Broadway By Fall?- Page 2

[Theater3232]

Posted: 3/3/21 at 11:50am

I imagine the Excelsior Pass would be helpful in most cases, but what if someone tested negative 72 hours ago and picked it up on the subway on the way to the venue?  https://pix11.com/news/coronavirus/vaccine-passport-app-for-large-stadiums-arenas-tested-in-new-york  I think most New Yorkers would be okay with using it, but would that hurt shows dependent on tourists who may not want to use it?

[HogansHero]

Posted: 3/3/21 at 12:15pm

Theater3232 said: "I imagine the Excelsior Pass would be helpful in most cases, but what if someone tested negative 72 hours ago and picked it up on the subway on the way to the venue? https://pix11.com/news/coronavirus/vaccine-passport-app-for-large-stadiums-arenas-tested-in-new-york I think most New Yorkers would be okay with using it, but would that hurt shows dependent on tourists who may not want to use it?"

The idea of the trial use of the pass is that the same app could store vaccine data once it has become widespread. The current use of the pass is in the context of large-scale, socially distanced venues. By fall, vaccines should allow us to eliminate the social distancing. The big concern with tourists is that, while mask-wearing is quite ubiquitous among city residents, and the idea of going into an establishment without a mask is unimaginable, even for those who are generally cranky about wearing a mask, the same is not true for some of those who live in places like Texas who will have a hard time wrapping their immoral brains around the fact that they can't open their hotel room door without first donning a mask.  

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/3/21 at 12:33pm

The interest in Broadway will be huge right out of the gate, just like the sports games that have been happening recently. By Fall, people will be wanting to go on vacation, spend all that money they saved during this time, and be entertained. Australia's numbers are very strong for theater-goers and very expensive. Broadway patrons will be willing to pay any price to get back to it which is why they will be extremely expensive. The want will be there immediately, in my opinion. 

Updated On: 3/3/21 at 12:33 PM

[HogansHero]

Posted: 3/3/21 at 3:51pm

From our privileged perches, things look rosy, but as every marketing person who is not sleeping well right now will tell you, the old normal is not coming back in the snap of anyone's finger. No one expects real tourism before spring of next year at the earliest.

[persephone88]

Posted: 3/3/21 at 5:55pm

I don't think you can expect to see a lot of out of towners coming up for Broadway shows until the quarantine restrictions have become more manageable. For many of us on the East coast who will drive or take the train into NYC from out of state, the current requirement to quarantine for three days prior to being out in public would definitely keep me away from the theaters and any other tourist draws. For those of us not in the immediate surrounding area of New York State, having to pay three days worth of New York hotel rates before being able to get out to a show would not be worth the cost. Hopefully as vaccination rates climb, the quarantine restrictions will not need to be so long for out of towners.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/3/21 at 6:08pm

For anyone saying tourists won’t be comfortable back in the city for a while - walk into Times Square. It looks like it did a year ago. Tourists are coming back and they’re very comfortable being in crowds.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/3/21 at 6:24pm

Correct. Any and all concerts happening around the world are packed and sold out. People are ready now and they sure as hell will be ready by September. 

Expect huge crowds and huge ticket prices. Period. 

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 3/3/21 at 8:03pm

Desire and ability are two things. I don’t think we’ve seen the full impact of the economic hit the country took. I think it remains to be seen how many people can afford to travel. While some have been saving, many are struggling and many are in dire situations. The events that are happening now are filled with the most privileged (season ticket holders with first access and those with disposable income.)

If ticket prices are what they were,
I think there will be a decline in attendance. People flush with cash with pack a Hugh Jackman show. A show like that will probably never feel the hit even in a recession.

I truly hope some of the govt money goes to Broadway houses to keep them afloat if smaller audiences are an initial requirement.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 3/3/21 at 8:06pm

Those "tourists" in Times Square are (a) basically local and (b) to my eye, not theatregoers. Patience. Plus I'd love to know where all of these packed/sold out concerts are. To repeat, no one expects huge crowds and everyone is scared to death about pricing. My friends from CT came in and stayed in a hotel that would have been $400-500 a year ago. $78. Walk around and look at the closed hotels. Finger snaps only work in certain gay bars. When they reopen.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/3/21 at 8:14pm

I think I’ve lived in midtown for enough decades to recognize a local and the hundreds gathered shoulder to shoulder watching the breakdancer or taking selfies with their tourist shopping bags aren’t locals.

Again - NOBODY is saying things are going to go back to normal right away. Nobody. No ones said that. But people do want to do things and when given the opportunity again, they will.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/3/21 at 8:44pm

I think there will need to be some sort of prolonged reopening campaign, something like the old I Love NY campaigns in the late 70s and after 9/11, to drum up interest- and also to provide these productions time to get back into shape and start building up war chests of ticket sales again.

I don't think there will be proverbial hordes at the gate, waiting for the second they re-open. There will be people who are cautious, people who still are recovering from losing work, people who believe that NYC is a criminal-controlled war zone. There will be people who need coaxing and convincing.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 3/3/21 at 9:16pm

Jordan Catalano said: "I think I’ve lived in midtown for enough decades to recognize a local and the hundreds gathered shoulder to shoulder watching the breakdancer or taking selfies with their tourist shopping bags aren’t locals.

Again - NOBODY is saying things are going to go back to normal right away. Nobody. No ones said that. But people do want to do things and when given the opportunity again, they will."

Let's call them regionals then. They are not folks from overseas, or Canada, or even Chicago. Central PA does tourist as well as anyone, and they are exempt from quarantine.

I've never gotten the impression you we suggesting normal right away, but that's how I read Sutton's "People are ready now and they sure as hell will be ready by September./Expect huge crowds and huge ticket prices. Period." (Much less Sutton's earlier post. That's what I was reacting to, not anything you said.)

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 3/3/21 at 11:57pm

Maybe there could be more of a marriage between the hotel and entertainment industry offering lower prices than usual.

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 3/4/21 at 11:02am

I agree there will be huge demand right out of the gate.  I think the question is will that sustain.  Yes, tourism is starting to pick up again, but I still think we're looking at mid-late 2022 at the earliest for it to really recover and reach the pre-pandemic levels again.  So if, let's say, shows start again September.  September-December will probably be packed with a combination of a) the tourists comfortable enough to come back and see a show and b) locals desperate to get back to the theatre who will be seeing as much as they can.  But come January, will those locals still be seeing every show they can and will there still be a huge influx of tourists coming in ready to see shows?  That's the real question.

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 3/5/21 at 9:32am

I’ll be honest that if ticket prices are any more pricey than pre closure that would 1) either price me out of being able to attend 2) extremely limit the number of shows that I could take in.

I know probably more individuals where theatre has become too expensive they can no longer attend. Unless they keep the rush/lotto. But even by moving them online the pool has become so large.

I know so many couples, families, individuals where prices beyond about 80-100$ makes it inaccessible. Which so many getting up and sitting in line at 7 am became worth it to see a show for 20-30$.
I am afraid that even with reopening theatre will become an entertainment form for the elites. And with the “social” atmosphere likely gone. Like stage doors or audience interactions. Pre/post shows. I’m afraid this will no longer be a form that can bring families or younger aspiring artists to the theatre

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 3/5/21 at 12:52pm

I mean you’ve got to think about the actors too. All unmasked performing close to each other. How do you regulate that? The orchestra? Those have to go into account. And also the rehearsal period which will prob be longer to get shows back up and running. New casting etc.

All the new casting stuff I’ve seen have been for one person shows or like Million Dollar Quartet type shows.

I’m hopefully though! And I stayed at the Citizen M hotel in Nov of 2020 for like $70 a night! Crazy!

[HogansHero]

Posted: 3/5/21 at 1:12pm

SouthernCakes said: "I mean you’ve got to think about the actors too. All unmasked performing close to each other. How do you regulate that? The orchestra? Those have to go into account. And also the rehearsal period which will prob be longer to get shows back up and running. New casting etc."

Those people will have been vaccinated before proceeding. Why would the rehearsal period be longer? Longer than what?

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 3/5/21 at 5:55pm

HogansHero said: "SouthernCakes said: "I mean you’ve got to think about the actors too. All unmasked performing close to each other. How do you regulate that? The orchestra? Those have to go into account. And also the rehearsal period which will prob be longer to get shows back up and running. New casting etc."

Those people will have been vaccinated before proceeding. Why would the rehearsal period be longer? Longer than what?"

I think they mean longer than usual pick-up rehearsals for when, say, a new cast member is put into the show. Even if shows bring back their original cast members, it’ll be 18 months since they last performed. Most will have to learn their track from scratch.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 3/5/21 at 6:23pm

Exactly Alex not to mention new cast members and that process

[HogansHero]

Posted: 3/5/21 at 8:26pm

We are all on the same page then. I thought you meant longer than for a new production which obv doesn't make sense. I expect virtually all shows will do at least 4 weeks, and I would not be surprised if there is a frameowrk worked out between AEA and the League.

[unclevictor]

Posted: 3/6/21 at 12:48am

Rumor has it (local 1 rumors) Hamilton is planning on opening July 4th. Seems appropriate. Hope it happens! What a way to celebrate America’s bday. But now as I type this, shows don’t usually happen on July 4th, right? Maybe they’re making an exception? That’s a lot of holiday $$$ to pay people!

[HogansHero]

Posted: 3/6/21 at 1:13am

That "rumor" (more of an aspiration I suspect) was in the Post around Thanksgiving and has been reported as such elsewhere since (and I think discussed here). And the other baggage that rumor is carrying around is that all tickets will set you back 100 Hamiltons a pop. Could they do it as a stunt? Maybe, depending on a lot of other things we don't know yet, but I can't imagine a lot of sources I would be more skeptical of on this one that Local Uno. PS: holiday pay? lol

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 3/6/21 at 11:11am

Yeah, unclevictor is correct here. At least for 2019, Broadway shows are usually dark on Fourth of July. Check out this playbill article. 

Updated On: 3/7/21 at 11:11 AM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 3/6/21 at 11:20am

I’m curious which shows exactly will return right away. I’m wondering if Wicked, The Lion King, Chicago and other long runners will return for a few months. Maybe they could sell out just because the local crowd will want to watch those shows? But after they get through the local audience they’ll close and wait for international tourism to return to open back up.

I could definitely see the newer shows who haven’t yet burned through their local base yet coming right away. Like Six, Girl From The North Country, Jagged Little Pill, Diana, and Tina.

Regarding the rehearsal process, I can definitely see everyone having a preview period of some sort.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 3/6/21 at 1:40pm

This is another one of those occasions where it is well to remember that there are no rules. 

Shows almost always perform on July 4 if they have a scheduled matinee. Shows almost always cancel the evening performances. Shows that cancel the evening performance sometimes reschedule it as a matinee on the same day. 

People who pontificate about rules usually end up looking silly.