The Bridge: Out of Hand Theater

The Bridge: Building Toward re(New)ed Theatre Audiences is a new special series hosted by AT Offscript. Produced with support from the Wallace Foundation, the series debuted on March 6, 2026, exploring how theatres are innovating to engage and sustain audiences amid the shifting realities of the field.  Amid the “polycrises” of the present moment, TCG’s most recent Theatre Facts report revealed an unexpected ray of hope: In contrast to pandemic-driven declines in overall attendance and ticket revenue, subscriptions and other loyalty models have shown renewed resilience. The Bridge will take listeners inside theatres that are bucking the decades-long trend of subscription decline, offering both visionary questions and practical strategies for audience engagement. Our sixth episode features Corinna Schulenburg, Co-Lead of TCG's Research Programs, in conversation with Ariel Fristoe, founder and artistic director of Out of Hand Theater. From their website: "Out of Hand works at the intersection of art, social impact, and civic engagement. We help create a more just world through programs that combine theater and film with information and conversation." The Bridge is supported by the Wallace Foundation, and grounded in their research report, "In Search of the Magic Bullet: Results from the Building Audiences for Sustainability Initiative."