But Lyric wants to expand its audience. The company has teamed up with area nonprofits to distribute free tickets to people who may not be able to afford to buy them. Lyric for All launches this fall, when the theater company expects to give away between 200 and 300 tickets to its November show, Elf: The Musical, executive director Andrew Britt said.
Some Lyric for All participants may never have seen live theater before, Britt said. So along with free admission, they’ll have opportunities to learn about theater, such as tours of the creative spaces at Lyric’s South Burlington headquarters and workshops that explain costuming, poster design and scene staging. “Receiving a free ticket doesn’t necessarily mean that they will find a connection and develop a sense of belonging in the theater or in an arts organization,” Britt said, “so we’re hoping that these engagement experiences offer a more impactful and meaningful experience.”
Funded by grants and donations, Lyric for All has collected more than $50,000 so far, Britt said. Girls Nite Out Productions pledged the seed money. The nonprofit Burlington theater company is folding after 15 years and donating its remaining funds, along with additional money it is raising, to Lyric for All. Its estimated $30,000 to $40,000 gift will include proceeds from its finale, Farewell to GNOP: Celebrating the Magic We Made, playing on October 29 and 30 at Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center.
“Lyric is a very, very important theater community,” said Jennifer Warwick, who cofounded Girls Nite Out Productions with Janet Stambolian. She and Stambolian met at Lyric, and Warwick currently serves on its board of directors. “We decided that it would be a wonderful legacy for Girls Nite Out … to fund accessibility for people to see Lyric shows,” she said.
“I’m so grateful to them,” Britt said. “Even as their company closes down, their passion and their work can continue in another way.”
Other sizable contributions have come from Northfield Savings Bank, which bought 100 Elf tickets for distribution, and the Vermont Community Foundation, which awarded a $12,000 grant to support Lyric for All outreach and its engagement programs.
Lyric strives to keep ticket prices affordable, Britt said. It offers 200 seats at every performance for $25 and nearly 400 for $39. Premium seats sell for $55 and $65. Lyric for All seats will be dispersed throughout the theater, he said. Tickets will be distributed by the nonprofit organizations.
Lund and Mercy Connections are two of six potential partners Lyric for All has approached so far. Lund president and CEO Liz Gamache said she is grateful that her child and family support service organization is included. “For many people, going to a live performance is out of reach,” she said. “We’re really happy to make it more accessible and also just to highlight how important it is to have an opportunity to have fun, joy, inspiration.”
Britt said he hopes to establish a reserve of funds and grow the program to include more nonprofits. At this point, Lyric won’t need to add performances to accommodate the additional theatergoers provided by Lyric for All, he added. “May we be so lucky that that ends up happening.” ➆
This article appears in Performing Arts Preview • 2026.
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