The nine-episode series spotlights innovative audience-building models in the face of industry challenges.

New York, NY – Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre and the publisher of American Theatre magazine, is proud to announce the launch of The Bridge: Building Toward re(New)ed Theatre Audiences, a new nine-episode podcast series hosted by Corinna Schulenburg, Co-Lead of Research Programs at TCG. Produced with support from the Wallace Foundation, the series debuts on March 5, exploring how theatres are innovating to engage and sustain audiences amid the shifting realities of the field.

Amid the “polycrises” of the present moment, TCG’s most recent Theatre Facts report revealed an unexpected ray of hope: In contrast to pandemic-driven declines in overall attendance and ticket revenue, subscriptions and other loyalty models have shown renewed resilience. The Bridge will take listeners inside theatres that are bucking the decades-long trend of subscription decline, offering both visionary questions and practical strategies for audience engagement.

 

“Audience building is one of the most urgent challenges facing our field,” said Emilya Cachapero, Co-Executive Director of National and Global Programming. “Through The Bridge, we’re shining a light on theatres that are meeting that challenge with creativity, courage, and care and offering ideas that others can adapt for their own communities.”

 

With episodes premiering every two weeks, The Bridge will feature candid conversations with theatre organizations across the country that are breaking new ground in audience development. Listeners will hear diverse strategies and shared challenges in building toward a more inclusive, resilient theatre ecosystem.

 

“It’s been such a joy to witness these theatres share their bold experiments—what’s worked, what hasn’t, and where they’re headed next,” said Corinna Schulenburg, Co-Lead of Research Programs. “For anyone looking for some practical hope in these challenging times, I hope you’ll tune into The Bridge and learn along with us.”

 

The first episode features Mixed Blood Theatre, where Artistic Director Mark Valdez, Managing Director Kate Warner, and Associate Artistic Director Alejandro Tey discuss how their mission to disrupt injustice is embedded in their audience strategy. Rooted in radical hospitality and deep community engagement, Mixed Blood offers a compelling model for cultivating belonging alongside artistic excellence.

 

This series is part of TCG’s ongoing work, supported by the Wallace Foundation, to share learnings from the field and amplify the voices of theatre-makers leading change.

 

The Bridge is available by subscribing to American Theatre Offscript on all podcast platforms. 

 

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, leads for a just and thriving theatre ecology. Since its founding in 1961, TCG’s constituency has grown from a handful of groundbreaking theatres to over 750 organizations (including member theatres, affiliates, universities) and over 3,000 individual members. Through its programs and services, TCG reaches over one million students, audience members, and theatre professionals each year. TCG offers networking and knowledge-building opportunities through research, communications, and events, including the annual TCG National Conference, one of the largest nationwide gatherings of theatre people; awards grants and scholarships to theatre companies and individual artists; advocates on the federal level; and through the Global Theater Initiative, TCG's partnership with the Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics, serves as the U.S. Center of the International Theatre Institute. TCG is North America’s largest independent trade publisher of dramatic literature, with 21 Pulitzer Prizes for Drama on the TCG booklist. It also publishes the award-winning American Theatre magazine and ARTSEARCH®, the essential source for a career in the arts. TCG believes its vision of “a better world for theatre, and a better world because of theatre” can be achieved through individual and collective action, adaptive and responsive leadership, and equitable representation in all areas of practice. TCG is led by Co-Executive Directors, Emilya Cachapero, LaTeshia Ellerson, and Alisha Tonsic.