Detroit's recent "Family Night at the Theatre" event to see "The Wiz" at the Fisher Theatre not only brought a storm of nostalgia for Broadway enthusiasts but also cash registers chiming melodically to the tune of record-breaking sales. We're talking the highest sales to City of Detroit residents for a Broadway show at the Fisher in over two decades. Indeed, Detroit ACE's partnership with the Fisher Theatre to offer discounted tickets has proven to be a masterstroke in rekindling the city's love affair with the performing arts.
The initiative, which featured a range of pre-show activities for kids, including a free ice cream pop-up and craft-making with Arts & Scraps, was more than just a sweet deal. "What a fantastic night that was," City Director of Arts and Culture Rochelle Riley told the City of Detroit website. "I want all children to grow up loving theatre, attending theatre shows and having a ball with their family." And if the recent success is anything to go by, it seems the city's youth are well on their way to firmly holding on to culture's hand.
Hot on the heels of this success, Detroit ACE is now gearing up to roll out the red carpet for families again with "Kids Night on Broadway" for the "Beauty and the Beast" performance on October 1. As per usual, parents snag half-price tickets by punching in a special code, a move that is as much savvy marketing as it is community building. The ACE table, a now familiar fixture, will welcome young Picasso wannabes to contribute to another community mural, while Good Cakes and Bakes will ensure the sweet tooth is not neglected.
It's clear that ACE's overarching mission is to encourage Detroiters to actively rediscover and support iconic venues—not just the Fisher, but the full gamut of cultural gems like the DIA, Detroit Opera House, and Orchestra Hall. As Rochelle Riley highlighted, per the City of Detroit, "We have some of the best venues in America in the Fisher Theatre, the DIA, the Detroit Opera and Orchestra Hall, as well as our legacy theatres like the Detroit Repertory Theatre and the Detroit Public Theatre. I hope everyone will spend more family time at all of these treasures." Indeed, Detroit's arts scene seems to be singing a powerful refrain, one that calls not just to its storied past but also to a future where it continues to beautifully shine.
