How Making Theatre Accessible Brought TOGETHER Sonia Friedman, Audible and TDF

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The award-winning producers talk about the importance of partnering to build new audiences

It began with a simple yet revolutionary idea: What if a new NYC theatre company mounted intimate, text-driven, bare-bones productions and made the tickets affordable—maybe even gave some away for free? No, this wasn’t a pitch by a group of recent college grads. TOGETHER was the brainchild of stage and screen star Hugh Jackman, award-winning producer Sonia Friedman and acclaimed director Ian Rickson, theatre veterans who shared a desire to get back to the basics. Last spring, TOGETHER partnered with Off-Broadway’s Audible Theater to present a pair of plays in repertory featuring well-known actors, including Liev Schreiber, Maggie Siff and Jackman himself. Twenty-five percent of the seats were sold on the day of each performance for just $35, and TDF also distributed complimentary tickets to underserved audiences.

Now this bold experiment is back for a second season with three plays running in rep: an encore engagement of Hannah Moscovitch’s Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes starring Jackman and Ella Beatty through April 30; Tom Noonan’s What Happened Was… featuring Cecily Strong and Corey Stoll through June 14; and New Born, Ella Hickson’s trio of monologues performed by Marianna Gailus, Sepideh Moafi and Jackman from May 8 to June 8. Once again, TDF is giving away 50 tickets for each performance of the latter two plays for free through our Access for All program.

“It’s very challenging times for theatre—I’ve been saying that for years now,” says Friedman, a Tony and Olivier Award-winning producer whose extensive credits include Sunset Blvd., Stereophonic and Merrily We Roll Along. “Producers have to find ways to let the new generations and the people who can’t afford it in, otherwise there isn’t going to be a future.”

Friedman and her TOGETHER cofounders knew they needed like-minded partners to get this venture off the ground, and Audible’s cozy Minetta Lane Theatre made the ideal collaborator. “We didn’t want to do Broadway—we didn’t want that sort of commercial gaze on us,” Friedman explains. “We wanted the work and the accessibility to lead the conversation. Hugh, myself and Ian, who’s the Artist Director of TOGETHER, went to visit Audible very early on. It just clicked immediately because Audible also has this added element of accessibility, the audio recordings of the work, as well as having the most perfect space for intimate storytelling. That’s what Hugh particularly wanted, to be up close with the audience.”

Kate Navin, Head of Creative Development for Audible, suggested reaching out to TDF to tap into the nonprofit’s extensive network, so students, veterans, older adults, those of limited means and other theatregoers who faced barriers to attendance would have a chance to see the shows.

“TDF is such a fantastic partner in finding audience groups,” Navin says. “The organization already has those relationships and is so connected to the community. We really wanted to get tickets into the hands of people who would be excited to be there. And we’ve been rewarded by fantastic houses.”

Friedman agrees.“The energy and the democracy you feel is incredible. If we were on Broadway, people would be paying $400 a ticket to see Hugh. This just feels like you are sitting in a house with everyone, for everyone, all colors and backgrounds. They are very, very responsive. You certainly get a sense that there are many people who can’t believe they are there: up close, so connected to the actors and to the story and to the stage.”

The feedback from TDF’s stakeholders has been glowing. “I was deeply moved by the play and found myself reflected in both of the characters,” says Leslie, who saw What Happened Was… about two lonely coworkers navigating a first date. “At one point, I even cried—it was that touching and emotionally resonant. At the same time, there were moments of real humor that caught me off guard. Thank you again for creating access to experiences like this. It meant a great deal to me.” Meanwhile Matt, a teacher involved with TDF’s Introduction to Theatre and Dance program, noted the two-hander “sparked lots of good conversation” among his students.  

TDF’s Executive Director, Deeksha Gaur, is thrilled TOGETHER x Audible has renewed their collaboration with TDF. “We share a core belief that theatre must be affordable and accessible in order to build our future audiences and keep the industry thriving,” she says. “That is why it is an honor to partner with them for the second time to make sure New Yorkers can access the best theatre and start to build a lifelong relationship with the performing arts. TDF could not do the work without visionary partners. We are so grateful for their leadership in this area.”

This important initiative isn’t just radically inclusive for audiences, but also for actors, which explains the caliber of casts they’ve been able to attract. “It turns out, there are a lot of artists who are looking to create theatre in this way—it stands out, it’s unique, it’s different,” says Navin. “They’re thirsty for it.”

Friedman notes that Strong has a one-year-old baby at home, so she was reluctant to commit to eight shows a week. With TOGETHER x Audible’s repertory schedule, she doesn’t have to. “It’s very flexible and parent-friendly,” Friedman says.

While Friedman and her TOGETHER cofounders want to bring this model to other locales, particularly London, for now they’re focusing on the present. “We’re hoping that what we’re doing and what we’re building and the identity we’re creating for ourselves, alongside our other careers, will have a lasting impact, both in our lives and on New York theatre,” she says. “This feels like our oxygen. It’s like we pull down the mask and take a breath, and it replenishes us as people who’ve chosen to work in theatre. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to love doing Paddington when I bring it to New York. But when you hit a certain age—I hate that expression—but when you do, you start to look back, and you want to capture that sort of fearlessness you had in the beginning and just go for whatever you want. It’s about us just being allowed to play.”

Learn more about TDF’s Programs that make theatre accessible to all.

Learn more about $35 day-of tickets to TOGETHER x Audible shows.

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