events

event faqs

General Event FAQs

TCAN Identifies Itself As A Listening Room. Exactly What Is A Listening Room?

TCAN is a listening room, a type of live music venue that prioritizes attentive listening and respect for the performers and their music. The term “listening room” emphasizes the idea that the audience is there primarily to hear and appreciate the music being performed, rather than socializing or engaging in other activities.

Characteristics of a listening room include:

Intimate Setting: Listening rooms are often smaller and more intimate compared to other types of venues, allowing for a closer connection between the performers and the audience.

Minimal Distractions: In a listening room, distractions such as talking, loud shouting or whoop-whoop cheers, cell phone use, fussing children or crying babies, use of flash photography, and other disruptive behavior are discouraged to ensure the focus remains on the music. Audiences are welcome to show appreciation with enthusiastic applause and cheers following each song or composition, but are asked to remain silent once applause subsides.

Focused Audience: The audience in a listening room is expected to be attentive and respectful, actively engaging with the music.

Acoustic Considerations: Listening rooms have acoustic treatments and sound systems that enhance the sound quality and clarity of the music, creating an optimal listening experience.

Seating arrangements: Seating in a listening room is usually arranged to facilitate listening, with chairs facing the stage and minimal obstructions between the audience and the performers.

TCAN is dedicated to fostering a listening-friendly environment and providing memorable experiences for both performers and audience members.

What Are the Safety Policies For COVID-19?

Effective March 10, 2022: Proof-of-vaccination requirements have been suspended, and masks are highly encouraged, but optional for all patrons. Protocols are subject to change based on the request of a performing artist, or updated guidance from local health authorities. Visit this page of our website for updates to health and safety information.

What Happens If An Event is Cancelled?

We very rarely cancel an event. For many feature events, artists have traveled great distances therefore “the show must go on” and it does. When the performance occurs, the “No Refund” policy stated at time of sale remains in full effect. In the rare event of a forced cancellation, notice will be posted on TCAN’s website prior to the event. If possible, TCAN may attempt to contact ticketed patrons to notify them of the cancellation. Every effort will be made to reschedule the event within the following six months, and tickets for the cancelled show will be honored at the rescheduled performance.

What Happens if there is a Snowstorm?

For concert and theatre events, movie screenings and Open Mic programs, please see the policy above regarding event cancellations. In the event that a snowstorm prevents the artist from appearing or severe inclement weather forces cancellation or postponement, TCAN will post notice on our website at least two hours prior to the event start time. For arts education programs, classes and workshops will be cancelled if the Natick School System closes schools due to inclement weather.

What Happens if I Arrive Late?

Late seating will take place during the first convenient pause in the program, assisted by an usher. Patrons arriving just minutes before the announced start time may find themselves waiting in line, sometimes outdoors, to pick up tickets at Will Call or have tickets scanned upon entry.

Are there Good Restaurants Within Walking Distance of the Venue?

Yes indeed. For a listing of restaurants and their proximity to TCAN, visit the Dining Guide page of our website.

What Food and Beverages Are Available? May I Bring My Own?

  • No food or beverage is permitted inside the auditorium other than those purchased at the event, including alcoholic beverages. The snack bar provides soft drinks, coffee, and a selection of light snacks.
  • At all feature events, TCAN provides beer and wine as a service to patrons. The consumption of alcohol is prohibited by patrons under the age of 21. Anyone violating this by law will be evicted and the alcohol will be confiscated without refund. To purchase alcoholic beverages, a patron must present a valid MA driver’s license or acceptable ID. We retain the right to refuse any ID, and to refuse/cease service to any patron at any time. Our policies are in place for your protection, as well as ours.

Are There Restrictions on Electronic Devices? What About Recording?

Cellular phones, beepers, watches, electronic organizers, or other noise alarm devices should be switched off or changed to silent mode during the performance. Unless specified or approved prior to the performance, the use of flash cameras and all other video or audio recording devices including cell phone cameras is prohibited.

May I Bring Young Children to an Event?

TCAN welcomes children eight years of age and older at evening performances and chamber music concerts. See What is a Listening Room? above. Children and adults of all ages are welcome at children’s concerts and daytime family events.

What Time Should I Arrive For My Event?

For most events, doors to the performance space open 30 minutes prior to the event start time. The TCAN Box Office will be open 60 minutes prior to the event start time. Patrons are encouraged to arrive no later than 30 minutes prior to performance to allow ample time to use TCAN’s facilities, find your seat, and settle in for the performance. Always check our website to see if a support act will perform before the headliner. If we know about a support act, we will provide information on our calendar listing.

Patrons arriving just minutes before the announced start time may find themselves waiting in line, sometimes outdoors, to pick up tickets at Will Call or have tickets scanned upon entry.

Can I Heckle, Talk Loudly and Yell Out Comments at Comedy Shows?

No. TCAN is a NO HECKLING venue and discourages unprompted interaction with the comedians while they are on stage. If you or a member of your group becomes a distraction to the act, or the audience, you will be asked to leave the venue without a refund, with police escort if necessary.

Comics reserve the right to interact with audience members at their own discretion. If you’d prefer that this does not happen to you or members of your party, we suggest purchasing seats farther away from the stage.

Is Smoking or Vaping Permitted?

Smoking and vaping of any kind is prohibited in TCAN.

What is the Vibe of the Room?

TCAN makes every effort to create a performance environment that is the region’s best “listening room” for intimate live performances. This will ensure that you, other patrons, and the performers enjoy the full benefits of the performance. For this reason, we request that once the program is underway you respect fellow audience members by refraining from talking, whispering, or texting while the performance is in progress.

Ticketing FAQs

What is TCAN’s out-of-state ticketing policy?

As suspicious transactions rise across the industry, TCAN reserves the right to cancel any ticket orders purchased or suspected of being purchased with the intent for resale without notice.

All tickets purchased by patrons living outside MA, CT, RI, NH, ME, VT or NY will be held at will call for pickup. A valid photo ID must be presented when picking up the tickets. Both print at home and mobile tickets are available to residents of MA, CT, RI, NH, ME, VT and NY only.

Should I Purchase Tickets from a Ticket Reseller? What should I do if I purchased tickets from a reseller?

TCAN does not have any agreements with ticket resellers, and does not authorize anyone to resell tickets on our behalf. If a reseller is offering events for an event at TCAN, they may have those tickets, they may not. Most ticket resellers have a very high markup of 30%-200% on resold tickets, so you will save money by purchasing directly from TCAN. We have turned patrons away who have tickets purchased from a reseller, that were duplicates of legitimate tickets sold directly by TCAN.

All tickets suspected of being purchased by a ticket reseller for resale will be cancelled.

Due to the risks involved, we discourage patrons from purchasing tickets for TCAN events from resellers. Please contact TCAN directly, and we can explain options and add you to a waitlist for tickets if possible.

If you bought directly through us, we will have a record of your transaction. If not, TCAN’s box office staff will do their best to help you with whatever sticky situation you may find yourself in with a reseller. While we cannot refund money you paid to a reseller, we can supply you with any information we have available to assist you in canceling charges on your credit card, and will do our best to get you into affordable seats so you can still see the show.

Where Can I Find a Seating Chart for the Main Venue?

A seating chart with row and seat numbers can be found here, on the Venue page describing the TCAN Mainstage venue.

At Events, When Does the Box Office Open? When Do Doors Open?

For performances in TCAN’s Mainstage venue, the Box Office is generally open one hour prior to show time. Doors to the theatre are generally open 30 minutes prior to showtime. For information on specific performances, ticketed patrons will receive a pre-show email notification with updated times.

For movie screenings in the TCAN Cinema Room, the Box Office is generally open 30 minutes prior to show time. Doors to the Cinema Room are generally open 30 minutes prior to scheduled screening time. For information on specific movie screenings, contact the Box Office during regular scheduled Box Office hours.

Are TCAN Events Public or Private?

All events at TCAN are open to the general public, unless clearly stated otherwise. You don’t need to become a TCAN member to attend events, but members do get discounts on tickets for most public events and movie screenings.

Are Pre-sale Opportunities Available?

Patrons with an active TCAN membership at Rising Star – Basic level and above are eligible to purchase tickets for most events before the general public, either online, by phone or in-person at the box office. New events are announced in our email updates, and on our Facebook page. If you want to hear about new show announcements quickly, join our email list and monitor our website for updates. Most events remain in “members only” status until 60 days prior to the event date.

Are Tickets Required For Admission to an Event?

All persons regardless of age must have a ticket for ticketed events, except for children’s shows where a child under two may sit on a parent’s lap for free. Booster seats are available for all performances.

How Will I Get My Tickets?

All tickets purchased online and by phone may be picked up anytime during regular Box Office hours, or 30 minutes prior to performance time. TCAN does not mail tickets.

What Are Ticket Fees? What Are Those Fees Used For?

  • RESTORATION FEE: A fee of one dollar is added for each ticket purchased to all concert, theatre and other feature performance. Funds from this Restoration Fee are used to maintain our historic Firehouse facility and building systems. The fee is waived for all Open Mic events, Saturday family events, and all Arts Education classes and Arts Camps. This fee is charged for all tickets purchased online, on the phone and in person in our box office.
  • ONLINE CONVENIENCE FEE: Tickets purchased online are subject to applicable Online Convenience Fees. Funds from Online Convenience Fees are used to offset expenses related to offering this service, including ticket fees charged by our online ticketing service provider and credit card processing fees. This fee is waived on all tickets purchased by phone, or in person at the box office.
  • PROCESSING FEE: Tickets for feature events purchased by phone are subject to an additional $1 Processing Fee.

Are Refunds Available on Ticket Sales?

  • TCAN does not provide refunds for ticket transactions. In addition, TCAN does not accept the return of purchased tickets on a consignment basis, for resale to other patrons on behalf of the original customer.
  • Patrons may donate unwanted tickets back to TCAN prior to the event. These donations may be tax-deductible based on applicable State and Federal regulations. On a request basis, TCAN will provide a receipt for the amount of the donated tickets plus associated fees.
  • Please remember that active TCAN members may exchange tickets for a different event. Exchange requests are accepted up to three days prior to performance. Exchanges are accepted at TCAN box office only; no online exchanges. No refunds or credits will be issued. When exchanging for tickets with a higher price, member pays the difference.

May I Exchange My Tickets For a Different Event?

Ticket exchange privileges are available to active TCAN members at Rising Star – Basic level and above. Exchange requests are accepted up to three days prior to performance date. Exchanges are accepted at TCAN box office only; no online exchanges. No refunds or credits will be issued. When exchanging for tickets with a higher price, the member pays the difference.

Discounts & Group Sales FAQs

Are Discounts Available For Groups?

Groups of 10 or more are eligible for discounted tickets to most TCAN performances. Group discounts are generally equal to the discount granted to active TCAN members.

I Have An Active TCAN Membership, Do I Qualify For A Discount?

TCAN members receive discounts on tickets for most performances, classes and movie screenings. Members may purchase any number of tickets in the presale, but are limited to six tickets at the member price.

Does TCAN Offer Discounts to Seniors or Students?

Senior Memberships are available to patrons 65 and over, and students with a valid college ID may purchase Student Membership. We need to confirm your eligibility to receive senior and student discounts, so these memberships are not available online or by phone. Senior members receive the full member discount on eligible tickets, and an additional $1.00 Senior discount on most events. Please visit the TCAN Box Office and one of our box office volunteers will be pleased to help.

Do all events and movie screenings qualify for discounts?

Some special events incur extra expenses including higher artist fees, higher booking rates, speaker honorariums, extra staffing, and more. For these events, including fundraisers, discounts may not apply including member discount, member comps, group discount, senior or student discount and Card to Culture discounts. Please call or visit the TCAN Box Office and one of our box office volunteers will be pleased to answer any questions.

Does TCAN Support Cultural Council’s Card to Culture Program?

We are pleased to participate in Mass Cultural Council’s Card to Culture program, in collaboration with the Department of Transitional Assistance, the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Nutrition Program, and the Massachusetts Health Connector, by broadening accessibility to cultural programming. EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare cardholders receive a 50% discount on tickets for all community programs and movie screenings, subject to availability. Maximum of 4 tickets per card, per event. Tickets may be purchased at the TCAN Box Office. See the complete list of participating organizations offering EBTWIC, and ConnectorCare discounts.

Get in Touch

Feel free to contact us with questions.

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