Accessibility at the Arts Complex: Through the Eyes of Carol Krueger
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“That’s the way you welcome everyone, you make sure you’re inviting them in.”
For Carol Krueger, Patron Service Manager at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, creating accessible spaces isn’t just a box to check off. It’s become a key component of her life’s work.
The Denver Performing Arts Complex is one of the many venues Denver Arts & Venues (DAV) owns and operates. It’s the second-largest performing arts complex in the country and home to four resident companies: The Denver Center for the Performing Arts, The Colorado Ballet, The Colorado Symphony and the Colorado Opera. A core component of DAV’s work is to ensure our venues remain state-of-the-art, which involves continually maintaining them so that they function seamlessly and making our spaces accessible.
DAV has been lucky to have Carol Krueger on our team for three years, but she has been a part of the theater world for decades.
“I was a theater kid,” said Krueger. “Then I got a master's in arts admin theater management, worked at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in D.C., worked at the DCPA for 11 years, then found my way to DAV.”
But beyond Krueger’s expertise in the arts world, her true passion lies in making sure everyone has access to theater. She’s led several accessibility initiatives at the Arts Complex - everything from expanding ticketed seating for patrons using ASL interpretation, audio description and open captioning (doubling the seats available for those services in the Buell Theatre) to advocating for bariatric-friendly seating as part of the Bonfils Theatre renovations and future Arts Complex venue improvements. She has also trained front-of-house and security teams on accessible pathways and patron support, helping ensure clear and welcoming access for every guest.
Her most recent project is piloting a new hearing device called AuriCast, which is expected to vastly improve the theater-going experience for individuals with hearing loss. She’s been testing it in the Buell Theatre in partnership with SMG/Legends Global Production Manager and Buell Theatre’s Audio Head, and is even working with DAV’s team at Red Rocks Amphitheatre to see if it could improve the experience for audiences.
Due to the success of the pilot project, AuriCast will launch at the Buell Theatre performances beginning Oct. 7 with The Denver Center for Performing Arts’ Shucked. Guests who use Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE)-compatible hearing aids, cochlear implants or other assistive listening devices can connect directly to the AuriCast broadcast for clear, high-quality sound.
We’re not the first to recognize her work. In 2019, Krueger received the Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability (LEAD) Award from the Kennedy Center, which recognizes outstanding arts administrators and cultural arts organizations whose leadership and work furthers the field of accessibility. But “humble” doesn’t even begin to describe Carol’s reaction to this honor.
“I’ve had personal experiences with loved ones experiencing a disability, so I’ve seen firsthand the type of barriers that exist in our world,” said Krueger. “To me, it’s going beyond what’s required. What we do at the Arts Complex is for everyone, and we owe it to our audiences to break down barriers. There will always be challenges with transportation, financial resources and more. But if we can create a place where a mom brings her kid to a low-sensory ballet or a veteran can bring their service dog to a play, we’re doing it right.”
“The objective, truly, of my job is that no one should know I exist,” said Krueger. “That our accessibility and operations become so seamless that our ushers and house managers handle everything. In theory, it should just run!”
Well, one thing’s for sure. We couldn’t be prouder to have Carol Krueger on our team - someone who truly embodies what DAV is all about. Creating joy and finding our humanity through the arts and ensuring it’s true for everyone for years to come.
At Denver Arts & Venues, we know that good times at Red Rocks or the Denver Performing Arts Complex are not just moments of joy and connection; they’re driving arts and culture in the city of Denver in unexpected ways. Funds generated by the DAV are reinvested back into the community through grants for artists and arts organizations, free or low-cost community cultural events, art in public spaces, venue maintenance, arts education and more.
In short, every good time at one of our venues enriches Denver through arts and culture and helps Denver’s cultural community thrive — for good!