UPDATED: The National Endowment for the Arts launched its Blue Star program with museums two years ago — a nationwide effort among 1,800 museums that offer free admission for active duty military personnel and their families.

Now it’s the theaters’ turn. Two dozen theaters — some of the leading resident companies across the country, including the American Repertory in Boston, the Seattle Rep, the McCarter Theatre in New Jersey and the Dallas Theater Center — will offer free and discounted tickets for plays, classes and other services to veterans and military families. The Dallas company is the only one in Texas, and it will be offering a 15 percent discount on tickets for preview performances and all educational programs.

The Associated Press reports that the Blue Star Theatre program will be launched at the Trinity Repertory Company in Providence on Friday by National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Rocco Landesman, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, Maj. Gen. Kevin McBride of the Rhode Island National Guard and others, Reed’s office announced Thursday.

By coincidence, there are a number of DTC actors and artistic director Kevin Moriarty at the Trinity Rep, working on the Trinity-DTC co-production of King Lear.