Accessibility – Merrill Auditorium

Questions? Please contact Ovations’ Accessibility Coordinator, Katelyn Manfre, at kmanfre@portlandovations.org.

Parking & Public Transit

Merrill Auditorium is located at 20 Myrtle Street, within Portland’s City Hall.

Reserved accessible parking spaces is located on both sides of Myrtle Street for patrons with a valid placard. Additional parking is located on Congress Street, in front of City Hall. These spaces are in demand, so we suggest you arrive early to ensure availability. 

There is ample, metered street parking around the venue. Please note these spaces must be paid 9AM-7PM, Monday through Saturday. Sundays and city holidays are free. 

Public Parking is available nearby at the following locations:

Portland Ovations is not associated with any parking company and can’t provide information on their rates or policies. Please check price and closing times before entering any garage or lot.

Merrill Auditorium is accessible to most of Portland’s bus lines, either at City Hall or the nearby METRO Pulse transfer station. Additionally, the University of Southern Maine’s dedicated Husky Line bus service provides transportation from the University’s Gorham and Portland campuses throughout Portland and Westbrook, stopping just outside the venue. Click here to plan your trip through Greater Portland Metro. 

Building Entry

For most performances, the lobby and box office will open 90 minutes early, and the house will open 30 minutes prior to the performance start time.

Doors to Merrill Auditorium face Myrtle Street; one entrance is ramped and the rest have one step up into the building. Curb cuts in the sidewalk are directly in front of the doors as well as the corners of Myrtle Street at both Cumberland and Congress Streets. Single file lines will form at each point of entry.

Patrons entering Merrill Auditorium will be subject to security checks including bag searches and walk-through metal detectors. The following items are not permitted into the venue, and we request that you leave them at home or in your vehicle:

  • Weapons (this includes pocket knives). The possession of firearms on the premises is prohibited per Maine law.
  • Large bags and Backpacks (This does not include diaper bags or purses)
  • Strollers
  • Fireworks
  • Outside Food & Drink
  • Mace/Pepper Spray
  • Poles & Selfie Sticks
  • Aerosol Cans
  • Frisbees
  • Beach Balls
  • Bats & Clubs
  • Drugs and/or illegal substances
  • Banners/Signs/Flags that could block the view of other guests
  • Tripods
  • Airhorns
  • Laser Pointers

Restrooms

Two single-gender restrooms with stalls are located on the ground floor. There is a multi-stall, all gender restroom off the main lobby.

Occasionally, City Hall restrooms will be made available to patrons seated in the Grand Tier and Balcony levels. Please ask a member of the House staff for directions to the closest restroom.

Ticketing & Box Office

PortTIX can be accessed by entering Merrill Auditorium through the doors on Myrtle Street. The box offers ticket sales and will-call pickup one hour prior to the start of each performance. Daytime PortTIX hours are Monday through Friday from 11AM – 3PM located at 400 Congress Street in Portland.

Mobile tickets are also issued and can be accessed through your email. The QR code typically cannot be printed, so you MUST bring a mobile phone to the event on which to display the email with the Mobile Tickets for entry. Mobile tickets are sent to your email the day of purchase. To locate them in your inbox search ‘Your Mobile Tickets’, it will come from boxoffice@porttix.com.

Seating Details

Wheelchair Accessible Seating: There are several wheelchair accessible seating areas within Merrill Auditorium. They are located in the front and sides of the Orchestra Section, as well as the rear of the Grand Tier. Ushers are available if you need any assistance in locating your seat.

Lift Arm Aisle Seats: Aisle seats with a movable arm to facilitate entry and exit are located throughout the auditorium. Please check with the box office for specific locations. These can be used to transfer from wheelchairs into a regular auditorium seat if desired.

Over-Sized Seats: Not all the seats in Merrill Auditorium are the same size. We can provide two sets of over-sized seats (two seats with a removable center arm and broader backrests). Please contact PortTIX and inform your ticket agent if you would like one of these seats. They are available on a first come, first serve basis.

Accessible seating for patrons with disabilities may be purchased in person at the PortTIX box office, by calling PortTIX at (207) 842-0800, or on our website. In person and telephone sales are available during normal business hours (Mon-Fri, 11am–3pm). Please inform your ticket agent of your needs at the time of purchase. All of our ticket agents are very familiar with the hall and can assist in finding the best seating.

To purchase wheelchair accessible tickets online, look for the wheelchair symbol when selecting seats. You can buy that location and the one next to it with a star symbol for a companion (please note there will be no chair in the “Wheelchair Seat” location).  Typically, these will be available in the Grand Tier sections 2 and 4 and Orchestra section 1.  If you wish to inquire about other possible options, please call our box office for assistance.

An elevator travels from the lobby to every floor of the auditorium. However, the only areas that are accessible without any stairs are the Orchestra and Row G of the Grand Tier. All other sections do require stairs to reach the seats.

Additionally, Merrill Auditorium has a limited number of booster seats, available upon request from the event staff.

A map of Merrill Auditoriums seating layout with dots representing the seats

Assisted Listening & Ear Protection

Assistive Listening Devices via an infrared system are available to patrons for all performances at Merrill Auditorium. Simply ask one of the Merrill Event Staff (those wearing red vests) when you enter the auditorium to obtain a headset. A valid driver’s license or credit card is required as a deposit.

You may also connect to the Assisted Listening system via your phone. This requires downloading the application “ListenWiFI” and connecting to the network. Merrill Event Staff can also assist you with this.

Ear plugs are available from members of the house staff.

Sign Language Interpretation

ASL interpretation will be provided at the following events at Merrill Auditorium in our 2026-27 season.

Additional performances can include ASL interpretation upon request. Please fill out the Access Services Request form.

How to buy tickets: Seats with the best view of our interpreters vary depending on venue and are kept on hold for purchase up until one week prior to the performance. To request these tickets please contact the PortTIX Box Office at boxoffice@porttix.com or 207-842-0800.

Sensory Friendly Spaces

Should patrons wish to leave the Auditorium during the performance, they are welcome to utilize the lobby areas. Please note that there is no live audio or visual feed of the performance available in these spaces.

Unless otherwise noted, Merrill Auditorium has a “No Re-Entry” policy once patrons have exited the building. If you have any questions, please speak with a member of the House Staff.

Service Animals

Service animals are always welcome, and this venue offers easy access to the outdoors. We ask that animals be kept on a leash or harness at all times. Please contact the PortTIX Box Office at boxoffice@porttix.com or 207-842-0800 for questions about best seating options for you and your service animal.

Concessions

Concessions are served at most performances at Merrill Auditorium, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and a selection of pre-packaged snacks. Anything purchased at the Concessions bar is permitted into the performance hall. Outside food and beverage, including personal water bottles, are prohibited.