CENTERSTAGE Among U.S. Theaters Offering Discounts To Military Families

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A program to offer free and discounted theater tickets, classes and other services for veterans and military families is expanding to 85 theaters in 33 states.

Blue Star Theatres launched in late 2012 and builds on the similar Blue Star Museums effort that offers military families free admission to hundreds of museums.

The theater organization Theatre Communications Group announced the expansion Thursday at Washington's Arena Stage with the military families network Blue Star Families and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Washington's theaters also include Ford's Theatre, Folger Theatre, Woolly Mammoth and Studio Theatre.

In Maryland, the program includes Baltimore's CENTERSTAGE, Silver Spring's Round House Theatre and Ellicott City's Chesapeake Shakespeare Co. In Virginia, it includes Arlington's Signature Theatre, Richmond's Firehouse Theatre Project and Norfolk's Virginia Stage Co.

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