We want to make experiencing the performing arts easy for you. From making a reservation, to arriving at TPAC for your field trip, be sure to read our policies & procedures before making a reservation so you understand what to expect and make the most of your experience!
Return to the 2023-24 Season for Young People Schedule.
Making a Reservation
Season for Young People performances (in-person and virtual) are for school groups. Tickets to these events are not open to the public or sold at TPAC’s box offices. All reservations must be made by the school, including students, school faculty (including bus drivers) and parent chaperones. Groups must purchase a minimum of 10 tickets.
Student admission prices for in-person performances are $10 each unless otherwise noted. Virtual performances are free. All adult reservations (including teachers, bus drivers, and parent chaperones) must be made by one reservation contact person, as part of a reservation for students.
Cost should never be a barrier for anyone to experience the arts. Please contact us if you have questions or requests concerning ticket prices. Ticket subsidies are available to schools in need of funding assistance when requested in writing before the payment deadline. For more information on how to qualify for subsidies, contact the Education Reservations Line at 615-687-4288.
One school faculty member may attend in-person shows free of charge for every 10 students. Additional staff members may be added for $10 each. (See also discounted tickets.)
All adults with the school must wear a school badge to enter the theater. Faculty are expected to sit amongst the students to monitor behavior, with at least one faculty member seated on an aisle in case TPAC Staff needs to find them. Students must be always accompanied by a chaperone, including trips to the restroom.
All adult reservations for in-person shows (including all teachers, bus drivers, and parent chaperones) must be made by one reservation contact person, as part of a reservation for students. All adults with the school must wear a school badge to enter the theater. Groups will not be seated until all members have arrived.
For schools traveling by bus – Up to 10 parent chaperone tickets can be included in a reservation at $10 per ticket if they are traveling to the theater on the bus with students. If your school has a concern about this policy, please contact us to make alternate arrangements. Parents who contact TPAC directly or arrive separately from the school group will not be allowed to enter the theater or permitted to purchase tickets.
For schools traveling by car or van – If your group is arriving in cars/vans, the reservation contact person is required to submit a list including all attending adult names at least 1 week prior to the performance dates.
Any adults that do not arrive with the school group or are not included on a school-provided list will not be allowed to enter the theater or to purchase tickets.
Virtual performances are available at no cost for schools and available for viewing during a 3-4 week period though an online link. Virtual performances are asynchronous. Reserving these performances allows you to use the performance link at any time during the published date range. The viewing dates cannot be extended or changed.
In-Person Show Day Policies
TPAC will follow all health policies and mandates put in place for Davidson County and by the touring companies presenting our Season for Young People performances. These policies may change on a show-by-show basis and will be communicated to you as soon as possible.
Parking and directional information can be found on TPAC’s website in the “Field Trips to TPAC” section of Education and Community. Buses will be met by TPAC Staff to provide information to bus drivers and teachers. Bus drivers should follow the direction of TPAC staff for parking location. Do not allow your students to get off the bus until directed to do so by TPAC staff.
Personal vehicle parking is not provided by TPAC. Cars and vans are not permitted to park around the building. Please plan to park personal vehicles in one of the surrounding parking facilities. A downtown parking guide is available on TPAC’s website. Availability and rates are not regulated by TPAC and may change. Please arrive early to allow time for parking. Guests that arrive after the school group is seated will not be seated with the group.
Each school group will be given a School ID sign with their school’s name and seating location. This sign should be held up by the first person in line, over their head as they enter the building. Please leave any food or drink (including gum) in your vehicle, as well as all backpacks and electronics. These items are not allowed in the theater. Teachers carrying a necessary bag or purse will be subject to bag check by TPAC’s Security team.
All seating is pre-arranged by sections. Seating assignments are based on several factors, including the date full payment is received, special needs for your group, age of students, size of group, and arrival time. You will be seated as a group when everyone in your group has arrived. Guests that arrive after the school group is seated will not be seated with your group.
Teachers are expected to inform students of appropriate behavior prior to arrival at TPAC. Theatre etiquette guidelines can be found on TPAC’s website in the “Field Trips to TPAC” section of Education and Community. If students are disruptive, TPAC staff reserves the right to prevent them from entering the theater or to remove them from the theater. Teachers and chaperones should sit among students to monitor behavior during the performance.
TalkBacks are optional Q&A sessions between students and performers after a show. Staying for a TalkBack may add up to 30 minutes to your time at TPAC. To participate in these optional TalkBacks, the reservation contact person must sign up with the Season for Young People office prior to the show day.
TPAC can provide special assistance to enter the building, accessible seating, quiet spaces, audio description, hearing devices, or sign language interpretation. Please advise us on any assistance that would benefit your students by noting them on your reservation request, or by contacting the Education Reservations Line at 615-687-4288 at least 14 days in advance of your visit. Additional resources, such as fidgets, weighted blankets, noise-reduction headsets, visual schedules and social narratives are available for all Season for Young People performances on request.
Reservation and Payment Policies
Invoices with payment deadlines are emailed automatically when your reservation request is processed. Reservation Contacts are expected to submit all invoices and trip information to their school bookkeeper, transportation office, and administration as needed for approval and payment. Updates and additional invoice requests are welcome until the payment deadline. Reservation numbers and invoice amount due will not be changed after the 6-week deadline.
6 weeks prior to the performance opening you must submit the final attendance count and remit payment in full. Reservation numbers and payment amount due will not be changed after this point. Refunds are not issued due to illness, absence, transfer, or dissatisfaction of a performance. Mail checks with a copy of your invoice to TPAC Education, PO Box 190660, Nashville, TN 37219. Credit cards are accepted by phone at 615-687-4288. Do not e-mail credit card information.
The deadline for payment, final attendance count, and cancellation are 6 weeks prior to the show opening. Deadlines will be clearly stated on confirmations and invoices sent to schools. Reservation numbers and payment due will not be changed after this deadline.
The reservation contact person must submit all school paperwork to obtain approval, payment, and transportation in time to meet the 6-week deadline. Final attendance counts are submitted to TPAC by the deadline and cannot be lowered after this time.
If your school policy does not allow you to submit full payment 6 weeks in advance, you will still need to submit your final attendance count and a copy of your Purchase Order for the full amount due. Reservation numbers and payment due will not be changed after this point.
Deadlines for reservations made after the 6-week deadline will be determined at the time of reservation confirmation and will be clearly stated on confirmations and invoices sent to schools.
All cancellations must be made in writing on or before the deadline listed on your Reservation Confirmation. Failure to cancel by this deadline will result in a cancellation fee equal to 50% of the payment due. Reservations which consist of fully subsidized tickets are required to submit a final attendance count by the deadline on your Reservation Confirmation. Fully subsidized reservations dropping more than 20 tickets or canceling all tickets after the deadline will result in a $200 ticketing fee.
All cancellations must be made in writing on or before the deadline listed on your Reservation Confirmation.
If you need to increase the number of seats at any time, please submit your request in writing. Seats will be added to the reservation based on availability, and a new invoice provided. If payment has already been made, added seats must be paid for no later than the day of the performance.
If you need to decrease the number of seats in your reservation, you must do so in writing BEFORE the deadline date (6 weeks prior to the performance opening). Attendance counts cannot be lowered after this time. Fully subsidized reservations dropping more than 20 tickets or canceling all tickets after the deadline will result in a $200 ticketing fee.
Any school may apply for assistance with their travel costs by filling out our Travel Grant Application. Travel Grants reimburse 50% of your travel costs and will be distributed after the required documentation has been submitted to TPAC. Travel Grant forms and receipts are due by the first week of May.
Additional Policies
Performance availability is constantly changing. For updated availability, call the Education Reservations Line at 615-687-4288. If there is no availability for a requested show, you will be placed on a waiting list and contacted if seats become available.
Season for Young People performances are selected with the classroom curriculum in mind and connect to curriculum standards. Suggested curriculum connections for each show can be found on TPAC’s website in the “Field Trips to TPAC” section of Education and Community.
TPAC staff carefully considers grade level recommendations to ensure the
best experience for everyone. If you would like to reserve seats for a group outside of these recommendations, please call the Education Reservations Line at 615-687-4288 to discuss the performance content.
In the event of inclement weather or other school closings, the show will go on – even if only one school is able to attend. If your school is closed, TPAC will attempt to offer available make-up days. If that is not possible, TPAC will offer a refund or apply the funds to another upcoming Season for Young People production. (This applies for any official school closings – flooding, snow, illness, etc.)
Season for Young People performances are intended for school-age children. We discourage bringing children ages 3 and under. If a child becomes disruptive, please be considerate of others and exit the theater promptly. We reserve the right to ensure that all patrons have an enjoyable experience.