The Lyric Theatre on King Street in Hammersmith is celebrating three decades of providing locals with over 60,000 free tickets.
The Free First Night scheme, funded by Hammersmith & Fulham Council, was introduced in 1994 and has run ever since. It offers people who live or work locally within Hammersmith & Fulham two free tickets to the first preview of all Main House productions at the theatre. Every Christmas, they can also claim four tickets to the annual pantomime as well.
The tickets, given away through a ballot, make sure the theatre is accessible to everyone in the local community.
Amy Belson, Executive Director and joint CEO of the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, said:
The people of Hammersmith & Fulham are at the heart of everything we do at the Lyric. They are the first to see every Main House show and have been part of this creative process for 30 years.
[We] are grateful to Hammersmith & Fulham Council for their continued support of this incredible scheme that has given so many people the chance to experience the excitement of a first night in the theatre for free.”
Ballot now open
The latest ballot has just opened, for the production of A Raisin in the Sun, and you can apply here.
A Raisin in the Sun runs from 8 October until 2 November. Described as "a play that changed American theatre forever” by The New York Times, it is a drama full of humour and heart that follows the ups and downs of a family living on Chicago’s South Side.
The Lyric Theatre can be found in Lyric Square, on King Street in Hammersmith. Find their full programme of productions and events here.
