Wednesday, August 28, 2024
Here are all the Broadway shows going dark on Election Day in NYC
www.timeout.com/newyork: Just as was the case during the 2016 Presidential election, many Broadway shows will be going dark on November 5, Election Day. Instead, some (but not all) of the productions will play the day before, on Monday, November 4—the usual "off day" on Broadway throughout the year.
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6 comments:
My first reaction when reading this article is shock that the last election in a non-lockdown broadway was in 2016. This of course makes complete sense when you think about it but is a total shock at first. I was 12 when the 2016 election happened and, I was not tuned in to the broadway world back then. I personally am very excited that broadway has and will continue to have many shows go dark on election allowing company member to have more flexibility when it comes to their voting plan. Over the past decade many institutions have supported the right to vote by making election days company days off. This includes CMU which as of last year started giving us election day off to vote. With theater often being decades behind when it comes to days off and working hours I am happily surprised by the number of shows giving their workers election day off.
This was really intriguing as a freshman in college and recently 18 years old. Now that I am 18, I am responsible for voting in the big and hectic presidential elections this November. As a Broadway lover, I do see the pros and cons of moving performances around for the big election day. On one hand, voting is super important, especially right now within this political atmosphere. On the other hand, some of these shows are staying open to ease nerves and relax the minds of those who are voting on election day. I think that it is super cool, kind, and proactive of the broadway community to change their work week to encourage the importance and necessity of voting! Though using the phrase, “many Broadway shows will be going dark on November 5” is a tiny bit dark and ominous. I understand the weight and importance of voting but the phrasing of that sentence made it seem dramatic, as if these shows were closing for good. Overall, cute article. I appreciate a good read about broadway and enjoyed this short read.
lection Day is a critical day for us, especially because we are new college students and the leading force of the new generation in this country, influencing significant decisions that will shape our future. This will be my first time voting in any kind of election, and it's a critical one. Working in the theatrical industry, it's heartening to see that, like in previous years, shows are ready to put everything on hold to encourage people of all ages to make their voices heard in a crucial election. As someone from Manhattan who will be requesting an absentee ballot, the fact that Broadway in general is so close to my home makes this article much more interesting to me. It is common knowledge that Monday is a dismal day for shows; nonetheless, the improvement and betterment of our country are clearly appreciated highly enough to change a complete show schedule. Overall, I'm delighted that people believe in a brighter future.
Election Day!
Jamnia: I really appreciate the fact that a lot of Broadway shows go dark for Election day so that everyone can go vote and take the day off for themselves. As a Canadian, it’s super interesting to see how American politics affects every facet of people’s lives here. Obviously politics is important in Canada but it’s not so polarized that people have to stop their lives to encourage voting. It’s also super interesting that a lot of the shows that go dark are political in content as well. I wonder what goes into the decision of shows going dark, whether it’s the actors, stage managers, or other people involved in the show that make that decision. It’s also nice to see that they perform on Monday, the day that they’re usually off, so that no one misses out on a paycheck. I feel like theater is such an important part of influencing politics as we make people see parallels into their lives through non-typical ways and we act as a conduit into real life.
This is such an important election and I think it’s amazing that shows are going dark for election day. On top of making it easier for the people who are actively working on these shows to get out to the polls and cast their votes (something that can be incredibly difficult if you have a full day of work and a packed schedule to work around), by going dark for election day, I feel like these shows are also drawing attention to the fact that the election is an incredibly important part of our democracy and it’s vital that people get out to vote. Especially with this election where so much is on the line, including so much that will directly affect not just many of the people who work in our industry but our industry itself, it is so important that as much attention is drawn to the election as possible and people continue to be motivated and encouraged to cast their votes on election day.
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