Cyber Monday ticket deals in theater still exist in 2023 (see below) although they are harder to find now, in part because of Elon Musk’s relentless degradation of the social media platform where they were once most easily discovered.
But what of cyber theater – aka digital theater? Has it passed its moment? A new book, a recent interview, and a trio of (what used to be called?) Tweets, offer some observations.
“Post-COVID, the idea of digital theater seems superfluous. Who has the time or brain space? Yet many of us would love to be able to experience the best of Broadway and regional theater,” LA Times theater critic Charles McNulty writes after seeing the simulcast of the Broadway play “Jaja African Hair Braiding” from the comfort of his California home. He then interviews Oren Michels, co-founder of the League of Live Stream Theater, responsible for Jaja, who gives a ground-level view about the future of digital theater (excerpts below.)
Digital theater pioneer Jared Mezzocchi wrote three Tweets yesterday, which I’ll edit down to one comment: “Digital theater is about to re-emerge in smaller grants and simple opportunities in theaters. We mustn’t see this as less-than, but a beginning. The goal: inspire a new generation of theater makers. Digital is an ally to the in-person, and vice versa. It’s no longer a response to COVID, but a whole new way of thinking about audiences and the economics of theater.”
I just read the book “Fixing the Musical: How Technologies Shaped the Broadway Repertory,” by Doug Reside, the curator of the Billy Rose Theater Collection at the Library for the Performing Arts. As I point out in my review (linked below), my favorite chapter is the last one about digital theater; its placement in a book about the interrelationship between theater and the development of everything from the printing press and photography to audio recordings and home video, provides a thought-provoking perspective. As I write in the last paragraph of my review: “’Fixing the Musical’ is a clear-eyed if implicit dismantling of the myopic view of theater as an unchanging ancient art form that has defiantly survived despite competition from new-fangled lesser forms of entertainment. The book demonstrates instead how much theater has thrived (rather than just survived) because of (not despite) the way it has collaborated (not competed) with the evolving arts and tools of modern life.”
Top 10 Theater to be Grateful for in 2023
(Both “Jaja” and “Between Riverside and Crazy” are on this list in large part because of their simulcasts.)
The Week in New York Theater Reviews
Amid Falling Walls
a simultaneously delightful and devastating musical revue by the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, composed of songs and poems created by Jews during the Holocaust.
The Gardens of Anuncia
Graciela Daniele, a Broadway luminary for six decades, directs this lovely and peculiar musical written by her good friend Michael John LaChiusa, who uses Daniele’s life as the inspiration for a story about the family of strong women who nurtured her..in the Argentina of the 1940s and 50s… It’s more than just fanciful to view “The Gardens of Anuncia” as the opposite of the Andrew Lloyd Musical, “Evita,” and not just because it offers a different perspective on the Perón regime. It’s a deliberately modest musical in many ways
Book Review: Fixing the Musical: How Technologies Shaped the Broadway Repertory
Theater may be an ephemeral experience on stage, but the ways we have presented and attempted to preserve American musicals everywhere else – the printed page, photographs, the cast album, film, video, online — have helped determine what the public wants to see on stage.
This argument explains the title of Doug Reside’s new book…
The Week in New York Theater News
Cyber Monday theater deals
TodayTix Cyber Sale (through 12/3) – Up to 60 percent off
Use code Cyber25 for Chicago, Lempicka and MJ
Goldstar Cyber Sale – up to 60 percent off.
“How to Dance in Ohio”: Now through Tuesday, at 9:59 a.m., buy one ticket and get the second for only $30 for performances after December 10! No code necessary. Offer applied at checkout.
St Ann’s Warehouse: 25 percent off with Code Cyber25
54 Below: From now until 11:59PM use code CYBER54 to save 40% on tickets to over 100 of our shows from January-March.
Keen Theater – two for one tickets with code TRKEARLY
Playbill Store: 20 percent off storewide: Enter Code CB23 on checkout
Also check out my guide: Holiday Gifts for Theater Lovers 2023
Grammy Award-winning artist Ani DiFranco will make her Broadway debut as Persephone in “Hadestown” beginning Feb. 9, the role for which Amber Gray was nominated for a Tony. This is the first role for DiFranco on Broadway, but not her first connection with Hadestown or Persphone. DiFranco (above with Hadestown composer Anais Mitchell) released the original studio album of Hadestown on her record label Righteous Babe Records, and she sang the role of ‘Persephone’ on the album.
(See video below of Jordan Fisher performing in Hadestown.)The Entertainment Community Fund and Playwrights Horizons announced that New York City playwright, Dustin H. Chinn, is the 2023 recipient of The Mark O’Donnell Prize, an annual prize presented to an emerging theater artist in recognition of their talent and promise.
The future of livestream theater is getting brighter (LA Times)
LA Times critic Chris McNulty interviews Oren Michels, co-founder of the League of Live Stream Theater (excerpt below)
How many livestream offerings can we expect moving forward?
We have another 10 to 12 productions either under contract or verbally confirmed for the next year but expect that there will be more.
What are the factors limiting growth? Union contracts? Legal obstacles? Cost?
On the nonprofit side, every production has different reasons. In some cases, rights holders won’t authorize streaming. In others, there are cast members or others on the creative team who won’t authorize it. And in others there are definitely financial considerations. On the for-profit side, the substantial up-front payment needed to capture and stream makes it too economically risky for most shows.
What are the incentives for Broadway producers to participate?
Certainly it starts with bringing in audience members who would otherwise not be able to see the show — and generating revenue. But it also builds awareness of the show for touring and other productions (for commercial producers) and awareness of the company and the rest of its productions (for nonprofits). It also keeps people connected to Broadway when they aren’t in New York — 70% of our audience streams from at least 50 miles away. Many of those people will also come to New York to see other Broadway shows.
Is the audience growing or declining?
Audience is definitely growing. Each show we do our overall list gets larger, and we have thousands of repeat viewers.
The Week’s Theater Videos
Broadway at Thanksgiving
For full musical numbers at the Parade from “Shucked,” “& Juliet,” “How to Dance in Ohio” and “Spamalot,” click here
