Have you ever wondered how Jason Isaacs developed the voice of his character Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter films? Or why the Harry Potter story continues to resonate with audiences, according to Ginny Weasley actor Bonnie Wright?
Luckily for Audience Rewards members, they learned the answers at two postshow Q&As April 30 and May 1 when the Harry Potter film stars took the stage with cast members from Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Magic was undoubtedly in the air at Broadway’s Lyric Theatre as all of the actors shared their thoughts and insights about the Wizarding World.
That’s only one recent example of the thrilling perks that come with being an Audience Rewards member.
At first, Broadway’s Official Rewards Program may sound too easy and good to be true. You buy theater tickets online; you earn ShowPoints for buying tickets; then you spend those ShowPoints on experiences, merchandise, and even more theater tickets. Oh, and it’s free to join and use.
Owned and operated by major theatre owners Nederlander, Shubert, and ATG, Audience Rewards began in 2008 with the simple idea to reward the frequent theatergoer. While the premise remains the same nearly two decades later, they’ve expanded the range of their dream-come-true benefits that are designed especially for Broadway fans.
Say you want to see a popular show, like Stranger Things: The First Shadow, starring Tony Award nominee and television actor Louis McCartney, but it’s sold out. You can redeem your ShowPoints to receive a discount on amazing seats at one of the hottest tickets in town.
Or maybe your home features a wall covered in Broadway paraphernalia? Then you’d want to check out all of the signed Playbills you can buy or bid on with your ShowPoints.
And if you love attending Broadway events, good news! There is seemingly an event for everyone. If you are a foodie, you’d have loved the Eat-and-Greet event that the late Gavin Creel hosted, the pie-baking class with Waitress, or the virtual cooking class with Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations cast member Jawan M. Jackson.
For those who love music and all that jazz, you could paint the town, with events like the launch party of Tony-nominated Best Musical Dead Outlaw before it opened on Broadway, or the cast-album listening party of Smash. There’s no question that the Broadway dance master class with & Juliet would have been perfect for those who love to hear the beat of dancin’ feet on 42nd Street.
If you’d want something more intimate but just as memorable, you could check out Audience Rewards’ offerings for postshow meet-and-greets with Broadway casts.
With each experience and opportunity, the loyalty program wants to engage with theater fans and give them a full 360-degree experience by parting the curtain and giving a behind-the-scenes glimpse into Broadway.
It may feel similar to an airline’s frequent-flier program, and just like those, Audience Rewards allows members to level up from an increase in usage. While the standard level allows members to earn two ShowPoints per every dollar spent, the VIP tier offers three ShowPoints per every dollar spent, plus other special rewards, like larger discounts, double bonus days, and access to insider events. In order to become a VIP, members must earn 10,000 ShowPoints in 365 days.
Audience Rewards is also the Tony Awards’s official partner for The Tony Awards Challenge. In order to participate, theatergoers fill out a ballot to predict the winners of all 26 categories presented at the Tony Awards. The grand prize is the “Broadway Dream Package,” which includes tickets for two to five Broadway shows, airfare, a stay at Sofitel New York, a visit to the Museum of Broadway, and a Sardi’s gift card. But even if you don’t win it all, you still get 500 ShowPoints just for filling out the ballot.
As for the spellbinding Harry Potter Q&As, attendees certainly got the deeper engagement with actors that Audience Rewards loves to provide their members.
Isaacs revealed that his Malfoy voice was a combination of a wannabe-posh art critic on the radio and a drama school teacher who bullied him. The real-time demonstration of each voice captivated the audience, and offered a glimpse into how Isaacs shaped his character “to drip with entitlement, privilege, and arrogance.”
For Wright, she shared how much she loves hearing stories about fans’ relationship to the story, and explained why it continues to be relevant.
“When I think about the story [today], I feel for Harry … [and] this idea of him being Othered,” she said. “I think we’re living in a time with a lot of Othering, which is just not something that I believe in … For Harry, he has been loved conditionally by the Dursleys, but the Weasleys and the friends he meets love him unconditionally. To me, that’s really important in the story.”
Theater has always been a place to experience new stories, practice radical empathy, and enjoy breathtaking artistry. With Audience Rewards, there are even more opportunities to do so. Check out the website for more information.