MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Partners With Harriet Tubman Effect

Over the past year, Harriet Tubman Effect (HTE) has partnered with 15 shows in New York to support families and individuals in attaining affordable Broadway and off-Broadway experiences. In partnership with leaders Gavin Creel, Josh Groban, and Sara Bareilles HTE's initiative LanternTix supported 10,500 guests in 2023 and will now step into another partnership with Merrily We Roll Along on Broadway.

To date, HTE's Lantern Fund has raised over $30,000 to underwrite ticket experiences and has partnered with over 15 shows including Sweeney Todd, Fat Ham, Into the Woods, Gavin Creel's Walk on Through, Kimberly Akimbo, Leopoldstadt, as well as shows at MCC and New York City Center.

In 2021, HTE founder Nicole Johnson served as DEI Director on the revival of Into the Woods where she offered company members access to resources in order to activate social give-back and accessibility initiatives during the run. A partnership with producers led to the creation of a strategic ticketing initiative that welcomed students and community members on opening night and selected performances thereafter. Following the success with Into the Woods, Nicole and HTE initiated a call-to-action for other Broadway shows to build intentional partnerships with community-based organizations, thus LanternTix was born. LanternTix is a strategic ticketing initiative that lights pathways for community groups to attend theater. The work prioritizes sustainability, equity, and care by removing barriers to create spaces of joy and belonging. LanternTix fosters relationships with productions to provide access to free or discounted tickets to Harriet Tubman Effect-approved communities and individuals, including older adults, students, justice organization leaders, veterans, teachers, and BIPOC individuals.

HTE enters into 2024 having just finished a partnership with Gavin Creel's Walk on Through that welcomed LanternTix guests at every show and served as a template that will be repeated at MCC Theater all season. LanternTix focuses on sustainability and Company Manager Brittany Weber is a beautiful embodiment of HTE's values. Brittany is a creative problem solver who initially worked with HTE on Leopoldstadt, where she helped create new pathways like the application of current ticketing software in conjunction with LanternTix. LanternTix deeply believes in creating a process that connects our community members to the industry at large. Brittany has helped HTE center the community member's experience ensuring that they receive digital tickets, pre and post-show emails, and local discounts from show partners. "The willingness and forward thinking of leaders like Brittany offers our communities access to the Broadway ticket buying experience. Our communities feel seen and motivated to engage with new shows and are gradually becoming Broadway regulars," says LanternTix Program Manager Joe Hetterly. With the support of Producers, Sonia Friedman, David Babani, and Patrick Catullo, as well as the General Managers, TT Partners, Brittany has worked with LanternTix to help bring a new generation of theatergoers to the spectacular Sondheim revival Merrily We Roll Along. Having strategic partners like Brittany along with other key producers and general managers has been essential.

LanternTix is one of five major initiatives under Harriet Tubman Effect's Lantern Fund. The Lantern Fund is an initiative that allows community members to reallocate their resources and wealth to support the prosperity of historically marginalized community groups, leaders and professionals in theater. Fiscally sponsored by Producers Hub, the Lantern Fund now houses LanternTix, Lantern Library, Lantern Guide, Lantern Coaching and Lantern Orgs. Leaders of all backgrounds can reallocate their time, health, financial or social wealth to the Lantern Fund to be redistributed to POC and marginalized communities during their first bi-annual reparations season. Learn more and donate to Lantern Fund