Stories

Have a Theater Night at Home!

Tickets scanned, lights down, curtain up—we know the excitement, connection and pure magic that comes from seeing live theater with our families. As thrilled as we are to have reopened our doors to audiences this season, we understand that not everyone is able to return to the theater quite yet. We are so excited to offer New Victory On Demand for families to bring performances from around the world into their homes. Here are a few ways to bring a little bit of theater magic into your space and make your theater night at home a night to remember.

A colorful illustration of the New Victory Theater with a sign on top that says New Victory On Demand, with an image of Teaching Artist Lauren Sharpe and her family within a billboard and the words presents Theater Night at Home to the right.

Let’s see how New Victory Teaching Artist Lauren Sharpe and her family hosted a theater night at home with New Victory On Demand:

Set the stage—let’s make a theater night at home! Here are three fun activities to do with your family that might make your space feel a bit more like New Victory.

An image of a homemade theater ticket with the title Make and Take Tickets

Materials: Paper, something to write with, scissors, optional costume pieces

Step One: Cut your piece of paper into thick strips—make as many tickets as your family will need.

Step Two: Design your tickets! Usually tickets include the name of the show, the showtime, your seat number, a price and a barcode for scanning.

Step Three: Deliver the tickets to everyone in your family and decide where the entrance to the theater should be in your home. Then, head to the theater!

Step Four: Now it’s time for you to enter the theater! Ask someone in your family to play the role of an usher: they will greet you and scan your ticket at the door. Give them your tickets and welcome yourselves into the theater. You made it!

An image of Teaching Artist Lauren Sharpe seated at home with her family, eating concessions while watching New Victory On Demand

Materials: Your favorite snack!

Step One: Pick a favorite snack to munch on while you watch the show. Maybe even make a menu of snack options for everyone to choose from!

Step Two: Have someone play the role of the concessions manager: they will take your snack order. You could even create a cash register and exchange money.

Step Three: Everyone got their snacks? Anyone have to use the restroom? Great! Now it’s time to get to our seats before the show starts.

An image of a cat lounging across multiple theater-at-home seat cushions with text that says Take Your Seats

Materials: Somewhere to sit, somewhere to watch the show

Step One: Together, arrange your theater space so the seating resembles a theater. Maybe you create rows, or put seats super close together. Maybe you can even label your seats with seat numbers to match your tickets!

Step Two: Head to your seats!

Step Three: The show is about to begin. Can you:

  • Dim the lights?
  • Find a way to have the curtain rise?
  • Give a pre-show speech? What should we remind people of before the show starts?

Step Four: Enjoy the show!

We hope that you continue to make lasting theater memories from wherever you are! Check out our international season of digital exclusives—plus all the shows playing on the New Victory stage—with New Victory On Demand.