necessary to cancel a performance. In the event of extreme inclement weather, Book-It shows will go on as scheduled unless Interstate 5 is closed, or city buildings (such as the Armory at Seattle Center) are officially closed. Any performance cancellations will be noted on our website’s home page. Additionally, patrons whose email addresses are on file with us will receive notice of cancellations via email, and we will make our best effort to reach all other patrons who may be affected by such closures or cancellations by telephone.
For best Book-It service, we ask that patrons make sure Book-It has a current email address on file with an opt-in to email notification. We will not trade your email address with any other organizations.
Can I get there on public transit?
Yes! The Seattle Center Monorail can whisk you to the Center from downtown in 2 minutes and 15 Metro bus routes serve the Center from around the city. The Monorail departs every 10 minutes from Westlake Center Mall, at Fifth and Pine Street and brings you to the base of the Space Needle, just yards from the Center Theatre. You can also use Metro’s automated Trip Planner to plan your bus trip to Seattle Center from anywhere in the region. The Fifth Ave. and Broad Street stop provides the closest access to the Center Theatre, although there are several stops on all sides of the Seattle Center. Click here for a PDF map that shows the Center Theatre as well as Monorail and Bus stops.
Where should I park?
There are several parking lots in the vicinity of the Seattle Center, click here for parking and public transportation information. As Book-It does not allow late seating, please allow ample time for parking and walking to the theatre. Keep tabs on Seattle Center events, traffic, and parking by calling the Center’s hotline at 206.233.3989 or visiting their online traffic center.
What’s Book-It All Over?
“Book-It All Over” is the former name of our renowned educational outreach program, now referred to as Book-It’s Arts and Education Programs. We tour curriculum-based stories and workshops to schools, libraries and community centers across the state throughout the school year. Learn more here, or call 206.428.6319 for information. Public performances of our touring shows are offered at the Center Theatre in Family Fun Day performances three times each year.
I have a compliment, comment, or complaint. Who do I tell?
Please write to us via our general email at info@book-it.org. Your correspondence will be routed appropriately. Book-It values your opinions and concerns and appreciates hearing from you.
I love Book-It-can I volunteer or intern with you?
Of Course! Book-It loves it’s volunteer and interns. Our ushers and concessions assistants are all volunteers; we also have opportunities for people wishing to volunteer in our administrative offices and for special events. Check out our Volunteer page for more information.
Can you recommend area restaurants?
There are many restaurants in proximity to the Center House offering a wide variety of cuisines and price options. We can recommend our dining partners, who offer special discounts to Book-It Subscribers, but we also suggest visiting our page on Yelp.com and browsing for nearby restaurants, nightlife, and coffee shops.
How can I audition to act in a Book-It show?
Book-It holds general auditions each spring/summer for the next season, we post our auditions with Theatre Puget Sound. Based on these general auditions, we hold call-back auditions for each production individually. We have limited number of AEA slots for each season, other performers are paid minimum wage. Visit our Job Opportunities page for more information on general auditions.
Will Book-It donate tickets to my charitable event?
Book-It is proud to support the local non-profit community by granting ticket donations for fundraising auctions. With a limited number of tickets allocated for donation each season, we prioritize arts and education organizations only for our giving. Please contact the box office 206.216.0833 for details.
