Variety: Broadway Across America, the presenter and producer that sends Broadway tours out to 44 markets, has amassed more than 400,000 in season subscribers — a number that muscles into the realm of sports leagues, putting it higher than the most recent figures available for the NBA.
5 comments:
There has been a lot of talk recently about making theatre more accessible to a larger part of the public, and I think this article is a good one to include in that conversation. While a big part of the problem of accessibility has to do with making theatre, especially large Broadway shows, more financially affordable, I think the issue that this article brings up for me is how do we sell theatre that has not been made "mainstream" yet? Musicals like Dear Evan Hansen and Hamilton in particular have already made appearances in late-night television, etc., and are easy to get people excited to see them. But it is also important to make straight plays and lesser-known musicals more exciting and easy to see, and I have yet to see any higher-ups in the industry push those productions to the forefront.
This article makes me extremely happy. Not just for the theatre community for the cities where Broadway Across America goes. I think it is so important for people in all areas to be experiencing theatre. It is the ultimate test of how universal show's message is. In New York, there is pretty standard community of theatre goers but when I shows go around the country there is a new audience who adds their experiences (much different from the New Yorker) to the viewing. I think in such a divided time, it is greatly important to have uniting opportunities to share in even if the take away is greatly different.
It is absolutely good news that the BAA has amasses such a large pool of subscribers. The other thing worth noting is how “Hamilton” spear headed the sales across the country. As far as I’m concerned, this is not only due to the fact that it is a successful musical that won many awards, but how the show itself inspire people from all walks of life.
Putting hit Broadway shows on tour not only brings more profits as people can watch the original shows they love without having to travel to NYC and pay extra money for lodging etc. At the same time, by touring, you reach a much larger audience and expand audience base in general. When a hit musical comes to town, even people who are not usually theater goers want to see “what the fuss this is all about” according to one of my friends, and the show may potentially convert many uninterested bystanders to theatergoers, or at least intrigue them to see more theatre productions in the future.
I’d be curious to learn more about the statistic that number of subscribers has been increasing since the 2009-10 season, which was most likely because of TV shows and movies that reintroduced live performance to pop culture. The reason for the increase in subscribers was not supported by fact but it could be true. After the 2008 economic crisis, people turned to non-live entertainment to save money and cut back on spending. Seeing “American Idol” or “High School Musical” during that time could have very easily inspired kids and families to consider more entertainment that brought a similar feeling. Another interesting point from the article is the relationship between new Broadway productions and the John Gore Organization. I had never even heard of this organization before, but reminds us that as theatre consumers we must be informed audience members. Commercial long-term interests exist in New York just as much as they do outside of it and on tour.
It is great to hear that Broadway tour subscriptions are rising and that more people are coming to see live theatre. Tours are very important because it gives people who do not live in New York or close by the opportunity to see a Broadway level production. I am sure that the Hamilton tour is part of the reason for the add subscribers because I know that some tour houses made tickets available sooner for people that had a subscription to their whole season. It was a very smart thing for them to do because people clearly want to have the best chance to get Hamilton tickets in a city that is closest to them and it also exposes those audiences to other shows. The Hamilton tour and Chicago run are really helping spread the story around and giving people the chance to see it without spending an outrageous amount of money to buy Broadway tickets and plane tickets and a hotel to stay in New York City. Hamilton has also increased the amount of people interested in musical theatre, which is very exciting and important.
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