Blue Star Theaters Honor Military Families

Theaters across the country are teaming up with military organizations to help the men and women of the Armed Forces. 

Theatre Communications Group recently announced 57 theatres have joined the Blue Star Theatres program so far, including the Denver Center Theatre Company, McCarter Theatre Center in New Jersey and the American Conservatory Theater in California.

The program, which launched last month, connects various artistic offerings to military personnel and their families across the nation including: playwriting classes to empower creative expression for veterans; community discussions on plays whose themes resonate with military families; free or discounted ticket programs; job postings and casting notices on military bases; and much more.

TCG and Blue Star Families will connect theatres with local bases and develop and disseminate best-practices for engaging with deployed personnel, veterans and service families.

“We’re grateful that so many LORT and TCG Member Theatres have stepped up to give back to our service members and their families,” Teresa Eyring, executive director, TCG, said in a statement. “Theatre can provide an invaluable means of integrating military families into our communities while helping us process the consequences of these long years of war.”

“Theatre remains a place in our communities where all can gather to have a common experience; to participate in an art form that through the stories it tells provides such deeply felt emotion and entertainment,” said Tim Shields, president of LORT and managing director of the McCarter Theatre.

“TCG and participating theatres have gone above and beyond to offer interactive experiences for service members and their families, creating truly enriching opportunities.” said Blue Star Families executive director, Mark Smith.

Visit the program’s web site for a map listing the participating theaters.

(Photo: Colonel Loren J. Johnson, commander, 140^th Mission Support Group, Buckley Air Force Base, Greely Air National Guard Station: Photo credit: Jennifer M. Koskinen)