On Oct. 10, Broadway Bridges kicked off its sixth season. An initiative of the Broadway League, Broadway Bridges operates in partnership with the New York City Department of Education, the United Federation of Teachers, the New York City Council and the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment in an effort to offer every New York City public school student the opportunity to see a Broadway show. Broadway Bridges offers $10 tickets to tenth-grade students located throughout the five boroughs.
Twenty Main Stem productions are taking part in the fall 2023 program. Participating shows include: “& Juliet,” “A Beautiful Noise,” “Aladdin,” “Back to the Future,” “Chicago,” “Hadestown,” “Harmony,” “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” “Here Lies Love,” “How to Dance in Ohio,” “Kimberly Akimbo,” “Merrily We Roll Along,” “MJ,” “Moulin Rouge!,” “Shucked,” “SIX,” “Some Like It Hot,” “Spamalot,” “The Lion King” and “Wicked.”
Participating shows offer an allotment of tickets for $20 each plus facilities fees; through sponsorships, donations and government support, Broadway Bridges is able to cut that cost in half for students to $10 per ticket.
Teachers, social workers and administrators at New York City public high schools are eligible to register for Broadway Bridges and, once confirmed, will be able to purchase blocks of tickets for their students.
Since the program’s founding in 2017, Broadway Bridges has served 422 public high schools. In 2022, a total of 20,157 students and chaperones participated in the program.
“Broadway epitomizes the height of art and culture in New York City, and our students deserve to be exposed to transformative experiences in their city that can cultivate new interests for them, and possibly shape the trajectory of their lives,” said schools chancellor David C. Banks in a statement. “It is always a pleasure to partner with Broadway Bridges for opening up these opportunities for our young people and allowing our students to experience the magic of Broadway.”
President of the Broadway League Charlotte St. Martin added in a statement, “Each ticket provided through Broadway Bridges has the potential to open a world of possibilities where students leave each show feeling further inspired and drawn to the arts.”
“We are thankful to partner once again with NYC Public Schools, the United Federation of Teachers and the New York City Council,” she continued, “to present another season of Broadway Bridges where we strive to bridge the gap between arts education, live entertainment and careers on Broadway.”
