Shows That Should Receive a BroadwayHD Livestream

[BroadwayConcierge]

She Loves Me was an utter triumph. What/which show(s) should follow suit? Do you think anything else should follow suit?

[ljay889]

Someone mentioned FUN HOME, and it's a great idea.

[broadwayboy223]

It's too late now, but Bright Star could have been wonderful!

[Wick3]

BroadwayConcierge said: "She Loves Me was an utter triumph. What/which show(s) should follow suit? Do you think anything else should follow suit?"

Perhaps one of the last performances of the OBC of any Broadway musical should be livestreamed? 

I wish Bright Star was livestreamed. Or perhaps Hamilton before Groff left.

 

[helvizz]

Someone mentioned Fun Home on the She loves me streaming topic, and I completely agree, specially because the show is in the round, meaning you can't watch the actors' faces all the time, no matter how close you are. Filming the show would be a great way to solve that. It would be a very different experience from watching it in the theater.

[jacobsnchz14]

Shuffle Along

[ChildofEarth]

The Humans - the close ups that they could get would be breathtaking.

[Hairspray0901]

I sooooooo wish Bright Star could have done this but for the future? I'd love to see Fun Home and The Color Purple! 

[JBroadway]

Some shows are better candidates than others, naturally, but to be quite honest I think pretty much any Broadway show would be great to livestream. 

[ljay889]

The Color Purple when it's near closing is another great choice. 

[willep]

While watching the broadcast tonight, I found myself really wishing they could have done Gentleman's Guide.

[Valentina3]

I think one reason She Loves Me happened was because it wasn't going on tour at all. I don't imagine Fun Home would want to do a live stream and kill all the incoming revenue from the touring production. I might be wrong, and they could get tremendous publicity out of it. The Color Purple should really preserve a video recording with the current cast and make it available later in the future, but since the plan is to tour North America with this current production, I don't see the point of a live stream. Out of the current productions, I think only The Humans would be a decent candidate for a live stream near the end of its run; though I'm going to be selfish and hope for an actual feature film for The Humans. 

While I agree the live stream was a huge triumphant success, the limitations of the medium were so palpable. The set overwhelms you in the theater, and you're not forced to look at the actor the camera is showing you. The orchestra is a living breathing creature live. I wish people who've never been to a theater don't take this live stream to be indicative of what live theater's like. It's... truly magical. Watching something on my TV which is meant to be experienced in flesh simply doesn't cut it for me. I thought the same about The Wiz  and Grease: Live! They were well produced and camera work was impressive - but they simply don't get the job done.

[dramamama611]

This was SO much better then as my of the Live a musicals have been.

[Jordan Catalano]

The GREY GARDENS happening now with Betty Buckley. 

 

As as for FUN HOME, I don't even know how a live stream would even work, logistically in that theater. Cameras would need to be on all four sides so you would constantly be seeing them, I really don't know how you could avoid that...

[Wick3]

Valentina3 said: "While I agree the live stream was a huge triumphant success, the limitations of the medium were so palpable. The set overwhelms you in the theater, and you're not forced to look at the actor the camera is showing you. The orchestra is a living breathing creature live. I wish people who've never been to a theater don't take this live stream to be indicative of what live theater's like. It's... truly magical. Watching something on my TV which is meant to be experienced in flesh simply doesn't cut it for me. I thought the same about The Wiz  and Grease: Live! They were well produced and camera work was impressive - but they simply don't get the job done."

I think it also depends where in the theater you sit. I always watch a show up in the rear mezz or rear balcony and if I liked it from up there, then I'd get an orch or front center mezz seat to see the show again. The differences are quite staggering. I'd hands down would much rather watch this livestream than sit in the last row of rear mezz or rear balcony.

 

[broadwayboy223]

Shuffle along needs to do this soon. 

[Mr. Nowack]

Wasn't the non-profit nature of Roundabout a clinching factor on this happening??

I would pay to watch any show done like this. It was magnificent truly.

[broadwayguy91]

I kinda wished they had thought of livestreaming Therese Raquin... if only to get some gorgeous wide shots of the beautiful set.

 

[dramamama611]

Why do  you think them being a nonprofit  had anything to do with it?

[Nefertiti]

It would be a pity for any show that is ending its Broadway run, not to team with Broadway HD, even for just one night. It would be a good way for these shows to reach a wider audience.

Bright Star would have gotten my vote, but Fun Home, Finding Neverland and Fiddler on the Roof are performances I would love to personally watch.

[dissimilate]

dramamama611 said: "Why do  you think them being a nonprofit  had anything to do with it?

 

"

Roundabout being a nonprofit means that producers doesn't have to worry about the live stream eating into potential tour revenue, or even into ticket sales (because it's a limited run, because it doesn't have to worry about recouping, because it's a nonprofit).

Lincoln Center, another nonprofit, is another top contender for livestreaming. They already have their PBS broadcasts of recorded performances -- livestreaming's the natural next stage

I also think revivals (or long-running musicals) in general have a better shot at being streamed, just because they're a proven audience pull, so again there's less of a cannibalization effect.

[dramamama611]

I understand what a nonprofit is....but this show isn't going to tour, and it's about to close anyway...so this is only bonus  $$.

 

I think the combination of limited run and no tour is what made this feasible-- not their non profit status.

Would I like to see more of this, sure, if it's done as well as this was. But if lots of shows choose this, I might be less willing to GO to the shows that fit this category that I'm on the fence about.

 

Has anyone heard about any viewers counts yet?? So curious on how many tuned in. 

 

 

 

[pupscotch]

I'd love to see a Shuffle Along live stream, or even a commercial recording. I don't believe it's touring, and it deserves to be recorded, especially for its choreography.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Fun Home would be difficult give the in the round staging, but I'd love to see it preserved in some way. 

I do agree that The Humans would work beautifully. A film version would probably have to be altered in some way, since I think it's so clearly meant to be seen in a theatre, but a livestream would be awesome. 

[Famebroadway2]

I also think there is a BIG difference in the cost to produce a live stream/recording between non-profit and commercial productions.  

The contract/pay requirements to film a commercial production can be quite costly. The commercial Broadway production I was involved with was planning to record the show for distribution, but was ultimately cancelled when actor contract negotiations/residuals could not be agreed upon.

It recently almost happened at Hamilton with the original cast. In this case the producers were still going to record the show with whatever understudies they needed.   There were some cast holdouts because of contract negotiations up until a few days before filming.  I'm  actually surprised they got everyone to film after all. 

[dissimilate]

dramamama611 said: "I think the combination of limited run and no tour is what made this feasible-- not their non profit status.

Would I like to see more of this, sure, if it's done as well as this was. But if lots of shows choose this, I might be less willing to GO to the shows that fit this category that I'm on the fence about."

It's the combination of limited run and no tour, but I would contend that what makes this combination possible in the first place is that it's a nonprofit. I don't think many commercial producers (of musicals, at least, plays are practically all limited run these days), would be willing to make a guaranteed loss.

Anyway I agree that if any and every show goes this route, I would be much more choosy about which shows to actually go to. BroadwayHD will have to find a balance.