Directions and Parking

The Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts is located on the campus of Ocean County College in Toms River, New Jersey. We are easily reached by car, located 10 minutes from the Garden State Parkway.

GPS Address: 1 College Drive, Toms River, NJ 08754

Driving Directions

From Points North

Take Garden State Parkway South to Exit 89A. Follow signs for Route 70 East/Airport Road. Merge onto Route 70 East. Continue 1/3-mile, turn Right on Shorrock Street. Road curves left and becomes Beaverson Blvd. Turn right on Brick Blvd. (Route 549 South), continue 2.5 miles, turn right on College Drive (lake and OCC monument on right). Take College Drive to 2nd traffic light, turn left onto North College Drive. Parking Lot 2 is located on the left.

From Points South

Take Garden State Parkway North to Exit 82, Route 37 East towards Toms River/Seaside Heights. Continue approx. 1 mile (2 traffic lights). Use the jughandle at the intersection to turn Left onto Hooper Ave (Route 549 North). Continue 3 miles, use the jughandle to turn Left onto College Drive. Take College Drive to 2nd traffic light, turn left onto North College Drive. Parking Lot 2 is located on the left.

Parking

Free parking is available for those attending events at the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts. Parking is located in Lot #2, off the intersection of North College Drive and Buckwald Drive. The Grunin Center is located to the back left of the parking lot.

There are a limited number of accessible spots in front of the theater. These spots cannot be reserved in advance and are on a first-come, first-served basis.

A drop-off area is available at the front of the parking lot.

Venues

Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts Main Stage

The Main Stage at the Grunin Center for the Arts is a 460-seat proscenium arch theater.

The ground-floor Orchestra section is raked, meaning the seats in row A are lower than the seats in row K. Four aisles allow for easy access to seats. No stairs are required to access Orchestra seats.

Our second-floor Mezzanine section is our balcony. Easy access to the Mezzanine level is offered by an elevator in the lobby. There are two central stair aisles, and seats go all the way to the outer walls. The Mezzanine is stadium-style, meaning that each row is four steps lower than the one behind it. All rows, with the exception of row EE, require stairs to access.

View Seating Chart

Black Box Theatre

The Black Box Theatre at the Grunin Center for the Arts is an 85-seat, General Admission venue with seating on three sides. There are no assigned seats in this venue. Seating and set configurations are subject to change for each production. The Black Box Theatre is located up the ramp walkway and across from the Main Stage in Building 11B.

Gia Maione Prima Foundation Studio Theatre

Located in the OCVTS Grunin Performing Arts Academy, the Gia Maione Prima Foundation Studio Theatre is a 219-seat black box theater with seating on three sides. Stairs are required to reach rows A-E in each section, except for wheelchair spaces.

View Seating Chart

Bösendorfer Recital Room

Located on the second floor of the Grunin Center for the Arts, the Bösendorfer Recital Room is a 45-seat, general-admission recital room. This room features a 9 ½ foot Bösendorfer Imperial Grand. The Bösendorfer Recital Room is accessible by the elevator in the lobby. No stairs are required.

From time to time, the Grunin Center may plan events in other venues located on the Ocean County College campus or off-site. When we do, the venue will be listed on the event page.

Accessibility

Assistive Listening Devices

Please visit the Box Office to obtain a listening device for all performances in the Main Stage. Reservations are not required, but requests can be made in advance by calling 732-255-0500. A form of ID must be left with the Box Office while the device is in use.

Braille and Large Print

Programs for most productions can be made available in Braille or Large Print with four weeks’ notice.

Elevators

The elevator to the Mezzanine and Bösendorfer Room is located in the Lobby to the right of the entrance.

Relaxed Performances

Relaxed performances are designed to create a welcoming environment for all visitors, including individuals with neurodiversity and sensory needs. These dedicated performances will feature all the joy of a typical theater setting, with a few adjustments to help attendees feel more comfortable. This can include adjustments to lighting and sound, an environment that allows for movement and breaks when needed, and an inclusive staff that welcomes guests from the moment they arrive. Families who do not require these accommodations are still welcome to attend.

Restrooms

Our recently renovated restrooms are all wheelchair accessible and located on all levels.

Seating Needs

For guests with special seating needs (including those using wheelchairs, motorized carts, or experiencing difficulty with stairs), accessible seating is available for all performances. Accessible seats can be purchased online or through the Box Office. Please note that rows AA through DD of the Mezzanine require stairs. For questions, call the Box Office at 732-255-0500.

Sensory Aides

The Grunin Center has a limited number of noise-cancelling headphones available for loan from the Box Office. Noise-reducing earbuds are also available upon request. Please visit the Box Office to learn more.

Service Animals

The Grunin Center for the Arts adheres to Ocean County College Policy, which states:
Ocean County College recognizes the importance of service animals to individuals with disabilities. Service animals are trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Individuals with disabilities may bring their service animals to all areas of the College where the public is normally permitted.

Please review Ocean County College’s full Service Animal Policy for complete guidelines and procedures for service animals.

Sign Language Interpretation

ASL Interpretation is available by request for certain performances with at least two weeks advance notice. Please contact us by phone at 732-255-0500, TTY/TDD & Voice: NJ Relay 711, or email grunincenter@ocean.edu, and we will make all reasonable efforts to assist you.

Website Accessibility

The Grunin Center for the Arts is committed to ensuring that individuals with disabilities enjoy full access to our website. In recognition of this commitment, we are in the process of making modifications to increase the accessibility and usability of this website, using the relevant portions of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG 2.0) as our standard. Please be aware that our efforts are ongoing.

If, at any time, you have difficulty using this website, or with a particular web page or function on this site, please contact us by phone at 732-255-0500, TTY/TDD & Voice: NJ Relay 711, or email grunincenter@ocean.edu, and we will make all reasonable efforts to assist you.

---

Nearby Amenities

Located at the heart of the famous Jersey Shore, a night out to see a show is only enhanced by the excellent food and lodging Ocean County has to offer.

For more information about Ocean County, please visit OceanCountyTourism.com

Nearby Hotels:

Days Hotel Toms River Jersey Shore
290 Route 37 East
Toms River, NJ  08753
732-244-4000
info@tomsriverhotel.com
www.TomsRiverHotel.com

Hilton Garden Inn of Lakewood
1885 Route 70 West
Lakewood, NJ 08701
732-262-5232
info@hiltongardenlakewood.com
www.Lakewood.hgi.com

Nearby Food

Toms River and the surrounding towns have many great food options.

Snack concessions are sold at most Main Stage Shows. Concessions are provided by Ocean County College student clubs and organizations to raise funds for their activities. OCC is an alcohol-free campus.