STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

The Liberty Theatre Company is extending a unique opportunity for theater lovers to purchase Pay-What You-Feel Passes as it opens the curtain on its 2024-25 season Friday.

Patrons can pay what they wish for season tickets good for the five upcoming productions through July 15. Or, they can purchase $1,500 Premium Season Passes for those wishing to support the company at a higher level.

The premium season passes will offer pass holders behind-the-scenes peeks, talks with artists, 10 guest passes for friends and family, a 15 percent discount for food and wine at Roots Wine Bar before or after each show and TLTC swag. $975 of the pass cost is tax-deductible.

Last year’s Pay-What-You-Feel Pass offer was so successful that overall audience attendance went up 212 percent from the previous season. Three of five productions sold out.

“The success of the Pay-What-You-Feel Season Passes last year was beyond our wildest dreams. I thought we might sell around 300--we sold over 600,” said TLTC’s Executive/Artistic Director Naomi McDougall Jones. “The idea was based on our company’s commitment to ‘radical access’ to live theater. I know from my own life--and this is backed by many studies--that getting to experience and attend live theatre on a regular basis has profoundly positive impacts on peoples’ lives. Through the Pay-What-You-Feel program, we are demonstrating our belief that any person from any background and any level of financial means should be able to have access to those positive impacts.”

What feels even better, she added, is knowing that high audience numbers for the theater company means TLTC is driving patrons to all the other local businesses in Hailey, serving as an economic booster for the town.

The Liberty Theatre Company lineup:

“Boeing, Boeing”—June 28-July 13

“Little Shop of Horrors”—Oct. 4-19

“Alice in Wonderland: A Live Radio Play”—Dec. 6-8

“A Doll’s House, Part 2” – Feb. 7-22

“24 Hour Theatre Festival”—April 6