Industry Pro Newsletter: Fewer Royalties for Broadway Albums, One Year On from NPO Funding Changes

The funding models are changing - we’ve known this for more or less the whole time the industry has been re-emerging from the pandemic, and we’ve seen the struggles of regional theatres large and small as temporary government funding tied to the pandemic came to an end - but how are theatres in England doing one year removed from the largest reshuffle of national arts funding in history? We’ve got that story in the newsletter this week. We also look at the announced closure of Here Lies Love and the shows unusual path to Broadway, while we have a Forbes article looking at yet another change in the business model of Broadway as Spotify changes the formula for distributing royalties to artists.

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Employment Opportunity

Creative Director of Marketing - Mill Mountain Theatre

The Creative Director of Marketing is responsible for developing and implementing all of the company’s in-house marketing, public relations, and advertising strategies. The Creative Director of Marketing is responsible for promoting MMT’s events and mission through social media and engagement with press and news media outlets. They are responsible for collecting and distributing all media for MMT and keeping MMT’s online presence up to date.

Industry Trends

Forbes: Cut to Streaming Royalties Could Impact Broadway Cast Recordings

A potential reduction in streaming royalties poses a threat to Broadway cast recordings, as explored in this Forbes article. The piece delves into how changes in royalty rates for streaming services could affect the revenue streams for cast recordings of Broadway productions. The impact on artists and the industry's economic landscape is discussed, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by the Broadway community amid shifts in digital distribution models.

Actors' Equity Association and The Broadway League Reach Settlement of WAITRESS Grievance

Actors' Equity Association and The Broadway League have reached a settlement regarding a grievance related to the Broadway production of "WAITRESS." This BroadwayWorld article covers the resolution of the dispute, providing insights into the terms of the settlement. The agreement is a significant development in the relationship between actors and producers, signaling the resolution of specific issues related to the production and affirming the importance of equitable practices within the industry.

Broadway/New York

Industry Trends Weekly: HERE LIES LOVE Tries Hard, But Still Fails To Find Its Broadway Audience by Cara Joy David

This week we learned the last Broadway performance of Here Lies Love would take place on November 26. To some, it seemed rather shocking that a show that took so long to get here would run for so short a time. Others had been looking at the grosses for months wondering when the announcement would come. But I think even most folks in the second group were a little sad when the news broke. Those of us who believe in theatrical innovation were rooting for It.

The journey of musicals to Broadway is rarely super simple, but some paths are more complicated than others. Here Lies Love hit the Public in 2013. It was a big hit, leading to rumors of a transfer. But many wondered if Broadway was right for the immersive show; there was a search of ballrooms, warehouses, abandoned theaters, and parking lots. (The last may sound comical, but remember that isn’t far from what Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 did at the time—a temporary structure put up where there was no structure.) Then it simply went back to the Public for a longer run, before London and Seattle. When Seattle was announced, a lot was made of how the show would be reconfigured for a proscenium house. That gave people the impression it was going to be a more traditional staging, but the 2017 Here Lies Love engagement there still had the dance floor. And so obviously does the one here.

Having a dance floor in a Broadway house is an expensive proposition. Producers, not theater owners, typically pay to reconfigure the theater and put it back the way they found it when their show leaves. Theater fans know how much work was done on the Broadway—set designer David Korins essentially hosted online infomercials about it. That work did not come cheap; the show was reportedly capitalized at $22 million. Additionally, Here Lies Love had an onstage cast of 18, 12 musicians (some of which were actors doubling as musicians), and paid audience wranglers, meaning its weekly running cost was high. Traditional theater audience members were never going to be enough because many simply were not going to attend an immersive disco musical; Here Lies Love needed to attract new audience members.

I’ve heard many reasons from theater insiders on why it failed to catch on. Many question why it didn’t come sooner, pre-pandemic, where it might have capitalized on a “you can’t get into Hamilton, but you can get into this other show that also isn’t your grandmother’s musical” energy. That also would have meant Ben Brantley would have been the Times critic who reviewed it. Jesse Green did not champion the show, but Brantley had long been in its corner.

“Ben would have made it an event,” one person said to me. (I question the validity of this stance, given the dwindling power of critics, but I am reporting what I heard.) Others believed that the absence of Ruthie Ann Miles adversely impacted the mounting. Then some complained it was the confusing seating chart that did it in. Indeed, I didn’t know where to tell people to sit, even after I saw it. (I asked the press agent for info on whether standing or seating sold better and which seating did best, but I was not provided with it.) I heard people who hadn’t seen the show were confused about what it was—in other words, the messaging was unclear. And, of course, people blamed the ticket prices. I don’t disagree with any of this. Every strike against a show adds up and these were strikes.

But the failure of Here Lies Love also represents something more fundamental: our failure as an industry to target the right audiences. Story continues, click here to read more…

2023-25 Public Theater Emerging Writers Group Cohort Revealed

The Public Theater's Emerging Writers Group Cohort for 2023-25 has been unveiled, as reported by BroadwayWorld. This article outlines the selected writers and provides a glimpse into the diverse talents and voices included in this cohort. The Emerging Writers Group is a significant platform supporting new and underrepresented voices in theater. The piece offers insights into the individuals comprising the group, their backgrounds, and the potential impact of their work on the evolving landscape of Off-Broadway and beyond.

Regional

HowlRound: Who Designs and Directs at LORT Theatres by Pronoun

In the final year of this study, lighting designer Porsche McGovern explores what gave birth to the study in the first place, and how the field has progressed since the first year of looking at the data in the eight years the study has been in progress.

Orlando Shakes Appoints Larry Mabrey as New Managing Director

Orlando Shakes has appointed Larry Mabrey as its new Managing Director, according to BroadwayWorld. The article introduces Mabrey and highlights the significance of his role in shaping the future of Orlando Shakes. It provides a brief overview of Mabrey's background and accomplishments, offering insights into the leadership changes within the organization.

International

The Stage: One Year On: What the Companies That Lost NPO Funding Did Next

The Stage's article, "One Year On," reflects on the impact of losing National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) funding for several companies. Authored by Lyn Gardner, it provides insights into how these organizations navigated the challenges, adapted, and continued their artistic endeavors post-funding. This retrospective piece offers a comprehensive look at the resilience and strategies employed by companies in response to the funding changes by Arts Council England.

The Stage: Drew McOnie Appointed Artistic Director of Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

The Stage reports on Drew McOnie's appointment as the Artistic Director of Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. The article outlines McOnie's background and achievements, emphasizing his significant role in shaping the future of this prominent outdoor theatre venue. McOnie's artistic vision and leadership are expected to bring new dimensions to the theatre's programming, making this a noteworthy development in London's theatre scene.

Missed our last few newsletters?

November 6, 2023 - Banff Centre Board Dismissed, Goodspeed Musicals Crews Join IATSE

More data out last week about the impact of the arts on the economies of the cities and small towns that many regional theatres call home - and the results show that theatre not only contributes to the cultural life of a community, but is contributing significantly to the economic life of many small towns. Additionally, we’ve got stories about the backstage crews at Goodspeed Musicals joining IATSE, and a deeper look at why the full board of the Banff Centre was dismissed earlier this year.

October 30, 2023 - SAG-AFTRA Close to a Deal, Only 6% of Women in Theatre in the UK Feel an Increase in Opportunity

Some of our more significant stories this week come from across the pond: the first being that a new survey indicates that the vast majority of women working in theatre don’t feel like they are seeing an increase in opportunities. While the data comes from the UK, I think we would find a lot of anecdotal agreement in the US industry as well. In the UK, we also see yet another move away from the traditional Artistic Director model, and the impact of a new green travel initiative on theatregoers carbon emissions.

October 23, 2023 - Earlier Curtain Times, New NEA Data on Adult Participation in the Arts

With The National Theatre announcing experimenting with an earlier evening curtain time, Cara Joy David explores whether a similar experiment will be making its way to Broadway. New leadership at the Raven Theatre in Chicago, and New Rep in Boston has announced that they will be closing their doors after 40 years. The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis also announced fiscal troubles this week, resulting in the replacement of their traditional Christmas Carol, and the cancellation of two other previously announced productions. Meanwhile, new data shows that regional arts centers in Connecticut contributed more than $1 Billion in economic activity in the last year.

BroadwayWorld Resources

BroadwayWorld Stage Mag - A Fully Interactive Show Program

The digital solution to your show program needs - want to see what's possible? Check out the Stage Mag's for A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder and for The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)! Then start building your own at stagemag.broadwayworld.com.

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