Tennessee Performing Arts Center — Attraction in Nashville-Davidson

On March 1, 2022, I purchased TPAC Broadway theater series season tickets for family. As with any plans, I researched accessibility of the site of TPAC, parking, restroom availability to name a few things. I did not purchase our tickets online, rather calling to speak with a ticket agent, as suggested under the TPAC's Accessible Services tab, to verbalize our specific needs. I spoke with Dana, who I clearly and specifically told about our needs. She told me specifics of where accessible seating was available & price point. I purchased our 3 season tickets and our call ended with her saying that the order is complete and we will be receiving our seat assignments around the end of April. Which brings me to today…

I received a voicemail asking for a callback because there was an issue with our seating. I returned the call and after a 14 min,10 sec hold I was disconnected when the agent was trying to transfer my call. I called back. After another hold of 7 min, 27 sec, the agent informed me that my order could not be accommodated. I asked to speak with a supervisor and was transferred to Kyle, Assistant Manager of Patron Services. We spent 1 hour, 1 min together on the phone.

Kyle explained to me that accessible seating had been oversold. He was sorry. His first attempt to shift blame was when he said I shouldn't have placed my order online where I immediately corrected him, giving him the information given to me by Dana. His second attempt to shift blame was when he said Dana should have told me the possibility existed that our accommodations couldn’t be met. To which I rebutted that she didn’t, nor have I seen language on the TPAC website which gives that disclaimer. The third attempt of assigning blame was when he told me that I can’t apply what I see on the website today versus what may have been on the website in March. What?! Kyle then went on to tell me that he has fielded several lengthy phone calls today from patrons who weren’t happy with their seat assignments because they didn’t get their “preferred” seating choice. So, this is where I offered suggestions for learning opportunities for the department of TPAC Patron Services:

Kyle, you would have never spent 1 hour, 1 min on the phone with me had Dana said one sentence, “There may be a chance that we can’t accommodate your requests”. Had that been said I would never have bought season tickets. Provide explicit, targeted training for your box office agents on the limits TPAC has for being able to accommodate patrons with disabilities, to prevent this very scenario. Kyle, please don’t be an ableist. I was not put out because I didn’t get my “preferred seat”, as you claimed were the other patrons' complaints. My preferred seat wouldn’t have been where you put patrons who need accommodations. You dictate to me the very limited area you have set aside to meet accommodations. The disabled community doesn't have seating “choices” at TPAC. Kyle, don’t assume ignorance. I can guarantee the disabled community researches better than the FBI. Why do I know this? Because we HAVE to make sure that we can get to, get in, be accommodated, get out, and get home before we’re willing to commit our precious $ resources. Did you know that in most venues accessible seating is mostly located in higher tiered pricing, you facility included? So before I make that kind of purchase, I dot my Is and cross my Ts. Kyle, I know you say you went “above and beyond” and “went out of your way” to find accessible seating, on a different day, splitting our party, way over on the side where I hope the loge does not cause an obstructed view, (as it looks in the pic) as I indicated from the very beginning that our son has sight impairment. But please call what your above & beyond what it really is; your attempt to throw a sloppy seconds bone to CYA. That's insulting.

Our needs aren’t special. You aren’t doing us any favors. We’re paying patrons. We are the general public. It would have been appreciated had I been...

This was my first time and as an autistic person with an autistic child going to anything with lots of people, sound and commotion is really overwhelming. They made it so much easier in many ways. My only complaint is when I called ahead to ask about parking and valet it was communicated that at 5pm there would be valet if I choose to pay $45. Which I did plan to do because my son elopes and struggles with longer walks to a destination. The loud sounds, and everything overwhelms him and me but I can usually suffer through it. Anyway, it was almost 5pmI let my husband and daughter out because she was having big anxiety about missing the show and I thought I'd still be able to valet. Around 5:07 I circled and still nothing so I asked security which they told me there would be no valet. At this point I am already overwhelmed and overstimulated with a screaming autistic 3 year old in the background. I just fell apart and cried. I hated that I got so emotional and was so embarrassed but in kindness they offered to let me park up front and helped me back in. I did not expect or ask for that to happen they just took care of us. Change in plans are usually not this dramatic but the thought of getting him from a far away parking spot alone at night without a stroller or something to keep him safe was terrifying. I also have muscle weakness in my right arm so wrangling him is painful and really hard to do alone without the appropriate things which I didn't have because I was planning to valet. I did check the website but I got confused with some of the language and wording so that is why I called to confirm all the details. But seriously it was great. The only other thing is we were told they'd have a sensory room as well and when asked I was told that wasn't a thing. But overall it was a great experience I just wish some of the communication was clearer and more...

Aside from the accessibility issues, which have been addressed in others’ reviews, my issue is that audiences have become progressively more unruly over the last few years, and TPAC doesn’t seem to be doing anything to address this. In fact, TPAC serves alcohol at every performance I’ve attended, which just seems to make the situation worse.

I suppose if the ticket prices weren’t also going up, it might not be such a big deal. But we just paid about $500 to see A Christmas Carol in Jackson Hall, and we spent close to $1,500 this year seeing various other performances like Wicked, and every single performance had been deeply disrupted either by children who are clearly FAR TOO YOUNG to attend given the subject matter and the need for quiet behavior, AND parents who decide this is a great opportunity to drink excessively and not watch their children.

Seat kicking. Screaming. Crying. The overwhelming smell of cheap red wine. (It really stinks). People talking loudly throughout the performance. People scrolling through social media with their screens set to extra bright so they can see if anyone liked their last post.

It’s gotten to the point where we’ve decided to pull back on how often we go to these performances. The cost is so high (despite the underwriting…) and the disruptions are nearly constant, and it’s too painful to justify...