Non-profit corporation assisting the theatre industry in New York City
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The Theatre Development Fund (TDF) is a not-for-profit performing arts service organization in New York City. Created in 1968 to help an ailing New York theatre industry, TDF has grown into the nation's largest performing arts nonprofit, providing support to more than 900 plays and musicals and returning upwards of $1.5 billion in revenue to thousands of Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway music and dance productions.[1]
TDF accomplishes their mission through several programs. The TKTS Booth in Times Square is the most visible of all programs.[1] TDF has several programs that helps strengthen their mission including TDF Accessibility Program (TAP), Education Programs, Ticketing Programs and The Costume Collection.
As of August 2023, TDF is led by Executive Director Deeksha Gaur and Managing Director Michael Naumann.[2]
History
The TDF was founded in 1968 in order to originally provide assistance to Broadway productions that were viewed as not likely to survive without some financial assistance, but would likely have some significant cultural impact. This came in the wake of productions on Broadway seemingly becoming more and more formulaic. The original goal of the organization was thus to buy up tickets of those plays and give them away for free. The organization first bought 1,112 seats to The Great White Hope and gave them away to students for free using grant money from the Rockefeller Foundation.[3][4][5] After this first initiative was successful, the TDF set up the TKTS booth in Duffy Square in 1972 that sold tickets to shows at discounted prices, which turned out to be a more effective way of subsidizing the plays.[6] In its early form, the organization received some criticism because it used federal funds to bailout the commerical theater industry, and that it undermined the nature of the competition in the market.[7]
Starting in 1972, the TDF began subsidizing Off-off-Broadway productions by offering vouchers[8] to people that would be typically unlikely to see them, such as teachers and retired persons. At the time, the vouchers would cost 80 cents for the consumers and would entitle the playhouse to $2.50. In 1974, the fund sold over 40,000 vouchers and estimated that 300,000 people were supported by the program, which resulted in recoginition from industry groups of the program.[9] The TDF continues to offer Off-off-Broadway vouchers, but in a different format.[10]
In 1979, the TDF created the TDF Accesibility Program (TAP), which offers services to theatergoers with disabilities.[8] The first service that was provided to deaf people was a live ASL translation of the performance of The Elephant Man in 1980.[11] Since the implementation of the Americans with Disabilites Act it has expanded its programs for the disabled by assisting theatres in their compliance of the law. This includes offering open captioning, discounted seats that are closer to the stage, as well as live description of the performance (introduced in 2008) to the deaf and blind respectively.[12][13][14] In 2011, the program also started providing services to adults and children on the autistic spectum by providing autism friendly sources.[15]
In 1995, the TDF began to offer theatrical educational programs and opportunities in the community.[8] They offer an introduction class for theatre called "Introduction to Theatre", which is offered to about 10,000 high school students in New York City. Students receive eight workshops provided by TDF and are offered a trip to see a Broadway or Off-Broadway production.[16] In 1997, TDF introduced the Wendy Wasserstein/Open Doors program, which provides select students interested in theatre the chance to see a variety of plays over the course of a year with "accomplished theatre professionals" and discuss them afterwards.[17][18]
Educational Programs
Young Playwrights (YP)
Young Playwrights is a year-long collaboration between TDF and schools. Together we explore live performance as students craft original works that are shared as staged readings Off-Broadway. Young Playwrights currently serves 700 students in New York City high schools. This has spawned two other Young Playwright programs at TDF:
TDF Young Playwrights’ Group is a year-long after-school play writing workshop for high school students who have been a part of the residency or summer programs. The group meets weekly to write, see and experience play writing. Their work is showcased each June with professional actors in an Off Broadway theatre. Members of the group see a show every month, work with guest artists, and write original plays that are showcased throughout the year by professional actors.
TDF Young Playwrights’ Summer program is a two-week play writing intensive that is open to tri-state area high school students. We welcome those with a curiosity about play writing to apply.
Introduction to Dance
Introduction to Dance gives students the opportunity to see live dance and attend workshops led by teaching artists who are professional dancers and choreographers. Each school year the students see performances by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Paul Taylor Dance Company, and American Ballet Theatre.
Ticketing Programs
TDF's discount ticket services make theatre, music and dance affordable and accessible to more than two million people each year.
TKTS Times Square
TKTS Discount Booths
TKTS Discount Booths offer tickets to Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals and plays at discounts up to 50% off full price tickets. Since the opening of the original Times Square TKTS Booth on June 25, 1973,[19] over 51 million tickets have been sold, representing $1.38 billion returned to thousands of theatre, dance and music productions. TDF opened its new TKTS booth in the revitalized Duffy Square. TDF operates a satellite TKTS booth at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in the David Rubenstein Atrium.[20]
TDF Membership Program
Launched in 1971,[21]TDF Membership Program maintains a growing list of more than 80,000 qualified theatre lovers who enjoy discounts of up to 70% on admissions to hundreds of Broadway, Off-Broadway, music and dance productions each year. To qualify for TDF membership, members must belong to one of the following groups: full-time students, full-time teachers, union members, retirees, civil service employees, staff members of not-for-profit organizations, performing arts professionals, and members of the armed forces or clergy. In the 2007-2008 season, TDF membership performance admissions reached over 530,000 annually and returned over $13 million to New York City productions.
Theatre and Dance Subsidy programs
TDF Theatre and Dance Subsidy programs are central to TDF's mission, as they marry the goals of supporting productions of merit and bringing audiences to the theatre that might not otherwise be able to attend. The Theatre Subsidy program has subsidized over 900 productions since 1968, including 30 plays that went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for drama. Last season, admissions to subsidy productions reached 63,997 for theatre and 20,217 for dance. Over $2.5 million was returned to theatre productions and $663,000 to dance productions.
Costume Collection
TDF Costume Collection
In 1974, the TDF Costume Collection opens, renting costumes to nonprofit and commercial productions.[22] TDF Costume Collection houses over 65,000 costumes and accessories providing professionally designed costumes to not-for-profit organizations at affordable prices. Their reasonable prices not only allow emerging companies to mount more professional-looking shows, they also help theatres to produce a greater number of new works by keeping production costs down. Last season, TDF's costume collection served 440 performing arts companies in 29 states—colleges and universities, middle and high schools, and community and charitable groups—who mounted 848 productions with low-cost costume rentals from the TDF Costume Collection.
Irene Sharaff/Robert L.B. Tobin Awards
TDF's Irene Sharaff/Robert L.B. Tobin Awards were founded in 1993 to pay tribute to the art of costume design.[23] Since then, the annual award presentation has become an occasion for the costume design community to come together to honor its own. TDF's Irene Sharaff/Robert L.B. Tobin Awards honor excellence by presenting five awards: Lifetime Achievement Award, Artisan Award, Young Master Award, Posthumous Award and the Robert L.B. Tobin Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theatrical Design.
