“It just started this idea in my head,” explains Fox, who serves as an executive producer for “Onstage In America.” The new series aims to nationally broadcast regional productions at nonprofit theatres, and the pilot, a filmed version of San Diego Repertory Theatre’s production of Greg Kallares’s Honky, aired on Friday, Nov. 6 on PBS. The show is still awaiting a series order.
3 comments:
This is an interesting proposition indeed. Of course there exists the long argued debate which insinuates that broadcasting stage productions on television or in movie theaters will reduce the attendance of patrons to live stage performances. Though there would seem to be some legitimacy in this argument, research actually states the contrary. National Theatre Live, which was mentioned in the article, has been studying audience attendance to the Live Broadcasts and comparing them to ticket sales of regional theatres. The study has shown that there is no negative impact, and that regional theatres within close proximity to where a Live Broadcast was aired have seen a rise in ticket sales. National Theatre Live has been studying these ticket sales closely since they first started doing live broadcasts in 2009. One of the largest caveats to this finding is that it is specific to the UK and does not analyze data in the United States. It would be hard to tell if the difference in demographics from the UK to the US would cause the findings to lean one way or another. Nevertheless, the proposal in this article is not seeking to do either the live broadcast or the viewing at movie theatres. Instead it aims to broadcast on PBS which, in my opinion, could prove to be an insufficient viewership base without any noticeable impact one way or the other.
http://www.nesta.org.uk/news/research-finds-national-theatre-live-has-no-negative-impact-regional-theatre-going
I think I like the idea of putting these non for profit shows of television as to reach more audience members. At the same time I fail to see how this would really help the actual non for profit, other than if they were paid a PBS size payment for their work. The actors are compensated in accordance with Equity rules, but what about everyone else and the organization? Yes this is great publicity, but I am curious about other forms of compensation. Is this just about reaching more audience members or should there be more money for the mission of the non for profit? Later in the article, it is pointed out that audience members find it cool that they are watching a performance that is was going on in the UK as they are sitting in the comforts of their own living room. That part does sound pretty cool and I like the fact that these scouts are looking for shows around the world. I should check out what other shows are being televised.
As someone who grew up in theatre but is currently looking at television for a future, this article really excites me. I love the idea of using one another to advance and grow. The world of television will gain audiences from the theatre, they will obviously broaden their horizons and explore completely new territory. The world of theatre will finally be able to be experienced by the masses, something that all theaters wish for. I love that they are finally getting interested in recording productions in smaller theaters, because that is where we see the most current renditions of what the world of theatre is doing. Not for profit theaters are producing the most current work available, whether it be the newest plays from the newest playwrights, or the freshest takes on foundationally important pieces of theatre. I love the idea of television and theatre work together and helping one another, they are both underdogs in this generation and I think they will both grow a lot through this process.
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