Seattle,WA –Theatre Puget Sound is pleased to announce the fifth annual Live Theatre Week festival will be October 12-18, 2009. New in 2009, the Kick-Off Fair, (to be held on October 4th at Fisher Pavillion from 12-3pm) will expand beyond theatre to include participation from all Puget Sound arts organizations. Joining the actors and theater staff on October 4th will be an eclectic mix of visual and performance artists as well as musicians, dancers and more. Now, for the first time, all Puget Sound Arts Organizations will celebrate Live Theatre Week together as well as entertain and assist in the Free Night of Theater pre-registration process.
Come out & PLAY! As in years past, Live Theatre Week includes Theatre Communications Group’s nationally recognized, and wildly popular, Free Night of Theater on and around October 15th; and the 3rd annual Live Theatre Week Family Day will be October 17th. In addition to the Free Night of Theater, dozens and dozens of other FREE live theater events will occur between October 12-18,2009 all over Puget Sound. These events include: open houses, invited dress rehearsals, workshops, kid’s activities, receptions, play readings and artist meet n’ greets. Peek behind the scenes. Rub shoulders with artists. Be the first to hear and critique new works. And share the magic and imagination of live theatre with children on Family Day.
In 2008, the Live Theatre Week campaign reached more than 2 million people and directly engaged over 3,000 participants at free performances, special events and Family Day!
· 48 theatre companies participated
· Over 2,500 people attended 59 Free Night of Theater performances
· Over 600 people attended 32 special events
· Over 400 people participated in Family Day activities
Participating theatres and events for the 2009 Live Theatre Week will be announced in August 2009, and posted at http://seattleperforms.com/ltw/
Important Dates for 2009 Live Theatre Week:
Live Theatre Week Kick-Off Fair: October 4th: 12 – 3pm
Meet Live Theatre Week sponsors and participants, catch a performance, pick up an event guide, and pre-register for “Free Night of Theater” tickets before the on-line web registration goes live on October 5th!
Free Night of Theater: On & around October 15th
Attend a performance at any participating local theatre for FREE! Try something new, or discover Seattle 's extraordinary and diverse theatre community for the first time. Online reservations begin October 5 at http://seattleperforms.com.
Family Day: October 17th
Join us Saturday for a full day of family fun! Participating theatres offer activities and performances that the whole family can enjoy. Share the magic and imagination of live theatre with your children.
Live Theatre Week Community Outreach Events: September 29-October 3
In an effort to serve a wider audience for Live Theatre Week, TPS hosts additional community outreach events at specific locations. These events are geared towardsunderserved communities and serve to raise awareness and provide community members the opportunity to get information and pre-register for Free Night tickets. Times and locations TBA.
THEATRE PUGET SOUND (TPS) is a leadership and service organization founded in 1997 to advocate for the region’s growing theatre community’s causes and administer much-needed services. TPS is now the Northwest’s premiere arts advocacy and leadership organization. TPS has a two-fold mission: To promote the spiritual and economic necessity of theatre to the public, and to unify and strengthen the theatre community through programs, resources, and services. TPS serves more than 1,400 theatre practitioners and 130 organizations within our region. In addition to Live Theatre Week, TPS sponsors workshops and seminars, regional auditions, manages affordable rehearsal and performance space in the Seattle Center House, produces the Seattle Performs Theatre Guide, and coordinates and promotes events which strengthen and celebrate our local community.
LIVE THEATRE WEEK - In 2005 the Seattle City Council unanimously passed Resolution 30765 which established one week each year to be known and celebrated as "Live Theatre Week" in Seattle. Theatre Puget Sound capitalized on this proclamation and began producing an annual Live Theatre Week festival in the Puget Sound region ofWashington State . The festival functions as a bridge between our region’s performing arts community and the public at large – extending a collective invitation that transcends cultural, social, racial and economic barriers. The open door philosophy inherent in the Live Theatre Week programming creates a true culture of generosity that encourages participation and personal investment in our theatres, while simultaneously building relationships, strengthening neighborhoods and creating access to and awareness of our region’s performing arts opportunities. Live Theatre Week is an annual festival taking place during the third week of October.
NATIONAL FREE NIGHT OF THEATER - Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for professional not for-profit American theater, developed National Free Night of Theater as an audience development initiative and to raise public awareness about live theater. The idea germinated in 2003 in response to the field-wide threat of declining audiences. National Free Night of Theater launched in 2005 and has expanded to include 120 participating cities and close to 700 theater companies, introducing 75,000 new theatergoers to professional theaters in their community. The program has been designed to help stimulate attendance at live theater through an annual nationwide event and public awareness campaign. The goal is to put aside the inevitable competitions and work together to overcome the perceived barriers of price and time that discourage patrons from attending live theater. As the program continues to expand across the country, TCG has established partnerships with arts councils and local arts serviceorganizations. More than 65,000 free tickets were distributed in 2008 by local theaters via the program’s national interactive website, www.freenightoftheater.net.
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