Free Night of Theater 2008
In 2008, Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, New York City, St. Louis and several smaller communities across the country, joined the 2008 program making it a truly national initiative.
Free Night 2008 participants included Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Bangor (ME), Charleston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, the state of Connecticut, Dallas, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Lexington (KY), Los Angeles, the state of New Jersey, the state of North Carolina, New York (NYC and statewide), Oregon ( Ashland, Eugene and Portland), Philadelphia, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle/Greater Puget Sound, South Florida, St. Louis, Utah, Washington D.C. and the state of Wisconsin.
TCG continued to work closely with APASO organizations along with city and state arts councils to produce Free Night. 2008 also introduced a city council as the first govenment organization to manage the local program. Free Night 2008 was presented by 650 theatres in more than 120 cities from coast to coast and offered more than 65,000 free tickets to 1,700 performances.
Ticket Reservations
650 participating theatre companies offered more than 65,000 tickets to 1,700 performances.
Shugoll Research Highlights
- Of those trying a new theatre during Free Night 2008, 33% returned to that theatre and purchased tickets, including 2% who purchased a subscription, showing the benefit of the program to the participating theatres
- Of the 33% who returned and purchased a ticket, 39% bought a full price ticket
- 77% of those attending Free Night have gone to a theatre since the program, including 33% of those who only attend the theatre infrequently (two or fewer times or less). Further, 34% say they go to the theater more now than before the program and 86% of them attribute additional attendance to the Free Night program
- According to the online survey of the 2008 Free Night patrons, required when they made their ticket reservation, the program continues to attract a significant number of people who fall into non-traditional theatre participant categories, including infrequent theatregoers, young people, less educated, non-white and those with lower household incomes. Specifically, 24% of those at Free Night attended the theatre two or fewer times in the last year, 33% are under age 35, 21% have less than a college degree, 26% are non-white, and 36% have incomes under $50,000.
Free Night Press
" In past years, over 3/4 of the people who participate have never been to the host theater before. And almost half of them come back and pay full price. Teresa Eyring says a substantial number are young, ethnically diverse, and don't have a lot of disposable income. 'What we've been able to determine is we're reaching a new audience that does not meet the traditional profile of theatre-goer.' "
- from "Free Theater Night Brings New Audiences", a report by Jeff Lunden on NPR Weekend Edition Saturday
"One major new bargain in town is Free Night of Theater, a nationwide event organized by the Theater Communications Group."|
- from "Cheap Seats; Bad Times, Good Prices" By Ben Sisario in The New York Times, October 10, 2008
"Gotham legit orgs are starting to discover that sometimes, surprisingly, all it takes is "welcome" and "thank you" to turn a ticketbuyer into a regular customer."
- from Legit, by Gordon Cox in Variety, Fri., Oct. 10, 2008
"Renowned Broadway actor André De Shields...opened the program with a stirring performance of The Age of Aquarius from HAIR (the show that gave him his break in Chicago), and talked about the richness of theatre for both performers and audience."
- "André De Shields Rings in Fourth Annual 'Free Night of Theater' Launch" from Broadwayworld.com, October 17, 2008
"Thursday's celebration wasn't just about Broadway. It was a day to celebrate the theater in general."
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from "Revamped TKTS Booth on Great White Way" by Allison Haunss WPIX TV, October 16, 2008
Union Square Launch Event Video:
For more information on the program please visit www.freenightoftheater.net.