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[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 4/11/20 at 5:32pm

Kad said: "Jordan Levinson said: "dramamama611 said: "Yes, people only wanted to waste a few hours, because there is nothing to do in NYC. Broadway has always survived on tourists, and it's a business - to make money, so you make theater that appeals to many. ART and Bway were never synonymous. The idea that is is only about art is a naive one. Much more ARTISTIC work being done off bway and in regional theater. That, too, is nothing new."

Why not walk around Times Square? You don't HAVE to see a show if you're a tourist.See the bright lights, walk in stores, grab a slice of pizza, etc. That's something to do, and it certainly costs a lot less money than Broadway for tourists. And yes, there is a LOT more to do in NYC, though some locals might not say so."

Have you ever actually been to Times Square?

Many times. And if not walking around there, try Fifth Avenue (holiday season especially).

 

[Kad]

Posted: 4/11/20 at 5:38pm

I have no idea what you're even trying to argue at this point.

 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/11/20 at 5:39pm

YOU are the one that tourists only go to theater to bide the time.   You are sticking holes in your own statements.   

[AndreyIsntHere]

Posted: 4/11/20 at 5:46pm

No, of course not. Maybe until a vaccine is developed. But forever, full-time for the rest of history? Impossible. Come on.

[PatrickDC]

Posted: 4/11/20 at 11:28pm

Oh please. Yeah I know this is serious but get some perspective. True, folks that are older or have compromised immune systems or are high risk need to be cautious. I have a couple buddies with HIV and they taking this seriously but it’s not an apocalypse for them. For the vast majority it may knock you down for a bit but you’ll be fine. My sister is a county hospital administrator in a small NorCal county. They’ve had three verified cases and all were severe flu symptoms. There is a big difference between there and NYC, I get it. But don’t stress out as that weakens immune systems. 

Truthfully, if there was a musical playing tonight I’d absolutely be at the theater supporting an industry I cherish. 

[sparksatmidnight]

Posted: 4/11/20 at 11:59pm

Of all the overdramatic things I've heard...

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 4/12/20 at 12:09am

" Everyone insulting me should STOP RIGHT NOW. There is no reason to make fun of other's opinions or berate someone's conditions, education, etc.  "

Welcome to Broadway World where once again the "Broadway Legends" feel the need to make fun of somebody for having a different opinion. It is a shame but that is just the way it is here on this board. They just can't simply disagree with you and explain why they disagree they have to ridicule you. They mocked your age and your education and these are the same people who preach about tolerance and bullying people. Hang in there, don't be afraid to post your opinion and continue to do it politely.

I have questioned whether Broadway can survive a long shut down also, let's hope it can. Sports will survive because they are much more popular in US than theater and all owners are multi-millionaires. Forbes magazine said the NY Yankees are worth 5 billion dollars. That being said, all  sports leagues are worried about attendance once they start playing again. Sports figures like Lebron James said he will no longer "high five" and "fist bump" anymore and somebody like him has huge influence on the youth of this country. The stopping of this type of contact will probably happen. People will still go to church but you will probably see seating changes inside the church. As for sex, that will never stop  - ha ha.

 

Updated On: 4/12/20 at 12:09 AM

[BWAY Baby2]

Posted: 4/12/20 at 1:18am

If the bubonic plague did not kill theater- this won't. 

[darreyl102]

Posted: 4/12/20 at 3:39am

First there is a thread about this epidemic ending stage doors now the entire theater industry.
I understand that with everybody being quarantined, the trolls are no longer under the bridges that they belong under, and you're bored...
Theater has survived everything, this isn't the biggest epidemic civilized man has experience, and theater has always survived.

[A Director]

Posted: 4/12/20 at 4:17am

If Broadway never reopens, there will still be theatre in this country.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 4/12/20 at 4:39am

Can we stop with the hysterics?

[Jarethan]

Posted: 4/12/20 at 4:30pm

Jordan Levinson said: "Broadway61004 said: "Jordan Levinson said:"Even before thewhole crisis, I think it was starting to get less and less appeal."

Really curious how Broadway having it's highest attendance rate ever last year led you to this conclusion."

Much of the attendance rate was tourists looking for something to do in NYC, and falling for the "tourist traps" in the Disney shows, long-runners and jukebox musicals, serviceable at best with some exceptions. Most New Yorkers/people from the tristate area are not paying as much cash to see these shows.Broadway is headingoff the rails and the gap between good money and poor/mediocre artis widening more than ever."

Jordan, sounds like you are very young (still in university).  You have made some statements that seem to me to be a little over the top, and pretty judgmental.  I think you need to lighten up.  This is a horrible time, but this too will pass. (Not all) people crave live entertainment; people crave sporting events; people crave going to restaurants; people crave worshipping.  They are going to tough it out for now.  As soon as a vaccine is available, things will be back to normal.  People are not going to give up things they love on the possibility that another virus will come along.  They will wait for it to happen.  Who knows how long it will take for another one like this (or worse) to come along? Next year? 50 years?

i do believe that business will be negatively impacted until there is a vaccine for this one; I also believe that people will be dying to see the next big musical once it opens (and there is a vaccine).  And that Hamilton will still mange to run x more years, if not as long as it might have, had Covid19 never happened.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 4/12/20 at 4:50pm

Sutton Ross said: "Awesome. Good luck at Peppa Pig State!"

OMG!!! I just pee'd a little in my pants after that response Sutton!!! LMFAO!!!

but now I miss my niece Mya who I would sit with and watch endless episodes of "Peppa Pig" with...

Updated On: 4/12/20 at 04:50 PM

[Dave13]

Posted: 4/12/20 at 4:53pm

Broadway will be open before the end of summer. The only question I have is how many shows will be able to survive until then.

[Platypus]

Posted: 4/12/20 at 5:22pm

Hopefully some things will stick, such as the emphasis on hand hygiene, covering your mouth when you cough/sneeze, limiting handshakes, and personal space. I visited NYC a few days before the shut down and it was rainy so there was a lot of "everyone squeeze in as close to each other as you can so that we can fit as many people as possible inside." I hope THAT changes. But to say that theatre or any other large gatherings will never return is ridiculous. They are deeply ingrained in our society. They may take longer to come back than some other things, but they will be back. 

As for your comments about sex, you do realize that we are biologically wired to have sexual urges to guarantee the continuity of the human race, right?

 

 

Updated On: 4/12/20 at 05:22 PM

[Theater'sBestFriend]

Posted: 4/12/20 at 5:35pm

Since the plague of Athens didn't end theater in that city where it was invented 2,300 years ago (see Thucydides), I don't see why it would now. It wasn't just a leisure pastime; it was a religious experience, a divine gift that bound people to one another. That's a fundamental human need. Plague in medieval Europe was followed by the Renaissance. I don't see the human need for live arts changing.

However, one thing that could damage the return to theatergoing in New York would be mismanagement, politicization, dishonesty, selfishness, corruption or other dishonorable behaviors that undermine public trust in public health, governmental and other authorities. It's on all of us to remain honest and rational, and demand good governance. It's been abysmal at the federal level (where's testing? PPE? ventilators?), but much better at the local level. 

Shout out to those who've risen to the occasion and come together as a community. We're flattening the curve! Let's keep on it, and demand the same from our federal government. 

[PatrickDC]

Posted: 4/12/20 at 6:05pm

Something else I don’t recall reading in this thread is that we humans collectively tend to have short attention spans. Events like this — the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, 9/11, 2008 recession, etc., to name just a few things — came and went. Yes, society and business changed some things for better or worse, but people still live on the landfill of San Francisco’s Marina District, they still work in tall prominent NYC skyscrapers and fly on planes, and many spend and charge money they don’t need to instead of saving for a rainy day. Life will return to normal very soon, but maybe some changes for a while. We’ll likely see sanitizer stations everywhere and people may not shake hands as often with strangers. 
 

Also different people are responding in different ways to this. Some are freaking out, some are meh whatever, and all levels in between. Me, I can’t wait to go back to my first musical or play. I’ll be there opening night! 

[ChildofEarth]

Posted: 4/12/20 at 6:57pm

Live theater will always exist. Broadway will too.

May we see fewer shows in the next few years? It’s possible.

Will we see smaller shows? It’s likely.

Will there be more revivals of well known shows? Absolutely.

Will producers be willing to take risks? Not as many.


Despite crashes, people still drive and fly on planes. Despite shootings, people still go to school and concerts. Despite reviews, people still eat at Denny’s.

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/12/20 at 6:58pm

Dr. Fauci just said a few days ago that summer vacations may be a possibility this summer, but yes, keep acting like human existence as we know it is gone forever. 

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/12/20 at 7:38pm

PatrickDC said: "Something else I don’t recall reading in this thread is that we humans collectively tend to have short attention spans. Events like this — the 1989 LomaPrieta Earthquake, 9/11, 2008 recession, etc., to name just a few things — came and went. Yes, society and business changed some things for better or worse, but people still live on the landfill of San Francisco’s Marina District, they still work in tall prominent NYC skyscrapers and fly on planes, and many spend and charge money they don’t need to instead of saving for a rainy day. Life will return to normal very soon, but maybe some changes for a while. We’ll likely see sanitizer stations everywhere and people may not shake hands as often with strangers.


Alsodifferent people are responding in different ways to this. Some are freaking out, some are meh whatever, and all levels in between. Me, I can’t wait to go back to my first musical or play. I’ll be there opening night!"

 

My thoughts also. Except I don't see "normal" happening "very" soon but it will get back to it, with a few changes, over time. And I suspect that time will be about a year or so.

 

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 4/12/20 at 8:24pm

New or infrequent posters with something to say that might be considered out of the ordinary should not depend on the kindness of strangers.

I've said a couple of times that the Broadway business model does not work. Despite sky high ticket prices that keep shows from being seen by families of average income, most musicals still lose money. Cut ticket prices by a third and get more people excited about the show. They might even watch the Tony awards.

Maybe after the show has peaked in New York and the prices start to decline, could they pick up and move to another venue with a fresh set of advance sales? I believe that this is what they did with the My Fair Lady production directed by Julie Andrews in Australia. 

I'll also go back to the theme that a production's most valuable asset is its show. After one closes, within a reasonable time, get some recording of it out across the country. Somebody revived an old thread about the Live From Lincoln Center one nighter of Carousel with Kelli O'Hara, Nathan Gunn, Jessie Mueller. If they did not forget the date, the people saw the one or two broadcasts of the concert presidentation, but they all wanted more. Behind the times. Look at television. Networks producing and airing their own series and then renting or selling them to the viewers.

Would corporate sponsorship work. It continues to grow. The latest is sponsoring horse races. The RunHappy Travers Stakes. I don't know what kind of bucks they could get from this. Whether it would be significant. But people should start a conversation about possible solutions. 

 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 4/12/20 at 8:30pm

ChildofEarth said: "Live theater will always exist. Broadway will too.

May we see fewer shows in the next few years? It’s possible.

Will we see smaller shows? It’s likely.

Will there be more revivals of well known shows? Absolutely.

Will producers be willing to take risks? Not as many.


Despite crashes, people still drive and fly on planes. Despite shootings, people still go to school and concerts. Despite reviews, people still eat at Denny’s."

I agree with less shows and more revivals. The only question is, will said revivals be newly-imagined "revisals" like the recent West Side Story or Oklahoma!, or will they be more traditional like Hello, Dolly! or The Music Man? Could we possibly see both of these styles once Broadway reopens?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/12/20 at 9:19pm

Of course we will continue to see both.   (But now you agree that live theater isn't dead?)

[green waver]

Posted: 4/12/20 at 10:54pm

  Someone please remind me to revisit this thread in five years. I think it'll be a feel good moment for all of the posters-and especially Jordan! Hopefully we'll all be around to repost.

 

 

 

 

 

[BillyComet]

Posted: 4/13/20 at 2:28pm

Jordan, you are on a THEATRE message board and you don’t sound at all like a theatre fan.

The point of theatre is the live experience. They can offer as many virtual things or streaming shows as they want, but none of it will EVER compare to the experience and the art form of live theatre. No, it is NOT the end. We are ACHING to get back and it’s only been a month!