Overview

YATI’s core program is the Young Adult Theatre Membership, offering reduced-price and free access to a curated selection of plays presented by different local theaters, all linked by their relevance to Young Adult audiences. 

The Plays

YATI selects at least six and as many as twelve plays with appeal for young adults from local theaters’ seasons each year, drawing on knowledge of the Bay Area theatre community, the current American theatre canon, and the national new play development scene. This will include theaters of various sizes, with priority placed on theaters that produce excellent work and that can be reached via public transportation. Plays might include a world premiere that a theater has developed with a local or national playwright, a classic like Romeo & Juliet, or a recent New York hit, all featuring characters and stories that speak authentically to young adults.

Memberships

YATI makes theatergoing effortless and affordable. A free membership option gives young adults immediate access to all plays in the series, along with reminders, perks, and easy ticket booking. Paid tiers for those who can afford it help sustain the program.

Memberships are not tied to a season; they continue until the member reaches age 30.

Tickets

Members can book tickets in advance to the selected plays on dates of their choosing through YATI’s website, or have the option of just showing up for a performance and claiming a ticket at the theater’s box office (subject to availability).

Tickets claimed at the performance will be free for members. Advance tickets will cost five dollars, as a way to discourage nonattendance on booked tickets.

YATI will enter into a partnership with each theater, purchasing tickets in the members’ names for advance sales and reimbursing for in-person tickets, generally at $10 per ticket (which is often theaters’ price point for high school students). Various Bay Area artistic directors have already expressed interest in partnering; one even offered the tickets to YATI at no charge.

Marketing

Marketing to young adults requires different strategies than marketing to traditional theatregoers, and most professional theaters do not have the capacity to develop or sustain those strategies. YATI will fill that gap, developing and implementing strategies and best practices for marketing theatre to young adults. 

With input from young adults on the staff and advisory council, YATI will market the selected plays directly, expanding the reach of each theater’s marketing efforts with both traditional methods (such as targeted advertising and physical brochures) and more innovative and intensive strategies.

• Community Assessment
  YATI’s preparation phase will include surveys and focus groups with young adults, to begin developing these strategies. YATI will seek to partner with national organizations already performing this sort of research, to share best practices and to publicize results.
  
• Partner Organizations
  YATI will build relationships with schools, universities, clubs, and other organizations serving young adults; potential participants are much more likely to engage when the invitation comes from a familiar source. Building these relationships requires exactly the kind of sustained time and effort that most theaters do not have the capacity to expend on young adult audiences.
  
• Corporate Partnerships
  YATI will partner with companies employing large numbers of young adults, offering memberships and group events as a workplace benefit.
  
• Social Events
  YATI will create events for members in conjunction with the plays, such as pre- or post-show receptions, to further foster community-building.
  
• Social Media
  YATI will maintain a robust social media presence, reaching young adults where they are already devoting their attention. When possible, YATI will partner with social media influencers.
  
• Networking
  Crucially, YATI members don’t just attend plays—they become part of a peer network. With rewards for bringing friends and spreading the word, YATI turns young audiences into ambassadors. This peer-to- peer model ensures YATI reaches young people where they live and connect.