Parent Suite, Gala Pro Make The Arts More Accessible At The Fox Cities P.A.C.

The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center announces the addition of new amenities that will continue to support the Center's mission of being a gathering place for all.

The new Parent Suite in partnership with Women's Health Specialists is located on the Dress Circle Level and provides a quiet, private space for parents during their visit to the Center. Whether a new mother needs a lactation space or a parent needs a quiet place to calm or change a child, this space provides a resource for all parents enjoying the arts. Patrons who may need to utilize the suite should visit the Center's information desk during their visit. Patrons who have questions about the Parent Suite prior to their visit can call the ticket office at (920) 730-3760.

"A few years ago we began receiving requests from patrons about having a space more specifically designed for the needs of new parents. Internally, we searched for just the right space and externally we knew we would need a partner to help us ensure the space was the most effective it could be," said Fox Cities P.A.C. President Maria Van Laanen. "Partnering with Women's Health Specialists allowed us to consult with the experts on the needs of new parents to create a useful, comfortable space that will help create a welcoming experience during each visit to the Center."

"Women's Health Specialists is proud to partner with the Fox Cities P.A.C. on the grand opening of the Parent Suite. We are excited to be able to increase the accessibility to new parents and nursing mothers in the community, as well as ensure families can become more engaged in the performing arts," said Dr. Jill Honkamp of Women's Health Specialists. "This collaboration allows us to promote health and wellness to mothers, babies, and families in one of the many innovative ways we serve the community. We strongly believe the opening of this Parent Suite and lactation space signifies the importance of integrating family life with community involvement and a parent's ability to share their personal interests with their children."

Select performances in the 2019-20 Season will include the addition of a new technology with the GalaPro app.

Designed as a solution to provide more accessibility to the arts, The GalaPro app allows audiences to customize their performing arts experiences with individual captioning to the user's own mobile device. All content is provided in real-time, using voice recognition technology developed specifically for live performances.

Patrons wishing to use the service simply download the GalaPro app in the App Store or Google Play, choose the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center and participating production and then customize the screen brightness and font size. The screen display is designed not to disturb those around you and only works in airplane mode, so patrons will not be receiving interruptions during the performance. Patrons who struggle with adding the app to their device can seek assistance from a volunteer or visit the Main Lobby for more information.

"As a gathering place for the community, we constantly strive to ensure the arts are engaging and accessible for all," Van Laanen said. "Many touring productions are just beginning to utilize GalaPro and, after testing the platform last season, we are confident providing this service to our patrons will allow more members of our audiences to fully enjoy their live arts experiences."

The Center will also continue to offer specific open-captioned performance times during the 2019-20 Season. Those dates can be found at foxcitiespac.com.

In addition to these new initiatives, the Center continues to offer accessibility services that make the arts available for all. These include being the first Broadway presenting theater in Wisconsin to have a T-coil Hearing Loop. The Center also provides loop listening devices, available at the Information Desk during all performances. American Sign Language performances are available, with a full schedule found on the Center's website. Also on the website, a social story provides a learning tool with patrons on the autism spectrum. Alternative format programs such as large print and Braille are available upon request in advance. The Center also has accessible seating at each level and price point, including transfer seating available on the Orchestra Level.

For more information about accessibility services please call the Center's ticket office at (920) 730-3760 or visit in person at 400 W. College Avenue in downtown Appleton.

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