Mission

The Young Adult Theatre Initiative makes theatregoing an integral part of young adult culture in the United States, fostering real-world community and cultivating the next generation of theatregoers.

Values

• Authenticity:
  stories and characters that reflect young people’s lives with accuracy, empathy, and respect.

• Physical Presence:
  in-person experiences as a balance to time spent on screens.

• Professionalism:
  giving artists, staff, and collaborators the resources and trust they need to do their best work.
  
  
• Inclusion:
  ensuring that all programs are accessible and welcoming for all potential participants.

Overview

The Young Adult Theatre Initiative develops, champions, and implements strategies for theaters to reach new audiences of young adults. 

Young people today spend more time on screens than any previous generation, and research shows they are lonelier, more isolated, and more in need of in-person community than ever. At the same time, most professional theaters struggle to connect with audiences under thirty. The Young Adult Theatre Initiative bridges that divide, bringing new energy to theaters while offering young people authentic, in-person experiences.

Through a membership program, YATI will make it easy for young adults to discover and attend relevant productions at professional theaters. Through a new play commissioning program, YATI will develop and eventually coproduce top-quality new plays from nationally-known playwrights that appeal to young adults and traditional theatergoers alike. 

While “Young Adult” fiction is thriving, very few theaters have consistent programming for young adults (Steppenwolf For Young Adults is one notable exception). Theaters for “Young Audiences” focus on children, and typical theaters depend on older audiences to subscribe and make donations. YATI’s model appears to be a novel approach to a longstanding problem.

By inspiring and enabling theaters to tell authentic and meaningful stories for young adults, and by inspiring and enabling young adults to discover and attend relevant plays, the Young Adult Theatre Initiative will spark a cultural shift that will benefit young adults, theaters, and our entire community.

Business Plan