NORWICH - The Norwich Theater Company, Inc. (NTCI) has launched their new "Arts for All" program, which provides free tickets to their productions for low-income individuals.

Families who are below the poverty level qualify for up to two free adult tickets. To receive the free tickets individuals must bring proof of low income, such as a New York State benefits card, to the NTCI office in the Chenango Arts Council, Suite 103, located at 27 West Main Street in Norwich.

50 free tickets will be available for each show, for a total of 150 tickets given out.

NTCI Vice President and Grants Committee Chair Donna Given, who spearheaded the program, will be available from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, July 21 from 6 to 8 p.m., and from 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, July 23 to verify eligibility.

"The theater company has started a new program called Arts for All, which we were able to get grant funds for, because we recognize there are people who can’t afford tickets to our shows," said Given.

"I looked up like the poverty rate in Chenango County and what our normal attendance is, figured out how many people it would be if we’re giving away tickets, and wrote up a proposal for it," she continued. "We want to get right on this and start giving out our tickets."

She said this program will be available for the rest of their shows scheduled for this year, including "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" in October and a Christmas-themed performance in December.

Their hope is to secure more funding to continue this program in future performance seasons.

The program will be kicking off with NTCI's upcoming production of "Nunsense: The Mega Musical" at 7 p.m. on Friday, July 25 and at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 26 and Sunday, July 27 in the Martin W. Kappel Theater in the Chenango Arts Council. The performances mark the first time NTCI is trying out having an evening performance on Friday and matinee performances on both Saturday and Sunday.

"Nunsense" Director and NTCI Board Treasurer Terry Colf said the musical features a group of nuns who are attempting to fundraise by putting on a variety show.

"We’ve got a bunch of nuns that are putting on a variety show, and interacting with the audience to raise money to bury some of their unfortunately deceased sisters," said Colf.

"It’s a little different in that the nuns interact with the audience. That’s the way it opens, and the second act starts the same way. A little different, they’re telling jokes here and there among the audience until they’re called up [to the stage]," he added. "Then there is an interactive quiz once they’ve told the story of how they became the nuns that they are. So the person that is conducting the quiz comes out into the audience and interacts with people directly and hands them a prize. So it’s kind of cool."

Colf said the cast consists of both returning performers in NTCI productions, as well as some new talent.

"Every time we do a show, we get new and different people. They sound marvelous. They sound heavenly," he said. "So we’ve found some new talent and we welcome that. I’m a big proponent of community theater, and it just opens up so many opportunities for people."

Tickets to the show are $20 for adults and $10 for students aged 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased online at NorwichTheaterCompany.org.

The Arts for All program was made possible by seed money provided by Auchinachie Cares and grant funding from the Greater Norwich Foundation.

For more information on the Norwich Theater Company, visit NorwichTheaterCompany.org or the Norwich Theater Company, Inc. Facebook page.