Backstage: NYC and London-based Supervision Media and New York's Broadway Worldwide have signed an exclusive multi-year licensing arrangement to bring four hit Broadway musicals to cinema screens across the globe. The deal covers the 2010 Tony Award winning Best Musical "Memphis," currently playing on Broadway, the recorded live-in-performance Direct From Broadway, "Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical" starring David Hasselhoff.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Broadway Shows to Play in Movie Theaters
Backstage: NYC and London-based Supervision Media and New York's Broadway Worldwide have signed an exclusive multi-year licensing arrangement to bring four hit Broadway musicals to cinema screens across the globe. The deal covers the 2010 Tony Award winning Best Musical "Memphis," currently playing on Broadway, the recorded live-in-performance Direct From Broadway, "Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical" starring David Hasselhoff.
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20 comments:
This is a wonderful way to see Broadway shows for cheap. While the setting may detracts from the true theatrical experience, it can be a fun and relaxing way to see shows. I highly recommend to everyone that you keep an eye out for these shows. Some theaters also show Operas, so there are a variety of productions to see. Yes, there are many shows that travel through Pittsburgh, but this another great opportunity.
I can't make up my mind as to whether or not this is a good or bad idea. The benefits to all of these shows going into theaters is the fact that, yes, they will be cheaper. There will be a broader audience that can enjoy these musicals. For some, it is easier sitting in a movie theater and maybe others that never considered seeing a play. THis in a way forces them to at least see the previews and have the option of watching these musicals. It can also take the best moments and acts on the stage and continue to play an outstanding performance.
On the other hand... there is the feeling that one gets from actually being there and experiencing the show for all it is worth. Even if it is the little mistakes or the energy from the audience in the theater. I also think that there is a special quality that the theater will be lost in a theater. Theater is regarded as something special that one is only so lucky to go and see. It is something out of the ordinary, almost a little exclusive and important. Maybe these feelings happen because it is live and right in your face. The movies might turn the theater into something average and make the theater loose its meaning and significance. Maybe it won't.
After all of this, I'm still on the fence about it but that's just what I think.
This idea is a very interesting one. It is particularly interesting to me coming from the west coast where visiting New York and Broadway is a majorly time consuming, expensive, and thus rare endeavor. For this reason, I personally have never had the chance to visit New York and have always felt rather cut off from the heart of the American theatre world that is Broadway. Though it may not give the full live theatre experience, sharing Broadway performances with the rest of the country via film will help people who cannot easily visit New York still feel involved in its theatre community.
It's great for Broadway shows to reach a wider audience and for people who may not normally have the chance to be able to see a show. However, it will be an entirely different experience that won't really equate. There's no way around that. I hope that the final work shown in movie theaters is as close to an authentic Broadway experience as possible, despite all of the changes that must be made for screen. This really does have the power to change what it means to see Broadway show.
I agree with the fact that by sharing the Broadway experience through film, we are opening the audience to an even wider scope of people. By releasing such films in a variety of countries, we are not only reaching a larger demographic for people who might be interested in theater, but are also advertising the theater experience: encouraging those who have never seen a broadway show or even those who refuse to see one an opportunity to become interested, and maybe even wanting to visit NYC. Although some might view it as a way to exploit the theater business, I feel that it would only encourage audiences to make the trip to see a show: I myself have always enjoyed watching televised productions of broadway shows, Legally Blonde or even South Pacific, one of which was on PBS, and never wanted to see a broadway show less. So long as these movies aren't made into 3-D (gasp!) I don't see this as a threat to the theater business, but more as a boost for the Broadway entertainment business.
I'm torn as to whether or not this is a good idea. As someone who obviously loves theatre partly because it's live and in person, I think that something is lost when an audience watches a stage production on film. The excitement of theatre is that the show is never the same so everyone that goes to a theatre performance sees something different. That's why people see shows time and time again. Watching a recorded production on a movie screen takes away that excitement. It will always be the same no matter how many times you watch it.
On the other hand, bringing theatre to the movie screen means that it can be enjoyed by many more people. Not everyone can live in a city with access to theatres and tours, and so there are millions of people that have never experienced theatre at all. While a show played on a movie screen is not "theatre" in the strictest sense, it can still be a window into the theatrical world that many people would not have access to otherwise.
Last year I saw Memphis on the big screen. Watching shows in a theater is a good way to get the masses to see theater, but I find it to be a lot less enjoyable then actually seeing a show in person. Alternatively for the cost it is awesome you get to see a full Broadway show for 20 bucks, the only thing that is missing is the audience. Crowd excitement or joy is really vital to theater, when people are engaged you can tell and seeing something that is recorded or on a screen sometimes shuts them down and turns it into a video viewing experience as opposed to a theater experience.
A part of me loves this idea and another part of me really doesn't like this. I think it's great that more people will be able to see theater for cheaper prices. This will get young children into theater and really make sure theater stays alive. And this will be great for people who don't live in New York to see some Broadway and people that can't afford expense theater tickets can just go see a movie for $12. The only thing I don't like about this is that theater is just never the same when it's filmed. It loses a part of the magic that makes theater, theater. But at least this will get more people to see how wonderful theater is.
Like so many others who commented, I have mixed feelings about this. However, lately Broadway seems to be determined to make many shows into such spectacles that they rival Hollywood's special effects. Harnesses and giant insects and flying creatures are all well and good, but I want to see real people on a real stage, dancing and singing...sometimes at the same time...without technology's magic. Maybe all the Broadway special effects have given birth to the move to the movies, but in my heart of hearts I think live theater is a whole different form of entertainment. It is a chance to experience the show "live" with all of the foibles that entails. Sometimes then energy is fantastic. Sometimes things don't go exactly right, and the weight of the show rests not on technology, but on the live people who make Broadway a reality. Sure, the movies will be cheaper and reach a broader audience, but I fear those viewers will think they have seen the "real thing" and they have not.
This is a wonderful way to bring Broadway performances to a wider audience. People who live in Latin America, Australia, and around the entire world do not have the option to go into New York for a weekend because they really want to see a certain show; with these broadcasts, that's now possible. I doubt these broadcasts will ever replace the real thing, because most of the lure of theater is the thrill of seeing live entertainment, but now more people around the world can be exposed to more areas of culture.
I think this is a great way to make theater more available to people who other wise couldn't afford it. It could also get more people to want to experience the show live, because seeing it it the movie theater does lack the magic of seeing a live performance. I wish they would put more musicals in theaters. Its interesting because we just talked about this in class. I think its more important to experience the magic of theater and get it out in the world then the live experience.
Probably biased since I am lucky enough to see a lot of NY theatre, but I just don't think the payoff is worth it. Part of this comes from the musicals they've selected to broadcast: while they are a nice variety of choices, part of the Broadway magic is what Mary mentioned-actors, singers, dancers onstage just doing their thing without all the flash and bang. There are quite a few shows out now that have that appeal (Anything Goes, War Horse, or Rock of Ages perhaps?), and I think they'd be better choices to show America what's exciting about Broadway right now. Besides, shouldn't we be encouraging our regional theatrelovers to support their own regional theatres, rather than just go see a movie instead? Tickets can be as cheap (conversely, an imax 3d movie ticket in NYC now costs as much as broadway's cheapest student rush ticket), and the thrill of experiencing something live just can't be duplicated if you ask me.
This is a great way to expose america to these broadway productions. I'm mostly excited for Jekyll and Hyde. Some people would really appreciate these shows but just can't make it to New York City, or don't have the extra cash for tickets. This is a great idea and I hope they continue to allow broadway productions to make a circuit around Television. Maybe then they'll get more people coming to New York, deciding it's worth it. Or they'll just decide to keep waiting until more shows air on tv.
I agree with what some of the others have said. As a person who has yet to actually see a show on Broadway (I know, I should change my major or something) and also being sure I'm not alone, this can make the shows much more accessible than waiting for a touring show to come to town. I understand it's not the same, but even when much of the interaction is gone it's still a lot better than sitting at home and reading a review of it or listening to the soundtrack and then reading a summary of the plot on Wikipedia.
The majority of musicals that I have seen were via television; therefore I think that this is a good idea. It provides other audiences the opportunity to experience theatre that they might not be able to view. I do agree that it would not have the same impact as sitting in the theatre and viewing a live production, but it would still be a valuable entertaining experience. Also maybe it could influence non-theatre goers to attend a live production after watching it on screen.
Combining the elements of camera and live production is a great idea. I feel like watching a musical through camera lets me see exactly what the director wants me to see... rather than being distracted by counting the number of vl35k's in the air or counting feet of truss. Also this is a great way to expand the theatrical experience beyond those who normally go to the theatre. It is much more appealing to me to go to the local cinemark, or amc in my basketball shorts and a hat and enjoy the same art rather than being expected to dress nice and be uncomfortable. Love it.
A larger number of shows are beginning to have two week movie theatre runs of their shows. I don't think this will greatly decrease the number of tickets sold on Broadway or in road houses. Bring theatre to movie theatre allows many who are not able to see live theatre a chance to at least see something. Yes, transferring medias does make it difficult, but it does have it's own beauty.
I think that this kind of exposure of the arts in a main stream setting can only be good.
For those who love theatre and the theatrical experience... They will continue to enjoy the theatrical experience at a live theatre.
For those who have some exposure to theatre... This would allow them more opportunities to see stories told in a theatrical manner and thus open their mind to more theatre.
And for those who have never been/have not been able to afford seeing a show... it makes it more accessible to the general population in a way that typical theatre is not.
I love this idea that has been proposed by these three impressive and world class groups. They have a great sense of collaboration and passion to try and accomplish the goal of getting four Broadway shows approved to be shown in cinemas across the world. I think this is a great idea not only because of the fact that I have such a love for the art of theatre, but because it would be a great way to make theatre more well known and open the eyes of people that are not too familiar with the art. Hopefully this is a way that everyone across the world can connect through this beautiful expression. Theatre doesn’t really change all that much around the world, you always will share the same core values.
On one hand, I think that bringing theatre to the cinema is a really great thing because it's a cheaper way to make good theatre more accessible to an audience, and it also broadens an audience base. On the other hand, bringing live theatrical performances to a cinematic setting in a way deteriorates the integrity of a live theatre performance. Theatre is meant to be experienced as a living, breathing thing. To record a performance and have the ability to play it over and over multiple times a week causes the performance to lose its luster and become just another movie.
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