#Paprika23 Access Guide

We are committed to providing you with the information you need to make informed decisions about your participation at this year’s festival. If you have any questions about Paprika’s events or programming that are not answered on this webpage, please reach out to Artistic Producer, Keshia Palm, at keshia@paprikafestival.com

PHYSICAL ACCESS

All Paprika event locations in and around Daniels Spectrum (585 Dundas St E)  have accessible entrances and washrooms:
The Dundas Street entrance to Daniels Spectrum provides barrier-free access to the building, including the Community Living Room and Native Earth Performing Arts Aki Studio

The Artscape Daniels Spectrum Terrace has barrier free access at its north end (off Dundas Street)

Paprika events take place on the main floor of Daniels Spectrum. All floors of the building have wheelchair-accessible washrooms and stalls, as well as accessible drinking fountains

All Aki Studio seating uses armless chairs. 

Signage throughout the building is written in Braille

Paprika welcomes patrons using assistive mobility devices to our performances. Please let us know if you will be using an assistive device when attending the festival when you book your ticket. 

PERSONAL SUPPORT WORKERS

Admission fees will not be charged for personal support workers accompanying a person with a disability attending the festival. Please let us know if you will be accompanied by a personal support person when you book your ticket and when you arrive at the venue. 

SERVICE ANIMALS

We welcome people with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals are allowed in the parts of our venues that are open to the public.

WASHROOMS

Daniels Spectrum washrooms are physically accessible, All-Gender, and available to the public. 

OPEN DOOR POLICY

Paprika has an open door policy for all its performances. You are invited to exit the theatre at any time, and all performances offer re-entry. Please indicate to the ushers if you are exiting the theatre — they will light the exit with flashlights to ensure your safety. 

BABE IN ARMS

Small children (2 years and under) are welcome at Paprika events at no cost. We ask caregivers to please let the box office know if you will be bringing a child to the theatre when you book your ticket and when you arrive at the venue. We will seat you near the exit to accommodate coming and going as necessary. 

ACTIVE LISTENING

Active listeners are professionals engaged to provide compassionate, empathetic and confidential support to audiences and artists during or following a performance. Additional mental health resources can be provided if requested. Paprika will have an active listener present for the following events: 

Saturday May 18 1:30-3:30PM: Community read-in: The Gaza Monologues
Saturday May 18 5:00-7:00PM: Workshop: Back to One

Saturday May 18 8:00-Generation Gentrified

The active listener will be located in the Daniels Spectrum Community Living Room. It is a public space with comfortable chairs. Water, snacks, tissues, and small fidget toys will also be available.

CONTENT NOTES

Paprika provides content notes for all its performances and events. Content notes provide notice to patrons about potentially sensitive content contained in the piece — which can relate to physical triggers (strobe, flashing lights) or mental or emotional triggers that could be thematic or narrative (assault, abuse, harmful or hurtful ideologies and language). These are listed on Paprika’s festival website, on the box office website, and will be printed out and posted outside the theatre for each performance. 

Please feel free to email me at keshia@paprikafestival.com if you have any questions regarding the content of Paprika’s performances and events that are not captured in the content notes on our website. 

MASK MANDATORY PERFORMANCES

All events inside the theatre (with the exception of Workshop: Back to One) have mask mandatory performances. These performances are often scheduled on the same day so that patrons requiring a masked environment can attend multiple events in a row. The mask mandatory performances are:

Tuesday May 14 7:00PM: FAST. FASHION

Tuesday May 14 8:30PM: Indigenous Arts Program Double-Bill: Til Our Bodies Fall Apart + Black and White

Wednesday May 15 2:00PM: Horseplay

Thursday May 16 6:00PM: #Paprika23 Directors Lab Sharings Triple-Bill

Thursday May 16 8:30PM: How to be a Total Failure by 25

Saturday May 18 1:30PM: Community read-in: The Gaza Monologues

Saturday May 18 8:00PM: Double Bill: Generation Gentrified + FAST. FASHION 

Sunday May 19 2:00PM: #Paprika23 Playwrights Unit Staged Readings Triple-Bill

COVID SAFETY IN PUBLIC SPACES

A number of Paprika’s community events take place in public spaces, and the Aki Theatre Lobby is also a public space. Masking cannot be enforced in these spaces, but masks will be available at all times for patrons to use and we welcome and encourage folks to mask at all our events. These community events are: 

Tuesday May 14 7:30-8:30PM: Clothing Swap (inside Daniels Spectrum Community Living Room)

Wednesday May 15 3:30-5:30PM: Hi! (Tea) (inside Daniels Spectrum Community Living Room)

Thursday May 16 3:30-6:00PM: Neighbourhood Lemonade Stand (outside on Daniels Spectrum Terrace)

Friday May 17 4:00-6:00PM: Zone Out at Paprika (outside on Daniels Spectrum Terrace)

Paprika will be practicing the following COVID safety measures: 

Daily Rapid Testing and Masking throughout Tech Week for all festival staff, artists, and contractors (excluding performers)

Daily Rapid Testing of all Paprika festival staff, artists, and contractors during Festival Week

Ushers will remain masked at all times, including mask optional performances

Cancellation of any performances containing team members with positive test results or symptoms for the entire festival run

AUDIO + TEXT

A hearing enhancement system is available in Aki Studio. “Hearing Assist” amplifies the show sound for patrons through hearing devices available via the Box Office. If you would like to use Hearing Assist, please let us know when you book your ticket and check in with the Front of House staff when you arrive at the venue. 

Printed scripts (in English) are available for patrons to read along during performances. Printed scripts will be available for the following performances: 

Thursday May 16 6:00PM: #Paprika23 Directors Lab Sharings Triple-Bill

Friday May 17 6:00PM: Generation Gentrified

Friday May 17 8:00PM: #Paprika23 Directors Lab Sharings Triple-Bill

*Saturday May 18 1:30PM: Community read-in: The Gaza Monologues

Saturday May 18 8:00PM: Generation Gentrified (no script available for FAST. FASHION)

*Printed scripts in Arabic will also be available for Saturday, May 18 1:30 PM Community read-in: The Gaza Monologues. QR Codes will link to digital copies in English and Arabic. Community members are encouraged to bring their own devices. 

FOOD + DRINK

Only bottled water is permitted inside the theatre. Patrons will be asked to leave other beverages and food in the lobby.

TICKETS 

All festival events are free / by-donation to attend with the exception of the T.O. the Good Swap: Paprika Festival Edition. 

Tickets to performances can be booked on Native Earth Box Office Website, by calling the box office at 416-531-1402, or contacting them by email at boxoffice@nativeearth.ca.

T.O. the Good Swap: Paprika Festival Edition entry is by-donation. The suggested donation is $2-5, and covers food and transportation costs for T.O. the Good’s volunteer team. 

If the donation fee for the Clothing Swap is a barrier to participate, please email me at keshia@paprikafestival.com. I will add you to the registration list, no questions asked.