dramamama611 said: "It's most likely for the Lincoln Center Archives. If it were for anything else, we likely would have heard - but of course, anything is possible."
The show was taped for the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive (TOFT) last fall at the NY Theatre Workshop. It's not being recorded for the archive a second time, so whatever is taking place this week is for some other purpose.
I work at the Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center. Quite a few of the titles people have mentioned in this thread survive as archival videos in the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive (TOFT). They're not online, but they do exist. This would include A Chorus Line (taped in 1975 at the Public), Amadeus with Ian McKellen, City of Angels, Lend Me a Tenor with Philip Bosco, and Seussical. TOFT has a video of The Fantasticks at the Sullivan Street Playhouse, although it
lachri5 said: Edit to add: In today's Behind the Curtain podcast, Kevin recommended Goodspeed Opera House's Scherer Library of Musical Theatre, where they filmed most if not all of their productions, and offer to the public for free viewing."
P.S. Goodspeed has donated dozens of their videos to TOFT over the years, so many if not most of their holdings are also available to view in the screening room at the Performing Arts Library, at Lincoln Center.
lachri5 said: "Just discovered there's a video archive for theatre in the DC area, called WAPAVA, that has been filming theatre productions since 1993! There are gems like the 2002 Sondheim festival at Kennedy Center (it had Sunday w/ Raul Esparza, Sweeney w/ Brian Stokes Mitchell, Company w/ John Barrowman, Night Music w/ Kristen Bell, Passion w/ Michael Cerveris, Merrily w/ Raul Esparza again), Little Dancer in 2012, The Highest Yellow in 2004 at Signature (an obscure LaChiusa
PatrickDC said: "cmorrow said: "yankeefan7 said: ""I thought every show on Broadway was filmed and kept for historical purposes so is this in addition to that film."
I work at the Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center. It's a common misconception that 'every' show on Broadway is filmed. Many are not. When people cometo the TOFT screening room they're often surprised to learn that there is no video record of certain shows
yankeefan7 said: ""Lin has only confirmed that the show was indeed filmed and has not mentioned if and when it’ll be seen by the public as it wasn’t done for any other purpose but to have the original Broadway cast archived."
I thought every show on Broadway was filmed and kept for historical purposes so is this in addition to that film."
I work at the Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center. It's a common misconception that
SempreLiberal said: "Can anyone with an NYC library card go and see the musicals archived at the Lincoln Center branch?"
That depends. Currently running shows such as WICKED are not available for viewing unless you have permission from the producers, for audition purposes or something similar. (Even PHANTOM, taped 30 years ago, remains off limits until it closes.) Other shows have had restrictions put on viewing, usually by a member of the creative team. And some of
This video will be donated not to TOFT (the archive for B'way & Off-B'way shows) but to the Dance Division. Their rules are different. I suggest you call (212) 870-1627 and ask a reference librarian about this particular video.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong here, but I think producers or creative team members can restrict access so it's only viewable to certain people (for whatever reason), or can withhold viewing it for a period of time. (And some people like Neil Simon have not wanted their stage productions filmed.)
You're correct about members of the creative team restricting access to certain videos. You're mistaken about Neil Simon, however -- several of his plays hav
TOFT videos are taped live, like a live TV show, so there is no post-editing and thus, no raw footage. The make of the cameras varies, depending on the videographer. Playback copies are DVD format and are kept at the Performing Arts Library, while master tapes are kept in off-site storage.
I'd like to add that shows taped by TOFT sometimes take a while to process. (The reasons vary.) In recent days, a number of records appeared in the NYPL Catalog for Off-Broadway additions to the archive, including Daniel's Husband, Bella, and How to Transcend a Happy Marriage. The DVDs themselves were already available to view, but the records didn't go online until last week. My larger point is, you won't necessarily find the record in our online ca
g.d.e.l.g.i. said: "It's not in the NYPL catalogue, so no one thought throwing money at TOFT was a good idea, evidently."
Great Comet was taped for TOFT last Wednesday. The record is not in the catalog yet because the material hasn't been processed yet. (I know this because I work at the library.) Other shows that have already been taped for TOFT, such as A Doll's House Part 2, are still being processed as well. There's a thread about this t
P.S. I forgot to mention earlier -- someone upthread erroneously stated that the producers of the shows pay for TOFT tapings, something that happens in a comparatively small number of cases. Most of the funding is provided by a variety of foundation grants and outside sources, which is why organizations such as the NEA need all the support we can give them.
I work at the Performing Arts Library. First, it's not correct to say that "every" Broadway and Off-Broadway show is taped by the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive (TOFT). Many shows are recorded by TOFT, but funding is limited -- and will be even MORE limited if the NEA is killed. Also, some producers do not want their shows taped, for various reasons. (For instance, if a commercial release is planned.)
Video quality on the older shows is often poor. As noted above,
HogansHero said: And slightly apropos of that, @cmorrow, do you have the current grant amount available (ideally in relation to the totals)?"
Sorry for the delayed response, but no, I don't have exact figures. I do know that NEA money available to the library has already dwindled compared to what it was when I started working here, in the 1980s.
I work at the Performing Arts Library. NEA grants have helped us tape B'way and Off-B'way shows for the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive. They're not our sole source of support, but an important one.
Phantom of London said: "Joe, I know its not the same, but you could always see if the libary of the performing arts recorded it and watch a copy at the Lincoln Center. "
Unfortunately, ONE MAN TWO GUVNORS was not taped by the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive (TOFT). It's not available at the library.
If you're interested in legitimate sources (as opposed to bootleg videos) there are a few examples of what you're looking for in TOFT, i.e. the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive at the Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center. For instance, TOFT's tape of the 2010 revival of A Little Night Music features understudy Jayne Paterson as Desirée, since Catherine Zeta Jones was out sick the night of the taping. Another example is the 1996 production of Master Class; Helen Go
