AUDIO: Signature Asks, Will Lower Ticket Prices Create A More Diverse Audience?

New York City, a metropolis created by great waves of immigrants, proudly claims the title of the most diverse spot on the planet.

The city also claims the title of the nation's center for Live Theatre. Between Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off Broadway and beyond, there are always hundreds of plays to take in on any given week.

And yet, at least when it comes to Broadway and other high-profile venues, that diversity, as a whole, has always been noticeably absent from the predominantly white crowds of regular attendees.

As described by Erika Mallin, Executive Director of Signature Theatre Company, the company's Founding Artistic Director, James Houghton, who has recently stepped down from the position, dreamed of developing an audience that looked like the occupants of a New York subway car; a fully eclectic mix.

To that end, as explained to WNYC, Signature convinced Time-Warner to contribute a half a million dollars so that they may drop their ticket prices from $55 to $15 for all productions during their initial runs.

Though the price has risen to $25 in ensuing years, that amount is still quite a bit less than the typical Off-Broadway price.

But while the affordable ticket price has certainly filled Signature's seats, it seems there are other factors involved with achieving the desired diversity.

Founded in 1991 by James Houghton, Signature makes an extended commitment to a playwright's body of work, and during this journey, the writer is engaged in every aspect of the creative process.

Signature is the first theatre company to devote an entire season to the work of a single playwright, including re-examinations of past writings as well as New York and world premieres. By championing in-depth explorations of a living playwright's body of work, Signature delivers an intimate and immersive journey into the playwright's singular vision.

Visit signaturetheatre.org.