Full Circle Theater Company supports the principle of full accessibility and full compliance with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Minnesota Human Rights Act and all regulations promulgated pursuant thereto regarding accessibility. The Company requires compliance from its employees, vendors, contracting parties and lessors with all applicable accessibility laws and regulations.  The following standards are to be applied and the following measures are to be undertaken by employees, managers or agents of Full Circle Theater Company in furtherance of this policy of full legal compliance:

 

• Full Circle Theater Company does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its services, programs or activities. Upon request, accommodation will be provided to allow individuals who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major life activities to participate in all Full Circle Theater Company services, programs, and activities.

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• Any premises to be owned or operated by the Company will in all respects comply with state and federal accessibility standards.  The Company will have an accessibility review of the premises performed by a qualified professional and a report of its status, along with recommendations for modifications to enhance accessibility for employees or patrons, shall be submitted by management to the Board of Directors.   

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• Premises leased by the Company for presentation of Company productions will be required to comply with applicable federal, state and local accessibility standards. This requirement shall be stated in any lease entered into by the Company. Additionally, leases shall state that the failure of the lessor to comply with the applicable accessibility requirements shall render the lease null and void.  

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• The Company through its management in the normal operations of its business will inform its vendors, agents and other contracting parties that within the bounds of applicable law it will require in all its commercial dealings compliance with federal, state and local accessibility law on the part of all providers, and will display a clear preference for providers willing to cooperate with the Company in its own efforts to promote accessibility compliance throughout the community.  

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• The Full Circle Theater Company is committed to participation in the development of Web accessibility standards and processes. In the development of its web page, the procurement of software and the display of content the Company will follow the Web Accessibility guidelines promulgated as the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).     

 

Definitions

An individual with a disability is an individual who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity. This includes individuals who have a record of such impairment, even if they do not currently have a disability. It also includes individuals who do not have a disability but are regarded as having a disability.

A substantial limitation is an impairment that significantly restricts a person’s ability to perform major life activities.

A reasonable accommodation is any modification or adjustment to a job or the work environment that will enable any employee, contractor, or applicant with a disability to participate in the application process or to perform essential job functions. This also includes adjustments to assure that an individual with a disability has rights and privileges in employment equal to those of employees, without disabilities.

 

A qualified individual with a disability is a person who meets skill level, experience, education, or other requirements of a position they intend to fill, and who has the ability to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodations.

General Procedures

 

Beginning The Accommodation Process
Employees and applicants can begin the accommodation process by requesting accommodation for disability from the Full Circle Theater Company Leadership by communicating this request themselves or via their chosen representative.

 

Leadership- Upon receiving a request for accommodation, Full Circle Theater Company Leadership will immediately notify the Accessibility Coordinator so that the request can be officially processed.

 

Processing Accommodation Requests

Upon receiving requests for accommodation from an employee or applicant, the accommodation process will start. Employees and applicants will need to provide verification of the disability for which the accommodation is requested. The Accessibility Coordinator will then work with leadership to verify mandatory job functions. Once it is verified that the disability falls under the law, the accessibility coordinator will conduct discussions with the employee or applicant about possible accommodations.

 

In instances where disability or impairment is not apparent, employees or applicants will need to provide written documentation regarding the disability or impairment at the time the accommodation is requested.

 

Documentation of Disability
 

When an impairment is not apparent, the applicant or employee must provide adequate documentation from a qualified health care professional. Without receipt of adequate documentation, accommodations may not be approved.

Requirement for adequate documentation: Documentation  provided must be from a qualified health care professional and must clearly describe and identify the specific impairment causing a disability. Documentation must also describe the major life activities affected by impairment and the degree of limitation to functions and activities which are caused by the impairment.
 

Reasonable Accommodation Determination

If an applicant or employee has a disability covered under the law, Full Circle Theater Company will work with the individual to put accommodations in place for the application process and/or that will allow the individual to complete essential functions of the position, whilst enjoying the same benefits and privileges as those without disabilities.

 

 

Confidentiality

Any and all information and/or records received by Full Circle Theater Company as part of the process for requesting accommodations that contain evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment of an applicant or employee's medical or mental health condition, will be maintained in a separate file. Information and/or records will only be shared with employees who need to know in order for accommodation to be facilitated and will not be released otherwise, as required by law. Additionally records/ information will only be shared with necessary employees after the applicant or employee has given their consent.

 

Accessibility Plan

Full Circle does not currently own or lease any permanent facilities. Given this, our plan for accessibility as it regards to space will focus on: 1. Short-term Rental of Facilities owned or leased by other companies; 2. Theater Programming.  

 

Short-term Rental of Facilities Owned or Leased by Other Companies

 

Temporary rentals by Full Circle Theater are the following:

• Audition, workshop, play reading, or meeting space, rented hourly

• Rehearsal space, rented as a package, usually for 4 – 5 weeks

• Theater space, rented by the hour or by the week, from 1 – 3 weeks

 

Since we are not directly in charge of the accessibility of the above types of rental spaces, we will rent only from those facilities that have an acceptable level of accessibility:

• Are on a public bus route

• Have room for van loading and unloading (of people with disabilities)

• Have accessible parking spaces close to the accessible entrance

• Have walkways to entrance that are wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair

• Have a box office counter that can accommodate a person in a wheelchair and a turning wheelchair

• Have audience spaces that can accommodate wheelchairs, integrated within the general audience seating area

• Have accessible seat locations that allow non-disabled companions/attendants to be seated next to the disabled person

• Have accessible seat locations that allow space for guide dogs

• Have appropriate signage to indicate accessible entrances and restrooms

• Have accessible restrooms for both the audience and for the people backstage that can accommodate a turning wheelchair, and have accessible faucets, soap dispenser, and towels

• Have accessible drinking fountains

• Have an accessible backstage, dressing room, and stage area. (These areas should be wheel chair accessible as often as possible)

 

Theater Programing

 

Aside from space issues, accessibility for those with disabilities relates directly to several aspects of our theater programing:

• Non-discrimination in hiring, engagement, casting of administrative or artistic personnel

• Community outreach, publicity, publications, website

• Theater Performances, Playbills Programs

 

The following is our current accessibility plan for theater programing:

 

Non-discrimination in hiring, engagement, casting of administrative or artistic personnel

• To follow our company’s “Nondiscrimination Policy”

• To post and promote all theater auditions through Minnesota Playlist, where we’ll overtly state that our auditions and casting are inclusive of artists with disabilities

• To provide large-print scripts to actors or other theater artists when requested

• To provide reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities covered under law

• To provide staff members with training, also available to board members, around the topic of disability.

Community outreach, publicity, publications, website

• To develop methods and strategies of marketing to and engaging with communities of disabled persons (beginning with Minnesota Access Alliance)

• To facilitate community-wide discussions revolving around the topic of accessibility in arts spaces.

• To include in our press list, newsletters, and calendars of organizations of/for people with disabilities.

• To include accessibility symbols in our ads and other publicity materials

• To ensure Pay-As-You-Are-Able tickets for all patrons, including those who are disabled

• To include information about the accessibility of our productions in our publications and promotional materials, including logos/symbols, and to distribute these publications to the disabled community by way of a focused mailing list, through correspondence with disability-related organizations, through the MN Calendar of Accessible Art, and other organizations which service the disabled community   

 

Theater Performances, Playbills and Programs

• To offer large-print programs and to post signs about their availability in our reception area

• To offer sign language interpretation for at least one of the performances of each production

• To offer audio-description for at least one of the performances of each production

• To offer captioning for at least one (and often up to three) of the performances of each production

• To offer assisted listening devices for those who request them at all of our performances

• To offer at least one sensory friendly performance of each production

 

Policy Development and Review

The development of this policy is part of an ongoing process that began in 2016, and is being reviewed, revised, and expanded in 2024-2025 through an Accessibility Audit, led by Accessibility Coordinator, Jess Henning, and funded by an Accessible Arts grant through the Minnesota State Arts Board. This version of the policy was approved by Full Circle Theater Company’s Board of Directors upon the completion of the Accessibility Audit, at its meeting on March 17, 2025. It will be reviewed and amended as needed by the Board of Directors annually.  

Full Circle Theater Company does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its services, programs or activities. Upon request, accommodation will be provided to allow individuals with disabilities to participate in all Full Circle Theater Company services, programs, and activities. Full Circle Theater Company has a designated coordinator to facilitate compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as required by Section 35.107 of the U.S. Department of Justice regulations, and to coordinate compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as mandated by Section 8.53 of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development regulations.