LOS ANGELES, CA -- Center Theatre Group's audience outreach programs are the recipient of a two-year, $1,000,000 grant from American Express to support multi-venue, non-traditional audience outreach programs designed to increase subscribership to both the Mark Taper Forum and Ahmanson Theatre.

These funds will support and expand CTG's special programs: Passport, Blockbuster and Play- Lovers Series. Each includes opportunities for audiences to participate in a variety of events, including special pre-show dinners, receptions and discussions--all designed to enhance the theatregoing experience.

"Created in response to the specific tastes and different schedules of our audiences, these special subscription programs offer theatregoers affordability with flexibility," said CTG managing director Charles Dillingham. "These programs allow patrons to see their choice of all productions at both the Taper and the Ahmanson."

The Blockbuster Series is intended for those who are most interested in plays and musicals in the Broadway tradition. Inaugurated in 1998, the first series offered the L.A. premieres of Titanic, Cinderella and Fosse at the Ahmanson and Art at the Taper.

The Play-Lovers Series is for people who prefer dramatic non-musical productions, from timeless classics to cutting-edge premieres. This series helped boost Taper subscriptions by more than 25 percent to a total of nearly 26,000. Founded in 1995, the Passport Program offers 50 percent discounts for up to two tickets to productions at both the Ahmanson and Taper for a seasonal $100 membership fee. The Passport offers patrons complete flexibility of which productions and performances they wish to attend, as well as access to tickets in any seating location before they go on sale to the general public.

The American Express philanthropic program awards grants to non-profit organizations on behalf of the American Express Company and its subsidiaries.

-- By Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent