*It takes a village and Pasadena Playhouse — the official State of California Theatre — has stepped up to announce a new free ticket initiative called Community@Play. The initiative will give access to thousands of area students, nonprofit organizations and social support entities to enjoy live theatrical performances at the Playhouse. The initiative, sponsored by Wells Fargo Bank, will invite those who may never have the opportunity to experience the transformative nature of theatre, to attend.
These groups will be offered the Playhouse?s season programming, and attend on general performance dates.
Producing Artistic Director Danny Feldman said, ?Our mission at the Playhouse is to use theater to enrich the lives of our community yet many among us, including students, are often priced out of this experience. Community@Play increases access to professional theater for all audiences by providing thousands of free tickets to those who might otherwise not be able to attend. ?
David DiCristofaro, executive vice president of Wells Fargo and a member of the Pasadena Playhouse Board of Directors said, ?There?s something powerful and magical about the theater, as it is a place where one can be transformed and taken to another world and share that experience with other theater attendees. We understand that many members of the community for different reasons cannot obtain the experience of live theater, and it is why we fund the arts to support programs and outreach to low-income, diverse communities and to share with them this amazing opportunity. Together, we at Wells Fargo with the Pasadena Playhouse, hope to remove these barriers and do our part to make theatre accessible to everyone.?
In addition to attending performances, participants will have access to post-show discussions and student workshops for select productions. Both will create a forum for analysis and greater engagement with play themes, topics, character development, and plot ? encouraging empathy and understanding.
This program can achieve a number of objectives from fostering greater awareness and appreciation for theater, to enhancing quality of life and strengthening community connections. And finally, the Pasadena Playhouse and Wells Fargo Bank can cultivate a larger community by creating meaningful relationships with participating groups.
Current partnership schools include Pasadena Unified School District schools (Blair Middle and High Schools, Marshall Fundamental, Pasadena High School); Aspire Ollin University (secondary school), Aveson Charter School, California School for the Deaf, New Girls Academy, Northview Intermediate School, and Rosamond High School.
Youth services organization partners include Asian Pacific Family Center, Glendale Youth Alliance, North Hollywood Jeopardy Program (LAPD), Teen Court Project for Justice, and T.Y.M.E. Foundation.
Others include Day One, L.A. CADA, Lake Avenue Foundation, Los Angeles Red Cross Americorps, and Unusual Suspects Theatre Program.
For more information about Community@Play, or to apply to become a program partner, visit www.pasadenaplayhouse.org/communityatplay
