Frequently Asked Questions
Originally built in 1921, and opened in 1922, the non-profit Avalon Theatre has served its community in a myriad of capacities in the past near century. Today it is a 400-seat performance venue renovated to its original art-deco style with wonderful acoustics, full sound, lighting and Audio/Visual capabilities. The Avalon Theatre attracts nationally recognized performers and at the same time provides a premium performance opportunity for local talent and community organizations. The theatre has movable seating on the orchestra level that allows us to set up in a variety of configurations depending on the program. Cabaret, dance floor, and exhibition & banquet space are some examples of our capabilities.
The SLR is located on the 2nd floor of the Avalon Theatre and presents over 100 shows a year in the 60-seat cabaret style venue with full bar and table service. The atmosphere is sophisticated, yet cozy and the room comes alive during shows with classic Pete Turner album cover art work, Italian light fixtures and the stage is backed by an accoustic wall lit with subtle ever changing color washes. The SLR offers a wide range of performances nearly every weekend of the year and serves as the main concession area for all theatre shows when there is not a performance. Most shows start at 8:00pm, and is a perfect after dinner treat, or a nice way to start your night out on the town.
Both venues are located at 40 East Dover Street in Easton, MD 21601
When traveling on RT. 50 Eastbound, take a right at Dover Road, from RT. 50 Westbound; take a left at Dover Road. The theatre is 2 stoplights down on the corner of Dover & Harrison Streets across from the Tidewater Inn in the heart of historic Easton. Parking is available in the lot behind the Avalon Theatre, which can be accessed via Harrison Street and has several handicapped parking spaces. Downtown Easton is an easily walked town and street parking is readily available. Both metered and time restricted spaces are monitored from 8:00 am to 4:00pm Monday through Friday.
Tickets can be purchased online anytime by directly visiting our ticketing page at https://tickets.avalontheatre.com, or you can visit our Avalon Foundation website (https://avalonfoundation.org) and click on the "Tickets" tab at the top. You may also call the Box Office at 410-822-7299, leave a message, and we will get back to you as soon as we can. Or, email the Box Office at boxoffice@avalonfoundation.org.
All online ticket orders have a $2 convenience fee, and all advance ticket orders (online, walkup & phone) have an additional $5 processing fee. These fees sustain the costs of the tickets, ticketing software, and box office staff and are standard industry procedures. All fees are waived 2 hours prior to show time for walk-up patrons, but there is no guarantee that tickets will be available.
Most shows offer only Print-At Home tickets via email and do NOT offer Will-Call tickets. However, for those shows that do, the Will-Call Box Office for the Avalon Theatre is located on the first floor, next to the stairs and in front of the theatre doors. Will-Call for Stoltz Listening Room shows is on the second floor, at the Box Office, just in front of the Stoltz Listening Room entrance.
For most Avalon Theatre presentations, reserved seats are available for an additional $10 for seats in the center orchestra, the front of the side orchestra, & mezzanine, with the rest of the side orchestra and upper balcony for an additional $5. All of the fees go directly to a restricted account that is used only for capital improvements. To date, we have purchased new carpet, chairs, and Audio/Visual equipment with these funds. Nearly every show in the Stoltz Listening Room has 100% reserved seating. Each ticket purchased in the Stoltz Listening Room has an assigned table, but there is no Capital Improvement fee when purchasing Stoltz Listening Room tickets.
For General Admission tickets in the Avalon Theatre, we have several different seating configurations based on the particular show. Most shows have general admission seating in the upper balcony and sometimes in the side orchestra. Other times, all tickets are General Admission, and on occasion, we have a dance floor. Please check the seating arrangement when placing your order online or ask about the seating arrangment when ordering over the phone or in person. All General Admission tickets are on a first come, first served basis.
All ticket sales are final; there are no refunds or exchanges. The reason for this is that performers are often paid in part or in whole based on the number of tickets sold, so once the sale is made we are essentially holding someone else's money. As is industry standard, contracts between the Avalon & performers preclude refund or exchanges. In the event that you are unable to attend a show, please find a friend to sell or give the tickets to - everyone needs a spontaneous night out sometimes. All they need is your last name and confirmation order and we will take care of it. If the show is sold out, you may call the box office and we may be able to connect you with someone who wants your tickets. If you have an extra ticket or two the night of the show, drop the ticket off at the box office. We often tell people to come by and see if any become available.
Additionally, when severe weather forces shows to be cancelled or rescheduled, we will make that announcement on the day of the performance, by posting on our website and through our social media outlets. If a show is cancelled, all tickets will be refunded. If a show is rescheduled for a later date, your tickets will remain the same. If you cannot make the rescheduled date, we will offer a period of time during which you can refund your tickets. To refund your tickets, please call the Box Office (410-822-7299). When leaving a message, please provide your order number. Your order number can be found atop the confirmation emailed to your after your initial purchase.
This is always the performers call. Please ask when you arrive at the venue if this is permitted and flash is never allowed.
Yes. Both the Avalon Theatre and the Stoltz Listening Room are wheelchair friendly and the elevator located in the first floor lobby services all 4 floors of the building. The theatre stage also has a manual lift to the stage. We have reserved handicapped seating for all shows, but you must speak with the box office directly to purchase these seats. If you have recently had knee surgery or have any other special seating needs or requests, we would love to assist you and make your visit as pleasant as possible. Please call us prior to your visit so that we can plan ahead for your arrival.
A bar is open for all Avalon & Stoltz Listening Room shows. Our menu includes beer, wine, liquor as well as non-alcoholic beverages, including coffee and tea. No outside food or beverages are allowed in the theatre. Downtown Easton has many terrific restaurants within walking distance of the theatre.
Sign up for our email list! We send one email per week, usually on Wednesday, and we do not share your email with anyone else. You can also keep track of upcoming shows online by periodically checking our website, and following us via social media. Friend us on FaceBook, follow our tweets! Also, keep an eye out in the many informative local publications as we do our very best to get the word out to you. New shows are added every week, and our schedule is updated frequently.
As a non-profit organization whose mission is to “improve the quality of life for residents of the Town of Easton, Talbot County, and the Eastern Shore by providing arts, entertainment and educational programming”, we take pride in presenting a wide variety of programs. Musical performances, stand-up comedy, opera, theatric performances and musicals, showcases for local talent, kids’ summer camps and educational performers are the core of our repertoire.
The Avalon Foundation also plays an integral role in the community outside of the Theatre walls, hosting events such as the Outdoor Summer Concert Series, the Multicultural Festival, and Easton’s 4th of July Celebration. The Avalon Foundation also runs the Easton Farmers Market which runs from April to December, and also hosts Plein Air – Easton!, the nation’s largest outdoor painting competition and arts festival.
In addition, the Avalon Foundation is home to MCTV (Mid-Shore Community Television), the community’s public access television station that produces over 400 programs a year. MCTV is available to all Easton residents through Easton Cable Channel 15 and Atlantic Broadband Channel 77 elsewhere in Talbot County. In addition to producing both studio and on location programs, MCTV uses 3 robotic HD cameras to film performances on the Avalon stage and takes a direct feed from the sound board for superior quality audio. Many community organizations use MCTV to spread the word about upcoming events and their ongoing work.
Unless there is a state of emergency, we always wait to make a call until 5 pm when we close the streets for the concert. At that time, we will post whether the show will be outside or in the theatre. Please note that while we try to always have a rain venue, it is not always possible, and in that case the show may be cancelled. Call the Box Office (410-822-7299) at 5 pm to hear the latest news or check our website & social media outlets.
The Avalon Theatre is available for rental on a first come first serve basis, and availability is dependent on the Theatre’s schedule as well. We have the flexibility and resources to cater to a number of rental needs and would be happy to assist you in designing your event. For more information regarding rates and our abilities, please email our House Manager Suzy Moore at suzy@avalonfoundation.org or visit our rental page.
We are here to serve the community and its tastes, and some of our most successful shows have come from suggestions. All decisions on bookings remain those of the Avalon Foundation, as a number of factors must be considered and just because it is suggested, doesn’t mean it will happen. If you would like to suggest a performance, please email Suzy Moore at suzy@avalonfoundation.org.
Additionally, if you are a performer and would like to perform in either the Avalon Theatre or the Stoltz Listening Room, please email Suzy as well.
Yes! We are happy to donate a $50 gift card redeemable for Avalon Theatre performances only. Please send a letter of request to boxoffice@avalonfoundation.org.
As a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, we remain in existence because of the generosity of our donors, and all donations are entitled to tax exemption where applicable. For a full description of giving opportunities, please see our Giving Page.
The Producers Guild is a very important group of supporters who donate a minimum of $1,000 per year to The Avalon Foundation. In return Producers Guild members are notified of booked performances before the public, are provided with premium VIP seating choices, and are invited to exclusive events and parties throughout the year. More information on The Producers Guild can also be found on our Giving Page.
We rely heavily on our wonderful staff of volunteers, who we call on throughout the year to help will all events, both inside the theatre and out in the community. If you would like to become a volunteer or have a particular talent, please contact House Manager Suzy Moore at suzy@avalonfoundation.org.
Please call us at 410-822-7299. We'd love to hear from you!
"The show must go on" is not just a cliche in the entertainment business, it is a central part of the contracts between venues and talent. If the Avalon Foundation were to cancel a performance the act still is owed for the performance, often tens of thousands of dollars. Consequently, the Avalon Foundation stages all performances so long as the performer is present and able to play. Likewise, contracts frequently include provisions which mean that as soon as a ticket is sold a large portion of the ticket price belongs to the performer. This is why there are not refunds or exchanges. It is often not the Foundation's money to give back.
When the performer cancels the Avalon Foundation makes every effort to reschedule in a timely way. In the event that a performance is permanently canceled or the new date is not convienent to ticket holders full refunds are available.