Accessibility

Accessible Seating For Convocation at Krannert Center

While we are not able to guarantee seating for your entire party at this point in an accessible seating area the day of your commencement ceremony, we will ensure that the member of your party that needs accessible seating will be accommodated.

If you or a member of your party needs accessible seating for convocation, please enter Krannert Center through one of our underground parking garages off of Illinois Street or Oregon Street on the day of your ceremony and check in at the Access Table in the Lobby (Level 5) next to the Krannert Center model upon arrival The Krannert Center model is located in the southern part of our lobby, closest to the Tryon Festival Theatre. If you are in the elevator lobby of a Krannert Center parking garage and are in need of an escort to our main lobby, please press the intercom button or call 217.333.9716 and a staff member will answer and be able to assist you. If you must use street parking but still require a wheelchair escort or staff escort into the building, please call the patron services desk at 217.333.9716, and we will send a staff member to your location. To locate and serve you expediently, please communicate the type of assistance you need, the model and color of your car, what street you are on, and the location of the street that you are on.

Parking

Once you arrive at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, we recommend using one of our four parking garages to enter the building via the elevator lobbies if an accessible entrance is needed. On the north side of the building on Illinois St, you will find the Yellow Garage (Level 1) and the Orange Garage (Level 3). On the south side of the building, on Oregon St you will find the Green Garage (Level 1) and the Blue Garage (Level 3). If you have an oversized vehicle that does not fit in our garages, we recommend that you use the street level parking on Illinois St (North Side) or Oregon St (South Side). The north accessible entrance is through a designated pedestrian walk on the Orange Garage ramp, and a ramp on the south side of Krannert Center off Oregon St provides access from the sidewalk to the main lobby. Due to the volume of patrons at Krannert Center during commencement, all parking is first come, first serve. There are handicap spaces available in all four parking garages. To park in a handicap space, a placard must be displayed.

Please refer to the table below to confirm what time the doors open for your ceremony, what time the ceremony begins, and our recommended parking garage for your ceremony.

Check In and Seating

Once you have arrived in the main lobby of Krannert Center on Level 5, you will approach the Access table at the Krannert Center Model to check in. The model is located next to the Tryon Festival Theatre that is located on the South end of the lobby. Please do not approach the entrance of the venue where your ceremony is being held until you have checked in at the Krannert Center Model with a staff member. Seating for the space of your ceremony will begin one (1) Hour before the ceremony begins. When you approach the gate, please give the host your party’s name. They will scan your tickets and then escort your party to your specified section.

Vision and Hearing Services

If you indicated vision impairment in your request, the reserved seating for your party will be closer to the stage. If you specified hearing impairment in your request, Krannert Center offers an assisted listening system in all theatres (headsets are available to check out free of charge).To use this service, please approach the Patron Services Desk to request your headset. We have devices that sync with t-coil hearing aids, as well as those that are simple headphones. We do require that you leave an ID when checking out a device, which will be returned to you upon the device’s return to the patron services desk. We appreciate you taking the time to familiarize yourself with the services available at the Krannert Center. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any additional questions or concerns at patronservices [at] krannertcenter.illinois.edu.

Prohibited Items:

Please note that the following items are not allowed in the concert hall: backpacks, large bags, strollers, instrument cases, food, beverages other than bottled water, tripods, signs, balloons, skateboards, bicycles, scooters, and any other items deemed to be dangerous or to pose an obstruction. Thank you for your cooperation with these guidelines.

With its comprehensive services and accessible spaces, Krannert Center strives to be a welcoming environment for everyone. The Center was designed to accommodate wheelchair accessibility a full two decades before the Americans with Disabilities Act was created, and we continue to update our services and facilities to better serve all patrons. 

PARKING and building entry

All four parking garages provide elevator access to any level of the building. One van-only accessible parking spot is available in the Yellow garage off Illinois Street. Street-level accessible entrances can be found on the north side of the building off Illinois Street and the south side off Oregon Street. The north accessible entrance is through a designated pedestrian walk on the Orange parking garage ramp, and a ramp on the south side of Krannert Center provides access from the sidewalk to the main lobby.

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE AND “EASY-ACCESS” SEATING

Every theatre in Krannert Center has designated wheelchair accessible seating and companion seating. In addition, all theatres have seats with “easy access” that require few or no stairs to reach. If you have questions regarding wheelchair accessible or easy-access seating, please phone the Ticket Office at 217.333.6280, 10am to 6pm Tuesday through Friday. A staff member will be pleased to discuss the best option to meet your needs. Wheelchair accessible and easy-access seating are available for purchase online. 

Requesting accessibilty services from elevator lobbies

Some seating requires an alternate route to enter the theatre, so Patron Services staff are on hand before every performance to escort patrons from the lobby or parking garages to their seats. We are happy to provide wheelchairs and/or staff assistance for your journey from the parking garage to the theatre. To request these items at performance times, if you are in the elevator lobbies of Krannert Center's parking garages, please either phone 217.333.9716 or press the intercom button. A staff member at our lobby desk will answer. Please let the staff member know your location—the Blue, Green, Orange, or Yellow parking level. This assistance is available beginning one hour before performances. Theatres are usually open 30 minutes before each performance, unless an exception is needed for artist preparation.

VISION AND HEARING SERVICES

Large-print programs, Braille programs, or an ASL interpreter are available for any performance with two weeks notice. These can be requested through Patron Services by phone at 217.333.9716 or by filling out the below contact form.

Krannert Center offers an assisted listening system in all four theatres and the lobby, and headsets are available to check out free of charge. Please inquire at the Patron Services desk, found at the right side of the Ticket Office counter during performances, or contact patronservices [at] krannertcenter.illinois.edu or 217.333.9716 for more information on requesting this service.  

CONTACT US

Please contact us at least two weeks in advance if you require any accommodations to attend a performance or event at Krannert Center. For more information, contact the Ticket Office at 217.333.6280 Tuesday-Friday from 10am-6pm, or Patron Services by phone at 217.333.9716 or via the below contact form.