The Broadway League has teamed up with the New York City Department of Education to launch the first year of Broadway Bridges, an initiative that aims to give every New York City public high school student the opportunity to see a Broadway show before they graduate.
The program makes Broadway accessible by offering $10 tickets to tenth grade students in high schools in all five boroughs. The initiative was tested earlier this year and officially launches this fall with A Bronx Tale, Aladdin, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Kinky Boots, Miss Saigon, The Band鈥檚 Visit, The Lion King, and The Phantom of the Opera.
More shows will be added in the spring. Broadway Bridges anticipates bringing 7,500 tenth grade students to a show during the 2017鈥�2018 Broadway season, with aims of a cumulative total of 25,000 students attending a show by the end of 2019.
鈥淏roadway Bridges is a program of unprecedented scope made possible by The Broadway League鈥檚 unique ability to work with both Broadway producers and the Department of Education,鈥� said Charlotte St. Martin, President of the Broadway League, in a press statement. 鈥淲e鈥檙e thrilled to expand the amazing work of the Broadway community in cultivating the next generation of theatregoers. Our combined efforts will ensure that every New York City public school student has the quintessential New York experience of seeing a Broadway show.鈥�
鈥淭he arts are a critical part of a student鈥檚 educational experience and this partnership will help ensure that more students have the opportunity to experience and learn from our city鈥檚 renowned theater industry,鈥� added New York City Schools Chancellor Carmen Fari帽a. 鈥淭his is an incredible opportunity for students and we thank Broadway Bridges for their partnership in expanding access to the theatre and helping us increase equity across our schools.鈥�
The program was developed by a group of leading commercial and non-profit industry professionals. For more information, visit .
