Disney's THE LION KING To Host100 Northeast Wisconsin High School Students For 'Broadway Bridges on the Road' Program

The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center has partnered with Broadway Bridges on the Road to bring Disney's The Lion King alive for a group of 100 Northeast Wisconsin high school students at a reduced price on Thursday, January 23.

Broadway Bridges on the Road, an initiative from The Broadway League, continues its mission to expand access to Broadway touring performances for high school students nationwide. Building on the success of the New York City-based Broadway Bridges, this program provides discounted tickets to local high schools for productions at participating Broadway League Member venues. By collaborating with touring productions, these organizations offer affordable tickets to students, making field trips to Broadway across the country a reality.

The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center is one of 24 venues across 16 states participating in the program's first year of national expansion. This initiative makes it possible for students to experience the magic of live theater — fostering arts education, promoting cultural equity, and cultivating a diverse future audience. In the case of these students, tickets cost just $10 – saving them more than 90% of the full price of their seats. For the first year of our partnership, participating students will visit from local high schools including Shawano Community High School, Chilton High School, and Winnebago Lutheran Academy.

"My students were so thankful to be presented with this opportunity to see a touring Broadway show at the Fox Cities P.A.C. For some of these students, it will be their first opportunity to attend a live professional show. Moving forward, as they work on a high school musical or show on our stage, they can use this opportunity to set the bar higher for themselves as they can reflect on the professional performance that they were able to see and hopefully be inspired to raise the level of their own show," said Andrew Mildebrandt, director of theater arts at Winnebago Lutheran Academy.

“The magic of live experience comes from its powerful ability to connect the vastly unique worlds of individuals sharing the same space. Our priority to be a partner in removing barriers is motivated by the desire for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to experience that life-changing interconnectedness directly,” said Fox Cities Performing Arts Center President and CEO Maria Van Laanen.

Students from Shawano and Chilton will be able to visit in part thanks to a donation of transportation from Kobussen Buses. This initiative enriches students' arts education, promotes cultural equity, and cultivates a diverse future audience for live theater. 

“For over 85 years Kobussen Buses has been committed to supporting the communities that we service. By providing transportation to educational, sports and art events, we are proud to be directly involved in the growth of our community,” said Dan Kobussen, Kobussen Buses, Ltd.

ABOUT BROADWAY BRIDGES ON THE ROAD

Broadway Bridges on the Road is a new initiative from the Broadway League aimed at expanding access to Broadway touring performances for high school students nationwide. Building on the success of its New York City counterpart, this program provides discounted tickets to Equity productions at participating Broadway League member theatres. By collaborating with touring productions, these theatres offer affordable tickets to local high schools, making field trips to Broadway a reality. This initiative enriches students' arts education, promotes cultural equity, and cultivates a diverse future audience for live theatre.

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