School Performances

• When placing a ticket order, please have the number of people attending, grade level attending, and any known access requests ready.

• Individual tickets are not issued; a one-page group confirmation is distributed.

• In-person performance seating is assigned in advance based on the size of group, accessible seating requirements, and grade level.

• Educators must contact Education Sales, 651.282.3115, at least six weeks prior to the performance regarding any order changes.

• If Education Sales is not contacted, the school will be held responsible for the full payment of the order.

• Refunds will be given up to six weeks prior to the performance, provided that the Ordway can resell your returned tickets.

• Please arrive 20-30 minutes prior to your scheduled in person performance time.

• All performances are subject to change and cancellation. You will be notified of any performance changes.

Ticket payments are generally due 6 weeks prior to your performance date.  Please refer to your order invoice for specific deadlines. 

Tickets can be paid for with a check sent in the mail, or by credit card over the phone.  Please refer to your order invoice for contact details.  

The Ordway does not generally cancel performances due to inclement weather.  Rain, snow or shine, the show must go on!  

In the event that a school matinee is cancelled due to bad weather, the contact on your ticket order will be notified via email and phone message. 

If school is cancelled or delayed on the day of your performance, let our team know.  We will work with you to rebook your tickets into a different show or keep the payment on file with us as a credit for a future date. 

Please contact Ordway Education with questions on your ticket order, including payments, adding tickets, and seating accommodation requests. 

Ordway Education: 651.282.3115 | educationsales@ordway.org

The Ordway does not distribute physical tickets for school performances.  

School performance seats are assigned before the show, based on your school’s group size and group access accommodation requests.  Seating assignments are not distributed until your school arrives for the performance.   

If you have a seating preference, please let our team know, and we will do our best to accommodate this request. 

Reach out to the Education team!  The sooner we are aware of access requests for your group, the better prepared our staff is to welcome all of your students comfortably.  

The Ordway provides wheelchair seating, infrared listening system units, ASL interpretation, and audio description upon request.   

If requesting ASL interpretation or Audio Description, we require at least 2 weeks notification prior to the show.  

We recommend that you arrive a half hour prior to your performance start time. 

School matinees are generally 50-60 minutes long 

Broadway @ the Ordway student performances are the length of a full production, with a 20-minute intermission.   

Please visit your show’s individual performance page for show length details

School busses drop off and pick up students on front of the Ordway, on Washington St.   

Busses are not able to stay on Washington St during the performance.  Suggested parking spaces include the Comcast lot (2274 River Park Plaza) or the Sears lot (425 Rice Street).  

Visit the Directions and Parking page for more information on parking in St. Paul.

• Before the show: fill out the bus reimbursement and information form, and submit to education@ordway.org  

• After the show: Please stay in your assigned seats until your school is called for bus dismissal.   

Yes, you can! Please contact the Education team to make this request.   

In addition, make sure to connect with your school bus driver, to make sure your buses are back to the Ordway early.  

Bus reimbursement is available for all schools attending a student matinee!  Reimbursement amounts vary based on your school’s location:  

• MPS and SPPS: full reimbursement.  Please contact your district finance office.  

• 7 County Metro (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, Washington): up to $180 per bus 

• Beyond the Metro: up to $450 per bus 

There are two pieces of information needed for the Ordway to process bus reimbursement:  

A copy of your school’s bus bill or invoice.   

A completed post-performance evaluation.  Evaluations are sent out electronically to the contact on your ticket order. 

The Ordway is unable to accommodate groups wishing to eat lunch in the building before or after a performance.  

We can, however, store lunch coolers at coat check during your performance. 

Outdoor lunch space suggestions:  

• Rice Park—just across the street from the Ordway, Rice Park is a great space to eat lunch on warm days. 

• Landmark Plaza—down the street from the Ordway, next to Landmark Center, another great spot for warm days. 

Indoor lunch space suggestions: 

• Landmark Center—next to the Ordway, bordering Rice Park. Spaces available for rent in advance: www.landmarkcenter.org  

• George Latimer Central Library—next to the Ordway, bordering Rice Park. Spaces available for groups under 70 people: https://sppl.org/meeting-rooms  

Below are a few organizations that frequently welcome students, all within a half mile of the Ordway.  

• Science Museum of Minnesota 

• Children’s Museum of Minnesota 

• Minnesota History Center 

• Minnesota Museum of American Art 

• Schubert Club Instrument Museum 

• George Latimer Central Library 

And check out the Visit St. Paul website for more ideas! visitsaintpaul.com

The Ordway does not currently offer theater tours. 

Yes! Head over to Artists in the Schools for a full list of in school engagement opportunities the Ordway can offer