Frequently Asked Questions

Attending a Show • Children • Theatre Etiquette • Accessibility • Miscellaneous

Attending a Show 

How do I get to the theatre?

We are located at One University Drive in Orange; off Glassell St. between Palm Ave. and Walnut Ave. Just north of the Orange Circle.

Where do I park?

Parking is available in the Anderson structure underneath Ernie Chapman Stadium, directly next to the theatre. Additional parking is offered in the Barrera structure at the corner of Sycamore and Lemon street, behind the Fowler School of Law. Free parking in either structure is available for events, but registration is required. You may register for free event parking by following the parking link on the individual event page. The event-specific parking link can also be found in your confirmation and reminder emails. Additionally, short-term parking permits are available for purchase on-site. 

When should I arrive?

We recommend that you arrive at the theatre one hour before the performance in order to give yourself enough time to park and be in your seat 10 minutes prior to the start of the show. This ensures that you will not miss any of the performance.

During mid-week matinees, we recommend that you give yourself extra time as traffic in the area can be higher than normal.

When do you start letting people in?

Doors to the building lobby open one hour prior to the start of the performance. Doors the seating area generally open 30 minutes prior to the start time. Please note that not all shows are the same and these times are approximate.

What if I am late?

For your safety and the safety of your fellow audience members and performance late seating will occur at the discretion of the management at appropriate times. For some performances the only appropriate time may be at the intermission and you may be held in the lobby until then.

How long is the performance?

Every performance is different. Average times range from 90-120 minutes.

Is there a dress code?

There is no official dress code. Most patrons dress in business office or dressy-casual attire. However, you will likely see people wearing anything from jeans and a T-shirt to formalwear.

Is the show appropriate for children?

Every child is different and every performance is different, and we believe that parents are best equipped to determine what is appropriate for their children. Remember that every patron must have a ticket, regardless of age. As a courtesy to other patrons and the performers please bear in mind that it is not appropriate for small children to attend symphony, ballet and other performances where silence is a prerequisite for full enjoyment of the artistic experience.

What happens if I cannot attend?

All ticket sales are final; but if you cannot attend please call the ticket office as soon as possible to discuss options. No refunds or exchanges will be given after a performance has passed.

Can I take pictures during the show?

You make take photos in the lobby or exterior of the building, however, due to copyright laws, photo and video may not be taken inside the theatre during a performance.

Is there a smoking area available?

Musco Center for the Arts and Chapman University are smoke-free. No smoking, including e-cigarettes or any other form of vapor is permitted inside or outside the building. All such activities must take place at the street level outside the building.

Can I bring food or drink?

Other than bottled water, no outside food or drink will be allowed inside the lobby or the theatre. Please finish before entering the facility.

Is there food and drink available to purchase?

Yes, there are a small selection of snacks and drinks available at the concessions counters on each level for Musco Center Presents shows and some other events. They will be open 60 minutes prior to show time through the end of the intermission.

I want to leave an emergency number for my babysitter, do you have one?

Please leave your seating location with your sitter and have them call 714-997-6751.

My seats are odd/even numbers only. Are we sitting together?

Yes, the seating configuration for the side sections has all odd numbers on one side and even on the other.

I can see empty seats that are better than mine. Can I move to those seats instead?

Empty seats do not necessarily indicate that the seat is available. Sometimes a patron may arrive late to a performance and will expect their seats to be available for them. We ask you to please remain in the seats that match the tickets you have.

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Children 

Do I need a ticket for my child?

Yes, every patron must have a ticket, regardless of age. As a courtesy to other patrons and the performers please bear in mind that it is not appropriate for small children to attend symphony, ballet and other performances where silence is a prerequisite for full enjoyment of the artistic experience.

Is there a minimum age requirement for attending your shows?

Most shows do not have an age limit. However, not all shows are appropriate for every child. In general, we recommend children be at least six years of age to attend most events. . 

Do you have children’s prices?

Most performances do not have specially priced tickets for children.

Are your shows appropriate for children?

Every child is different and every performance is different, and we believe that parents are best equipped to determine what is appropriate for their children.

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Theatre Etiquette 

Turn off all distractions and enjoy the show.

Cell phones, tablets, pagers, alarms, and other electronic equipment should be turned off or set to silent just before the performance begins. 

Texting during a performance is bad manners.

You may think you’re being sneaky, but in a darkened theatre, the light from your cell phone or tablet screen is incredibly distracting to those around you (as well as the performers in some cases). Please leave the texting, e-mailing, snapchatting etc… for intermission and post-performance. Then feel free to tweet, text or post all about how much you enjoyed the performance!

Please eat before the show, not during.

Remember this is a live performance. Unlike a movie, the dialog and music can often be very soft and any noise in the audience (including polite chewing) can be heard.

But it’s not my fault I’m late, traffic was horrible.

We understand that sometimes arriving late to a performance is out of your control. Even if you tried your best to be on time and are only a few minutes late, you may need to remain in the lobby for a little while.

For the safety of the performers and to preserve the artistic experience for those already seated, we may need to keep you in the lobby until there is an appropriate pause in the performance. Sometimes, we may need to move you to another area of the theatre where you can be safely seated while the performance continues. We trust that you won’t try to go to the seats you purchased until intermission.

Cough, Cough, Crinkle, Crinkle!

Every now and then we all get a cough or tickle in our throat. It’s inevitable, but distracting during a performance. Please make sure to unwrap any cough drops, lozenges or hard candies before the performance begins (and no, you aren’t hiding anything by unwrapping them slowly during the show). Always remember what your mother told you, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Sharing is nice, but not when it is your cold.

But it’s my favorite song!

We all have that special song or piece of music we love to sing or hum. Please remember that others may love the same piece and want to hear the artist they paid money to see perform the number. Please don’t sing or hum along with the performance (unless encouraged by the artist).

I can’t believe what she said!

We know it is tempting to explain the show to your friend or share a reaction to something happening on stage, but we ask you to limit the commentary to intermission and post-performance conversations. Remember, if you are talking during the show, not only can others hear you, but you will also be missing the performance.

Respect the comfort of those around you.

Theatre seats are close together and generally share armrests. Be a good seat neighbor and take care not to lean into your neighbor, take the entire armrest, hang your coat over your seat so that it is in someone else’s lap or intrude on other patrons’ leg room.

Do I clap now?

For many shows when to clap will be obvious, but for certain types of shows like symphonies and ballets, it can be confusing.

Classical music works will often have several movements per section. Between each movement there is a brief pause. Traditionally, audiences only applaud when the work is finished, not after every movement.  If you want to know the number of movements, you can find this information in your program. Alternately, you can wait and applaud only when the conductor turns around and smiles to the audience.

At the ballet is it common to applaud when the conductor makes his entrance and sometimes after solos and pas de deux. (As well as during the traditional bows at the end of the performance.)

When in doubt, err on the side of not clapping.  Don’t worry you aren’t being rude, and it will be obvious if you should start clapping.

I’m not sure I know what to wear.

There is no official dress code at our venues. Most patrons dress in business office or dressy-casual attire. However, you will likely see people wearing anything from jeans & t-shirts to formalwear.

The set is so pretty, I must have a picture!

Most of the time, you may take pictures in the lobbies of all theatres. However, due to copyright laws, there is no picture taking or video recording allowed inside the theatres during a performance. Don’t worry, if you forget this bit of etiquette our friendly usher staff will remind you, every time you take out the phone or camera.

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Accessibility 

Seating Accessibility

Accessible seating is available at designated locations throughout the seating area. Please notify the box office of your needs so we may have the proper seats removed prior to your arrival.

Hearing Accessibility

Musco Center offers assistive listening devices that may be checked out free of charge at the Box Office on the Orchestra level. Musco Center also offers ASL interpretation upon request.

Service Animals

By law, service animals are permitted inside the facility. Emotional support and/or comfort animals are not classified as service animals and will not be permitted. If necessary to determine whether an animal is a service animal, Chapman staff may inquire whether a service animal is required because of a disability and what work or task the service animal has been trained to perform. If a service animal is not housebroken or is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it, the handler may be asked to remove the service animal from the performance and informed that they may return to the performance without the service animal. Please be advised that some performances may have loud and abrupt sounds and lighting changes to which service animals may be sensitive.

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Miscellaneous 

I lost something at the performance. How can I check to see if you found it?

To inquire about personal items that may have been left at the theatre, call the Musco Stage Door 714-997-6751.

Do you rent binoculars?

No, we feel our venue is intimate enough to not require binoculars, but you are free to bring your own if you would like.

Do you offer tours?

Yes. Tours are scheduled every Tuesday and Thursday and meet in the Global Citizen’s Plaza on campus at 1:00 p.m. To register for a tour of Musco Center, please email info@muscocenter.org.

How do I become an usher?

Please contact the Front of House Manager: hoyme@chapman.edu 

Do you rent your venue?

Yes. Please visit Rent Musco Center for more information.

How many seats are in the theatre?

Musco Center has 1,044 seats when all four rows of the pit are available. 600 seats on the orchestra level; 208 on the mezzanine; and 236 on the Balcony.

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