The producers of the West End musical Wicked have announced a renewed commitment to accessibility in theatre by donating a further £10,000 worth of tickets to the UK charity theatre works!.
This marks the second consecutive year of partnership between Wicked and theatre works!, following a successful first year that saw over 400 school children benefit from free or subsidised tickets.
The tickets will be distributed as part of Wicked’s acclaimed Wicked Active Learning programme, which integrates theatre experiences into the educational curriculum.
Schools can apply to theatre works! for financial support to attend Tuesday to Thursday performances during term time, in addition to the show’s year-round reduced-price Education tickets.
This initiative is aimed at young people outside the M25 who face economic and social barriers, offering them the chance to experience one of London’s most iconic musicals.
Since its founding three years ago, theatre works! has enabled over 18,000 children and young people to attend live theatre, often including post-show discussions to deepen the educational impact.
Mrs Kaur, a teacher from Castle School in Walsall, shared:
“The whole experience of visiting the theatre to watch Wicked was exhilarating from start to finish. The children had such an amazing time being in the capital city and having the opportunity to view such a sought-after show. The live performance captured the children’s attention from the get go and they enjoyed every minute of it. These experiences are so valuable for our children as some of our children would never have been to such a performance and may not get to again so a real once on lifetime experience!”
Sharon Studer, Co-founder and Chair of theatre works!, added:
“As a result of Wicked’s ongoing support, hundreds of children from disadvantaged backgrounds—including many who had never set foot in a theatre before—were able to experience the magic of Wicked. Many of them have attended post-show Q & A sessions and these have proven to be particularly valuable. Young people walk away from that experience with a much better understanding of what happens behind the scenes in a production. Beyond the life-changing experiences for these young people, our association with Wicked has helped us achieve greater recognition as a charity. Thank you to the whole team at Wicked for helping us make theatre accessible to those who need it most.”
Listings and ticket information can be found here
