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Tuesday, October 26, 2021
Addison theater is first in DFW to partner with big streaming service
CultureMap Dallas: Many theater companies turned to streaming options in the wake of the pandemic, but WaterTower Theatre is the first in Dallas-Fort Worth to partner with national streaming service Broadway on Demand.
4 comments:
Louise Cutter
said...
Yes! As I have written in past news quiz comments, I am a HUGE advocate for streaming theatre and/or filming and distributing it virtually. It helps make the productions much more accessible for those who cannot afford the time or money to make it to a live theatre. However, that is not the only work it does in terms of making theatre more accessible, as this article points out something I had not considered before in terms of virtually presenting theatre. Live streamed theatre allows a much easier way for theatre to be consumed by those who are disabled. If you have hearing problems or are deaf, you can add close captioning. If you are visually impaired, a screen can allow you to zoom in. If you are sensitive to loud noises, you can control the volume. If you are sensitive to crowds, you do not have to be one. This article just proves more and more than streaming theatre is a very useful tool for audience members! I am waiting for the day it becomes normalized.
I have watched a handful of large-scale productions on Broadway on Demand. I love that in the wake of the pandemic, they have made the service available for smaller theatres to produce content that impacts people nationally. This is created for the revitalization of the arts because people not even in Dallas Forth-Worth are able to watch the production, and it widens the audience for the show in a wonderful way. I am also incredibly drawn to the aspect of accessibility. Virtual theatre and the use of closed captioning is a huge step in the right direction. Personally, my grandmother really struggles to see live performances due to hearing issues and I know that the opportunity to watch things virtually with closed captioning will be a significantly better experience for her. I truly hope that Virtual Theatre and Streaming stick around far after the pandemic ends and we return our new sense of normalcy. I think in steps towards accessibility and equity we must not only keep, but continue to expand virtual programming.
Streaming is such a controversial topic for live theatre. It’s one glaring issue is that it takes that live aspect out of the equation which is such an integral part of the experience. But I think that the pandemic and the expansion of streaming services like Broadway on Demand have shown the good that it can bring. It just makes theatre so much more accessible. I remember when I was younger, watching the Les Mis concert on PBS was such a huge threat and can change the life of people who don’t feel like they are a part of the theatre. The industry has a tendency toward elitism, with high ticket prices and the biggest pockets of theatre being in big cities that are also expensive to live in. On-Demand Theatre is such an important starting point to all those who can’t easily get to or afford theatre, so I think the WaterTower Theatre is doing something wonderful.
Like others have said in their comments, I also think that theatre streaming is an upcoming trend of the entertainment industry. Seeing more productions stream online, especially during the time of the pandemic, has really made me think about where the industry is shifting towards. Streaming services are very accessible for majorities and have no restriction in audience number, which are huge advantages that in-person theatre do not offer. I think when marketed correctly, production streaming will bring in a lot more revenue than traditional theatre does, so the two combined together could be an approach. I also think production streaming will bring in new career options that are not yet existing, and this is good news for us working in a competitive industry.
4 comments:
Yes! As I have written in past news quiz comments, I am a HUGE advocate for streaming theatre and/or filming and distributing it virtually. It helps make the productions much more accessible for those who cannot afford the time or money to make it to a live theatre. However, that is not the only work it does in terms of making theatre more accessible, as this article points out something I had not considered before in terms of virtually presenting theatre. Live streamed theatre allows a much easier way for theatre to be consumed by those who are disabled. If you have hearing problems or are deaf, you can add close captioning. If you are visually impaired, a screen can allow you to zoom in. If you are sensitive to loud noises, you can control the volume. If you are sensitive to crowds, you do not have to be one. This article just proves more and more than streaming theatre is a very useful tool for audience members! I am waiting for the day it becomes normalized.
I have watched a handful of large-scale productions on Broadway on Demand. I love that in the wake of the pandemic, they have made the service available for smaller theatres to produce content that impacts people nationally. This is created for the revitalization of the arts because people not even in Dallas Forth-Worth are able to watch the production, and it widens the audience for the show in a wonderful way. I am also incredibly drawn to the aspect of accessibility. Virtual theatre and the use of closed captioning is a huge step in the right direction. Personally, my grandmother really struggles to see live performances due to hearing issues and I know that the opportunity to watch things virtually with closed captioning will be a significantly better experience for her. I truly hope that Virtual Theatre and Streaming stick around far after the pandemic ends and we return our new sense of normalcy. I think in steps towards accessibility and equity we must not only keep, but continue to expand virtual programming.
Streaming is such a controversial topic for live theatre. It’s one glaring issue is that it takes that live aspect out of the equation which is such an integral part of the experience. But I think that the pandemic and the expansion of streaming services like Broadway on Demand have shown the good that it can bring. It just makes theatre so much more accessible. I remember when I was younger, watching the Les Mis concert on PBS was such a huge threat and can change the life of people who don’t feel like they are a part of the theatre. The industry has a tendency toward elitism, with high ticket prices and the biggest pockets of theatre being in big cities that are also expensive to live in. On-Demand Theatre is such an important starting point to all those who can’t easily get to or afford theatre, so I think the WaterTower Theatre is doing something wonderful.
Like others have said in their comments, I also think that theatre streaming is an upcoming trend of the entertainment industry. Seeing more productions stream online, especially during the time of the pandemic, has really made me think about where the industry is shifting towards. Streaming services are very accessible for majorities and have no restriction in audience number, which are huge advantages that in-person theatre do not offer. I think when marketed correctly, production streaming will bring in a lot more revenue than traditional theatre does, so the two combined together could be an approach. I also think production streaming will bring in new career options that are not yet existing, and this is good news for us working in a competitive industry.
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