Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Does "SOLD OUT: Please call the Ticket Office for availability updates" mean?
Can I bring food, blankets, coolers, etc into the Greek Theatre?
Why can't I find information on [fill in the blank] event on your site?
Why are subscribers able to purchase tickets to Special Events before everybody else?
Why do donors get priority seating?
How do I get front center orchestra seats?
I can't use my tickets. Can I return them and get a refund?
My companion wasn't able to join me for the performance. Can I give you back her ticket? Can you re-sell it?
I bought the wrong date for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (or other event). Can I exchange my tickets for another day?
Can I have the same subscription seats every year?
Where can I park in Berkeley without losing my mind?
What happens if I arrive late to the performance hall?
What happens if I don't have my ID at the door for my discounted tickets?
Can I bring children to events? Do I have to pay for them?
How can I contact someone on your staff?
Are there any jobs open at Cal Performances?
Why do program notes only go up a week in advance on the site?
Why haven't you published the actual program information yet for [blank event]?
How can I contact an artist directly?
Do you know where [fill in the artist] is going next?
Why can't you schedule your events around the Bears athletic schedule so I don't have to come to a recital on game day?
Why does Cal Performances ask for donations? Isn't it funded by the University?
What do the symbols I see on some event pages mean?

Here's some answers to the questions we field the most. If you don't see your question here, please contact us at www@calperfs.berkeley.edu or tickets@calperfs.berkeley.edu and we'll be able to answer personally.

What Does "SOLD OUT: Please call the Ticket Office for availability updates" mean?
As our list of sold-out performances continues to grow at Cal Performances, we thought we take the time to explain why we appear to encourage you to check back later on availability for tickets.

While we can never guarantee that seats will open up, it is possible that if you come to the performance the night or day of the show, a few tickets might be available at that time. Sometimes, the artist or other complimentary ticket holders may release their tickets at the last minute. Perhaps a subscriber has exchanged their tickets for another event, thus opening up a seat. Or Non-subscribers, facing last minute conflicts, may have graciously decided to donate their tickets back to Cal Performances for the event rather than let them go unused.

So if you absolutely, positively have to see a sold out event, check back with our Ticket Office a couple of days before the performance to see if anything has opened up. You can also sign up for our email notification lists, which can be accessed on the event page of a sold-out show. If tickets become available for the performance, we will send you an email notifying you to call us or visit the website to purchase tickets. Or, better yet (because most seats don't open up until the very last minute), come the night or day of performance and get in line at the Ticket Office window for any releases. We can't guarantee you will be successful and only you can decide if it's worth the risk, but we wanted you to know all your options.

Can I bring food, blankets, coolers, etc into the Greek Theatre?
For most events, food is permitted in paper or plastic bags or small soft-sided coolers (no large solid coolers or picnic baskets). There is also a variety of food available there, ranging from french fries and other snacks to burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, burritos, pizza, and veggie burgers. No alcohol (it is sold there), no cans or bottles; non-alcoholic beverages in factory sealed plastic bottles are okay. No lawn furniture, no glass containers of any kind. Blankets, pillows, or seat cushions permitted. No cameras or recording devices. All patrons are subject to search before entry.

Why can't I find information on [fill in the blank] event on your site?
In addition to being one of the world's finest presenters of the performing arts, Cal Performances also manages several of the performances stages on the UC Berkeley Campus, including Zellerbach Hall, Greek Theatre, and Wheeler Auditorium. These performance spaces are often rented out to other University groups and public organizations or event promoters throughout the year, including Bill Graham Presents, the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, and many others. Some of these organizations also contract with Cal Performances' Ticket Office on campus to sell tickets for their events as well.

Therefore, its highly possible that detailed information or ticket availability for a show (or other events such as UCB graduations!) you may have seen advertised as being presented "in association with Cal Performances" may not be available through our web site as the site is designed to provide only information and ticket sales for those events which make up Cal Performances' annual performing arts season. Please check the Ticket Office@Zellerbach Hall site to see if the event is listed and on sale there.

Why are subscribers able to purchase tickets to Special Events before everybody else?
Like other arts organizations, Cal Performances depends upon our subscribers — those who commit to attend a certain number of performances in advance — for a large portion of earned income and, thus, our ability to bring the world's best performing artists to our stages. In order to encourage patrons to subscribe and to thank them for their commitment, we make available to them a number of exclusive benefits. To some degree, it is our subscribers that make Special Events possible in the first place, and therefore we believe they should have the first opportunity to order tickets to what are sure to be the most popular performances.

Why do donors get priority seating?
Like most arts organizations that depend upon private support to bring artists to the stage, we provide donors with benefits and privileges as a way to encourage giving and thank those who, through their financial support, are keeping ticket prices at reasonable levels for all of our patrons. While we depend upon and are thankful for gifts of all sizes, we are not able to provide the same level of benefits for all donors. Donor benefits correspond to the level of giving.

How do I get front center orchestra seats?
While there are no guarantees, your best bet is to subscribe and order early! As you may know, renewing Subscribers have priority over new Subscribers, and all Subscribers have priority over the general public for ordering tickets to our newly-announced seasons and added events. Within what we call the priority renewal or ordering periods, all ticket orders are taken on a first-come, first-served basis, so if you really want those great seats, be sure to order the minute you receive your brochure or added event notice!

I can't use my tickets. Can I return them and get a refund?
While all ticket sales are final, tickets may be exchange for another Cal Performances event. Exchanges are free for all Cal Performances Subscribers (See Why Subscribeand Exchanges for more information.) and $5 per ticket for Single Ticket Buyers (subject to conditions and availability). See Exchanges for more information. In addition Cal Performances does accept ticket donations arranged prior to the performance start time. For more information, please see Donations.

My companion wasn't able to join me for the performance. Can I give you back her ticket? Can you re-sell it?
All ticket sales are final. However, you may donate unused tickets to Cal Performances prior to the beginning of the performance. In addition, tickets are exchangeable up until the close of business the day prior to the event. See Why Subscribe and Exchanges for more information on donating or exchanging your tickets. Otherwise, the Ticket Office is unable to re-sell the ticket for you.

I bought the wrong date for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (or other event). Can I exchange my tickets for another day?
Cal Performances Subscribers may exchange their series tickets for free for another performance date by the same artist and retain a 10% discount on their ticket price. (See Why Subscribeand Exchanges for more information.) Single Ticket Buyers may exchange their tickets for a $5 per ticket fee (subject to conditions and availability).

Can I have the same subscription seats every year?
As we're sure you might have noticed, our possible Series options, which include a very flexible Choose-Your-Own format, can vary greatly from year to year in artists appearing, number of performances, and the halls in which we present events. Therefore, it's not possible for us offer the same seats year after year.

Where can I park in Berkeley without losing my mind?
If it's any consolation, we here at Cal Performances struggle daily with this question as well! Our Audience Guide, mailed with your tickets, provides some suggestions for parking close to the performance halls. (Or see the parking page located on this site for information.) And because conflicting events can often occur on the UCB campus, be sure to check for parking alerts associated with individual events for advance notice of when parking availability will be especially impacted. We also have suggestions for taking public transportation located on the site as well.

Finally, you might try out what we like to think of as our "secret parking weapon:" Sightlines events. These lively, informative pre-performance discussions with artists and scholars help to ensure that you will arrive early enough at the theater to find a parking space with a minimum amount of hassle!

What happens if I arrive late to the performance hall?
Unfortunately, it usually means that you will have to wait to take your seat until intermission, or at an appropriate interval in the program, as requested and advised by the artists. While we do have a monitor in the lobby of Zellerbach Hall to watch the action on stage while you wait, nothing compares to the real thing. So because parking can be difficult to find in Berkeley close to curtain time, we encourage you to arrive 30-40 minutes prior to an event to ensure that you are in your seat before the curtain rises.

What happens if I don't have my ID at the door for my discounted tickets?
Because we do so much of our ticket selling conveniently over the phone, checking your UCB, senior, or other student ID at the door is the easiest way for us to actually verify eligibility. If you forget your ID, we will have to ask you to visit the Ticket Office window before you take your seat and change your ticket to full price. We'd hate for you to miss a single moment of the exceptional performances on our stages, so please, before you head for the concert hall, remember to tuck your applicable ID in your wallet.

Can I bring children to events? Do I have to pay for them?
Some performances are more children-friendly than others. Feel free to contact us at tickets@calperfs.berkeley.edu for specific recommendations, or better yet, check out our Family Fare series for those performances presented especially with kids in mind (children 16 and under receive a 50% discount for these performances too!). Or, learn about our extensive SchoolTime program — specially scheduled daytime performances for schools.

All children age two and older must have a purchased ticket and we encourage you to call our Ticket Office in advance so that they can help you make the best seating selection.

How can I contact someone on your staff?
Please visit our staff listings located on our General Information site for a complete list of who does what at Cal Performances and how to contact them.

Are there any jobs open at Cal Performances?
Our job listings and volunteer openings portion of the General Information site has all the details on how you can become a part of Cal Performances staff or extensive group of volunteers.

Why do program notes only go up a week in advance on the site?
Our completed on-line program notes actually follow the same publishing schedule as those notes provided in the program book the day or night of your performance. To provide you with information that is as current as possible when printed, we finalize editing and production about 2 weeks prior to an event. As soon as the notes are ready to send to the printer, we also make them available on-line.

Why haven't you published the actual program information yet for [blank event]?
While Cal Performances makes every effort to obtain full programming information at the time we print our brochures, occasionally the artists are not able to provide us with detailed program information as far in advance as we announce our events (sometimes up to a year ahead of time!). Also, an artist may still be putting the finishing touches on a brand new work, or in the process of deciding which repertoire to concentrate on.

How can I contact an artist directly?
While we do not give out an artist's direct contact information, when available, we provide a link on the event page to the artist's or companies' web site, where you might be able to find contact information.

Do you know where [fill in the artist] is going next?
Many artists do perform at Cal Performances as part of a national tour. In cases where it is available, we have provided a link directly to the artists' web sites where you might be able to find the artist or companies' exact touring schedule.

Why can't you schedule your events around the Bears athletic schedule so I don't have to come to a recital on game day?
Unfortunately, we don't have that flexibility when booking premier artists, who are often on national tours and have only a few dates available to appear in the Bay Area. We realize that it can often be inconvenient for our patrons, but we try to look at it as a small price to pay for being able to call one of the world's greatest (and busiest!) Universities our home! We also make every effort to send out notices to all ticket holders when we are aware of parking conflicts. (You can also check out possible parking conflicts online at Parking Alerts.)And, you never, know! Maybe the Bears supporters are asking Athletics why they can't reschedule games so as not to coincide with our recital events!

Why does Cal Performances ask for donations? Isn't it funded by the University?
The University partially supports our administrative costs, but this does not extend to our artistic programs. While performances are consistently well attended, ticket sales alone do not cover the costs of bringing the world's premiere artists to our stages. We therefore rely on the generosity of the community in the form of contributions for 20% of our annual budget.

What do the symbols I see on some event pages mean?
This performance will be sign interpreted for people who are deaf or hearing impaired. If you or anyone in your party would like to utilize this service or request it for another performance, please contact the Ticket Office directly at 510.642.9988 or ticketscalperfs.berkeley.edu so that our staff can help you find the best available seats for viewing the interpreter.

All Cal Performances venues are wheelchair accessible. Transfer seats may also be available. Please contact the Ticket Office directly at 510.642.9988 or ticketscalperfs.berkeley.edu to purchase accessible seating.

Zellerbach Hall is equipped with an Assistive Listening System. Assistive Listening devices (ALDs) may be requested from any usher or house manager upon arrival at the performance. Please note that a photo ID or credit card is required to check out an ALD for the duration of the performance.