At the Cultural Trust, we believe that art is for everyone—but we also know that accessing cultural experiences isn’t always approachable, or even possible, without knowing what accommodations are available or what to expect from a particular event or venue.
That’s why we’re launching Accessibility in Action, a new blog series that will bring you the perspectives of patrons who use our accessibility services. Rather than simply telling you about what we offer, we're inviting community members to share their firsthand experiences as they navigate our spaces and attend our events.
These personal stories will give you practical insights into how our accommodations work in real time and how our staff is here to support you at every point of the way.
To kick off our series, we invited Tess Dally, a wheelchair user, and her friend Allison Popieski, to attend MJ the Musical at the Benedum Center last November. Tess documented her experience from start to finish, covering everything from the parking garage and her seat in the theater to her interactions with staff and navigating through the venue.
Meet Tess Dally
Tess has always been interested in the arts, but access hasn’t always been easy. For over thirty years, Tess lived in rural Alaska where the nearest theater was 300 miles away in Anchorage. Given the distance, attending a performance was truly “an event.”
During the pandemic, Tess decided to leave the West Coast for Pittsburgh. While the move brought her closer to a variety of artistic experiences, arriving during the pandemic meant that she had limited opportunities to experience the theater. Despite the initial setbacks, Tess has begun to explore Pittsburgh’s art scene in recent years, particularly from a professional standpoint. She currently serves as a teaching artist at Attack Theatre and is also part of a task force focused on assessing Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance across the city.
Now that you know a little more about Tess, let’s dive into her recent experience in theater!
Entering the Theater
Ready for an evening of theater, Tess and Allison began their experience in the Cultural District at the Theater Square Parking Garage, the closest parking option to the Benedum Center.
“I thought we were going to have a hard time finding a place to park because I didn’t bring my handicap tag, but we found a good place,” Tess said. “The garage and the streets were well-lit, which made it easier to make our way to the theater.” When they arrived at the Benedum, they decided to enter through the Guest Services Center.
Did you know?
The Guest Services Center is located to the right of the main entrance on 7th Street. The space is home to a variety of resources and accommodations for patrons, like assistive listening devices and captioning devices available for select performances. In future stories, we’ll explore this space and the equipment found here.
The entrance has double doors that are wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair, but only one door was opened for Tess. With just one door open, the entrance wasn’t wide enough for her to comfortably pass through.
A staff member approached the colleague who had opened the door and explained that both doors should be opened for wheelchair users.
Afterwards, Tess and Allison moved through security to get their bags checked. During her time in the Guest Services Center, Tess took note of the friendly service.
“Your staff are incredible. Everyone was really kind and great.”
Since Tess’s visit, the electronics that operate the automatic doors have been replaced. We are also in the process of replacing the Guest Services Center doors, which should be installed in early January 2025. These new doors will address the door width issue and the entrance bump height.
Did you know?
The Benedum Center has a dedicated platform designed for wheelchairs. This section is located on the back right of the orchestra level (the main floor).
Tess described the wheelchair platform as “really wonderful” and “nice and leveled.” She also appreciated that there were seats available for loved ones to sit with wheelchair users.
“The line of sight was excellent. I couldn’t get over how wonderful it was. It was just amazing.”
Before the performance began, Tess struck up a conversation with others sitting nearby, including a few individuals with disabilities. As regular theatergoers, they talked about how comfortable they had felt during their previous experiences. One of the guests had a service dog, and Tess observed the positive impact it had on that individual and their ability to enjoy the show.
“During the performance there was some explosion and gun shot noises [as part of the sound effects] and we all noticed that in those moments it was really impactful for them to have their dog.”
Getting Drinks
Tess and Allison used their time during intermission to grab some refreshments at the bar in the Grand Lobby.
Did you know?
We have two ADA bar locations—in the Grand Lobby and the Patron Bar on the Promenade Level.
These bars were custom-built and installed in 2023, thanks to funds from a Regional Asset District (RAD) grant. Because the bar counters are lower, patrons and staff who use wheelchairs or mobility devices can more comfortably reach across the bar as they pay and receive their drinks and snacks.
While navigating the lobby, Tess noticed that the stanchions (rope dividers) had been moved around as the crowd flowed through, creating narrower pathways that made it a bit harder for her to maneuver. Once she reached the bar, however, Tess was thrilled with the service provided by the bartender.
“It was a really crazy time because when I ordered the drinks, it was right when they asked everyone to sit back down,” Tess said. “He could have been frazzled, but he took his time with me.”
Tess had previously visited the Benedum for a photoshoot early this spring and had provided feedback on how staff could better serve patrons at these stations. Seeing that feedback in action during her visit was a highlight for her.
Leaving the Theater
At the end of the performance, Tess watched as a staff member helped a patron transfer from their seat to their wheelchair.
“I just thought that was really wonderful,” she said. Another positive part of the experience was navigating through the Cultural District—both to the theater and back to the garage.
“I always feel really vulnerable in my wheelchair, and I thought that being downtown would be uncomfortable that late at night,” she admitted. “But we didn’t have any problems.”
Tess's Takeaways
Reflecting on her experience, Tess mentioned a few highlights:
“There were two things I was really impressed by—how helpful everyone was and how comfortable they were. They were just really comfortable with me. And that’s something I don’t always get.”
Tess added, “This experience was just really welcoming, and I didn’t just feel it with myself, but I felt it with everyone in my little area. It felt like a party!”
As someone who is often made to feel like “the other” in public spaces, Tess said this experience at the Benedum Center was a refreshing change.
“I don’t often go out because it’s just a challenge, but this was a good experience. I would tell anyone to go to the Benedum because you all are fantastic. It was a very comfortable experience.”
You can learn more about our Accessibility Services at TrustArts.org/Accessibility. Please contact Guest Services at 412-456-6666 if you would like to request accommodations or speak more about your unique needs.
Interested in sharing your story? Reach out to our Accessibility Team by emailing Vanessa Braun or Karoline Smith. While we don't have the bandwidth to share every story, we are here to listen and we value your feedback —no matter what form it takes.