Absences at BroadwayCon?

[UnwoundFantasies]

So I volunteered at BroadwayCon this past weekend (and have been every year) and I couldnt help but notice that there werent booths for Broadway.com, Playbill, or 54 Below there (cant remember if TheaterMania was there). These booths/establishments always had a pretty large presence at passed Cons and it was quite noticeable they were not in attendance. Additionally, only BroadwayWorld really posted or advertised about it during the event (not sure about leading up to it). Im just curious if there was a reason that they were missing this year.

[LizzieCurry]

There was definitely a hole left by the institutions, that's for sure. I can't say I noticed their absence immediately, but Playbill had scaled down considerably last year from the year before, IIRC, so I'm not surprised. Whatever the reason may be.

[Marianne2]

Playbill was not involved last year either. That is correct. Yeah, I was sort of surprised by some groups that were not there.

I still had a good time, but I think this is my least favorite of all 4. Like there weren't too many surprises or extremely huge names appearing, even if it was just for a panel or interview. I wonder what was going on with planning for this 1.

[LizzieCurry]

This one was better than last year's, IMO. Last year's was kind of depressing with the vast swaths of emptiness at the Javits. At least they knew how to make better use of the space at the Hilton, and seemed to take to heart the feedback they got.

[Emmaloucbway]

I preferred the Hilton to the Javits for sure, and enjoyed all of the panels I attended. Especially loved the  show spotlights for My Fair Lady, Come From Away, and The Cher Show, along with the Disney on Broadway and Charlie Brown Reunion panels. 

That being said, it was rough on Saturday to keep crossing back and forth in the cold from the Ziegfeld Ballroom, and I wasn't a huge fan of that space in general (fewer seats than the Hilton Grand Ballroom, so it felt very packed in, especially on the most crowded day of the Con). And I'm so relieved that I splurged on a Gold pass, since General/Day passes had to wait in a freezing outdoor line just to get in, which I found a little ridiculous for January in NYC. 

Another thing about Saturday was I found that there wasn't very much to do in the afternoon, as someone who isn't really into the sing-along or fan-centric panels/meetups. And I agree that the marketplace was quite small with many mainstays missing (the only absence I understand is the Drama Bookshop since they are about to close and move locations), so after looking around once there wasn't much to do during this downtime. 

In the end I enjoyed the return to the Hilton and had an especially wonderful time on Friday and Sunday. I love that it's become an annual tradition and will definitely go again next year, no matter where/when it is. 

[LizzieCurry]

Oh boy, there did need to be a better system for the Ziegfeld. I like the space in there, and the screens were of better quality than at the Hilton but they crammed too many chairs into such a narrow area. It was like trying to walk through a suburban Trader Joe's parking lot on a weekend. Plus, people who'd already checked their coats at the Hilton had to run across the street and hope for the best, covering their arms, in their t-shirts or sweaters.

[Marianne2]

I guess I should have said the Hilton was definitely better space wise. I missed things from past years like the marketplace stage area and slightly more interesting guests and panels. Like I think at the 2nd one, they had interviews with Joel Grey and Chita Rivera. I get that they won't always be able to get people like that, but the list of appearances was definitely lacking this year, for me, anyway. Though, it was cool that Kristin Chenoweth did come unannounced for the Charlie Brown reunion panel. And the things I did see were good.

When were they holding people outside the Ziegfeld? I went over around 5 on Saturday and nobody stopped me from going in. I stayed in the back, so I didn't see how crowded it was closer. But, it was really cold back there. The room for the Cosplay fashion show wasn't big enough either.

[Emmaloucbway]

Marianne2 said: "I guess I should have said the Hilton was definitely better space wise. I missed things from past years like the marketplace stage area and slightly more interesting guests and panels. Like I think at the 2nd one, they had interviews with Joel Grey and Chita Rivera. I get that they won't always be able to get people like that, but the list of appearances was definitely lacking this year, for me, anyway. Though, it was cool that Kristin Chenoweth did come unannounced for the Charlie Brown reunion panel. And the things I did see were good.

When were they holding people outside the Ziegfeld? I went over around 5 on Saturday and nobody stopped me from going in. I stayed in the back, so I didn't see how crowded it was closer. But, it was really cold back there. The room for the Cosplay fashion show wasn't big enough either."

I saw the huge line right before Andrew Rannells's panel (so 2ish maybe?). I think they might have stopped it as the day progressed, but I'm not sure. I thought I heard staff mention before the Charlie Brown panel that there was overflow and some people weren't being let in, but I might have heard wrong or they could've been exaggerating to get everyone to move in and open up more seats. 

And yes I have to add that it was freezing in there, too. And in the marketplace. And the Hilton Ballroom. I realized by Sunday afternoon that I spent most of the Con SO cold, haha. 

[dfrillsnedit]

So this will be my fourth year attending BWayCon, and though this year was a massive improvement compared to 2018, it still felt a bit damper at times. Between the consistent issue of them not getting enough shows to fill the First Look time slot (booking 2 hrs of Grand Ballroom time vs. a 45 minute show) and certain promised events not even happening (I felt like they were advertising something involving Frozen for a while and then it didn't happen ??? I could be wrong) it doesn't surprise me that certain vendors/companies don't make a big appearance year after year, since the event itself is pretty inconsistent year after year.