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Black Ticket Project creating opportunities for young Black people to access theatre
4 October 2018
THE STORY SO FAR
In 2016, Inua Ellams' 'Barber Shop Chronicles' made its debut at the National Theatre - a compelling, explosive, funny and charming story connecting Black men in barbershops all over the world. Despite the international success of Barber Shop Chronicles, it felt like something was missing in the audience development of the show.
Noticing this, Tobi - with the help of friends - paid for 30 Black young people to see the show, outreaching via social media. In early 2018, she officially partnered with the National Theatre to fundraise for over 250 Black young people to see ‘Nine Night’ by Natasha Gordon and directed by Roy Alexander-Weise.
Altogether, across both shows, over 300 Black young people have visited the National Theatre. For many of them, it would’ve been the first time they were going to the theatre.
Representation beyond seeing a reflection of yourself, means that more diverse stories will be told, with more complex and interesting characters on a variety of issues, and more people from underrepresented backgrounds will have agency to tell those stories. We want to open up the doors to the theatre-world on a more consistent and long term basis by starting the process to make this official.
Accessing theatre isn't just about what you see, but also how you experience a venue once you're inside. The journey starts from your front door to your theatre seat.
The Black Ticket Project is a project that will give Black people, particularly young Black people, the opportunity to experience the theatre for free or at a discounted rate, in the hope of widening the artistic palette of Black young people and exposing them to new forms of expression that truly represents them.
