The Broadway revival of The Music Man will make 10,000 $20 tickets available to New York City students, their families, and teachers in support of a more accessible Broadway.
This broad effort, created and spearheaded by Black Theatre Coalition Producing Fellow Amy Marie Haven, is built around partnerships with the New York City Department of Education and a dozen local youth non-profits, including Artists Striving to End Poverty, Art Start, Arts For All, Arthur Miller Foundation, On Broadway Performing Arts Training Program, Young People's Chorus of NYC, Education Through Music, Rosie's Theatre Kids, R Evolucion Latina, and Broadway Bridges.
The extensive effort will be accompanied by curated initiatives designed to engage with the community.
Haven commented, "For me, The Music Man is all about transformation. Theatre totally transformed my life. I was a displaced low-income student that ultimately became an arts teacher [and] nonprofit administrator because of accessible programming. With The Music Man's Audience Development Initiative, we are hoping to plant the seed for further transformation, investing in and cultivating our next generation of citizens and storytellers."
Rashad V. Chambers, Associated Producer of The Music Man, adds, "The Music Man is a story about hope and that is something we all need right now. It is an honor to share this story with New York City teachers, students, and their families."
"Diverse audiences are the lifeblood and creative spark for theater," said Empire State Development Acting Commissioner and President & CEO-designate Hope Knight. "The Music Man's effort to make Broadway more affordable and accessible to deserving students, their families, and their teachers not only provides meaningful educational opportunities, but ensures the future strength of New York's vibrant entertainment industry."
This broad effort comprises four separate initiatives. Teachers Night Out, on various Tuesday performances, will see teachers from all five boroughs invited to attend the production for $20. Family Shows will be held on Wednesday evenings, with 10 students and up to three family members from traditionally under-resourced communities invited to see the show each week. A Classroom Ticket program will distribute 3,500 tickets to schools and education non-profits as part of a larger, integrated curriculum. The production will also mark Back to School month in September with two Wednesday student matinees, which will bring in 600 students per performance for both the show and a post-performance talkback with cast members.
Jayne Houdyshell
Eddie Korbich, Daniel Torres, Jefferson Mays, Nicholas Ward, and Phillip Boykin
Benjamin Pajak and Marie Mullen
Shuler Hensley
Hugh Jackman, Sutton Foster, and cast of The Music Man
Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster in The Music Man
Hugh Jackman and cast of The Music Man
Hugh Jackman, Sutton Foster and cast of The Music Man
Cast of The Music Man
Cast of The Music Man
Hugh Jackman, Sutton Foster, and cast of The Music Man
Phillip Boykin, Nicholas Ward, Hugh Jackman, Daniel Torres, and Eddie Korbich in The Music Man
Sutton Foster in The Music Man
