半岛体育 has partnered with to create and amplify stories of inspiration that advocate for young people across the country to have access to arts and cultural experiences. The following article is written by the team at and adapted from their online publication Inspired.
This spring, is making room. Not just in its seats, but in the world of professional theatre itself.
With the launch of Take a Ticket, a new access initiative tied to the world premiere of Take the Lead, the theatre is offering up to 1,000 free tickets to students from 10 New Jersey high schools. The goal is straightforward: to make sure students from the surrounding community have the opportunity to experience live theatre, some for the very first time.
It鈥檚 a first for Paper Mill, too, and one that鈥檚 built on a long-standing commitment to education, access, and representation. 鈥淚t has always been key in our history to champion students,鈥� said Priscilla Cordero, Community Engagement and Audience Development Manager. 鈥淧aper Mill is on a mission to continue to make pathways for our community members who exist at varied intersections of the human experience.鈥�
Why Take the Lead?
The musical at the heart of this initiative isn鈥檛 just entertaining, it鈥檚 a story that reflects the lived experiences of many of the students being invited in.
Take the Lead is based on the 2006 dance film starring Antonio Banderas and the true story of Pierre Dulaine, a professional ballroom dancer who brought the art form into New York City public schools. The show blends ballroom and hip-hop, telling the story of students who rise above expectations and find strength through creativity, connection, and movement.
鈥淭he Drake kids [in the musical] are up against a world that tells them they can鈥檛,鈥� said Cordero. 鈥淏ut they find a way to prove societal expectations wrong. We know that our local students are doing the same in their hallways, classrooms, after-school practices, and beyond.鈥�
That parallel is part of what makes Take a Ticket so meaningful. Students are being invited not only to watch the show, but to see themselves in it.
Representation, Access, and the Student Journey
Arts education is widely known to support student development鈥攂uilding confidence, creativity, and social-emotional skills鈥攂ut access to those experiences is still unequal. Take a Ticket is one way Paper Mill is working to change that.
鈥淥ur efforts to make sure we communicate to communities and schools across Essex County were targeted to minimize barriers, whether they be communicative or financial,鈥� said Cordero.
This is more than a one-time offer. It鈥檚 part of a broader vision for a more equitable, inclusive, and welcoming theater.
And while Take the Lead may center on the character of Pierre, it鈥檚 the students鈥攐n stage and off鈥攚ho take the spotlight. 鈥淚t was our intention to invite students to witness a new musical coming together on a stage,鈥� Cordero said, 鈥渆specially one that features characters that could easily be going through similar issues and journeys.鈥�
A First Theatre Experience鈥擝ut Not the Last
For many of these students, Take the Lead may be their introduction to live, professional theatre. But Paper Mill hopes it鈥檚 just the beginning.
鈥淲e hope students can walk away from Take the Lead and turn inwards,鈥� said Cordero. 鈥淭o find their own inner creativity and strength to figure out a way through any hurdle they might face鈥攍ike the students in this production exemplify on stage.鈥�
To support that, the theatre continues to offer year-round discounted student tickets, including $20 tickets for any performance.
What鈥檚 Next
Take the Lead begins previews March 29 and runs through April 27, with opening night on April 6. Directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Christopher Gattelli (Newsies), the show features a dynamic creative team and cast, including Adrienne Bailon-Houghton, Tam Mutu, and Vincent Jamal Hooper.
And through Take a Ticket, a new generation of theatregoers will be in the audience.
Learn more about Paper Mill鈥檚 access initiatives at .
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