Industry Pro Newsletter: NEA Sees Increased Funding, AEA and Broadway League Reach Agreement

Happy Holidays to all! As the year draws to a close, Cara Joy David offers us a preview of some of the decisions facing the Administration Committee of the Tony Awards in regards to the plays of this season. We've also got some good news out of Washington for the industry, as the NEA received increased funding in the most recent budget passed by Congress, a look at the uncertain future of Victory Gardens Theater, and a new 101 article exploring our observations on banner best practices for promoting shows.

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Industry Trends

New Budget Includes Increased Funding for the Arts

The newly passed federal budget includes an increase in funding for the National Endowment for the Arts of nearly $27 million, bringing total funding in fiscal year 2023 for the NEA to $207 million. Actors' Equity, among other industry organizations, applauded the move. Click here to read more...

Banners 101: What Should My Banner Ads Look Like?

As you build out your marketing plan for next year, if it includes a digital advertising budget, we've got some best practices for your banner advertisements that we've been witnessing throughout this past year. Click here to read more..

Broadway/New York

The Tony Admin Committee is Poised to Change the Tony Race by Cara Joy David

By the end of December, there has traditionally been one meeting of the Tony Awards Administration Committee to determine Tony eligibility. This season there has yet to be a meeting, leaving open a big question: which plays will be revivals and which will be new.

Since the 2002-2003 season, the Administration Committee can name something a "revival" even if it was never previously on Broadway. That season Terrence McNally's FRANKIE AND JOHNNY IN THE CLAIR DE LUNE was ruled eligible in the revival category and, years later, the same for his IT'S ONLY A PLAY. Martin McDonagh's THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN is another play that was named a revival. His HANGMEN, on the other hand, was considered a new play last season, even though it premiered in London in 2015. HANGMEN's trajectory was unusual however -- its American premiere wasn't until 2018 and the pandemic thwarted its 2020 Broadway birth.

Producers answer whether the script they are producing has "been previously produced in any manner that would suggest that it has become a "classic" or has entered into the historical or popular repertoire." The Administration Committee then determines, "in its sole discretion," whether a play is "new" or a "revival." This season most think OHIO STATE MURDERS will be deemed revival and the other on-the-fence shows (THE KITE RUNNER, COST OF LIVING, BETWEEN RIVERSIDE AND CRAZY, THE THANKSGIVING PLAY) will be eligible as new plays. But does that make sense under the rule? Let's look.

THE KITE RUNNER: San Jose Repertory hosted the play's world premiere in 2009. THE KITE RUNNER then had several major American mountings, including at the Arizona Theatre Company, Actors Theatre of Louisville and Cleveland Play House. It has also played internationally, notably having West End runs and UK tours.

COST OF LIVING: After premiering at Williamstown in 2016, COST ran off-Broadway in 2017 and won the 2018 Pulitzer. A representative from Broadway Licensing stated it has been licensed "dozens of times." Many of the planned productions at major theaters were delayed because of the pandemic. The Broadway production was the off-Broadway production with two new cast members, making this mounting akin to a delayed transfer.

BETWEEN RIVERSIDE AND CRAZY: Another show that is a Pulitzer winner, has been licensed "dozens of times" according to Broadway Licensing and came to Broadway with its director and much of its cast from an off-Broadway mounting. But RIVERSIDE is older and better known than COST. The 2015 Second Stage production followed a 2014 Atlantic Theater run. Subsequently it has been mounted at such major regionals as Steppenwolf, Pittsburgh Public Theater and Cleveland Play House.

OHIO STATE MURDERS: This drama premiered at Cleveland's Great Lakes Theater Festival in 1992, so it is the oldest. It has been produced off-Broadway twice (at Signature and Theatre for a New Audience) and has had scattered other mountings, including at Washington University in St. Louis and The American Repertory Theatre. During the pandemic, a few companies presenting streaming versions of the piece. But Adrienne Kennedy's plays are famously taught more than produced and the question is whether a play was "produced in any manner" such that it should be considered a revival. (Caveat: Licensing companies always share specific numbers or general guidance as to the number of licenses. By sharing this semi-public information, the licensor can ensure accuracy and also spin the figure. Concord Theatricals oddly didn't provide numerical guidance for this story, so the facts I'm providing about this play and THE THANKSGIVING PLAY are based solely on my own research.)

THE THANKSGIVING PLAY: This play premiered at the Artists Repertory Theatre in April 2018 and ran at Playwrights Horizons later that year. It was one of American Theatre's most produced plays of the 2019-2020 season and has been licensed at least forty times. Its mountings include runs at Cincinnati Playhouse, Geffen Theatre, and Lyric Stage Company. The Broadway production is not the off-Broadway production, so it cannot be considered a transfer.

The Administration Committee is expected to meet in January and determine eligibility for the first four of these plays.

AEA and The Broadway League Agree to New 3-Year Contract

According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, members of Actor's Equity have voted to approve the 3-year collective bargaining agreement for Broadway shows and sit-down productions. Actors' Equity has been in negotiations with the Broadway League since September. The new agreement will be in effect through September 28, 2025. Click here to read more...

Regional

Future Remains Uncertain for Victory Gardens Theater

According to reporting from the Chicago Reader, though the board at Victory Gardens has announced that no plans were in place for the 2023 season, there had been a plan and shows selected for the season at the time the board dismissed then Artistic Director Ken-Matt Martin, and ultimately the rest of the staff. What this ultimately means is that the future of the once venerable institution remains deeply unclear. Click here to read more...

Reggie D. White Joins Artistic Leadership Team at Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Reggie D. White is now the Associate Artistic Director of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep), the premier regional arts theater in the Midwest. White has more than 20 years of theater experience, including more than 10 years as an accomplished artist, arts champion, and educator. With a strong acting career in New York, Off-Broadway, regional theatre, and internationally, White's writing and directing display his wide range of experiences both on and off the stage. White joins Artistic Director Hana S. Sharif and Associate Artistic Director/Director of New Work, Becks Redman as the artistic leaders of the institution. Click here to read more...

International

Royal Shakespeare Company "Well on the way" to Post-Covid Recovery

The Royal Shakespeare company reported a £12.4 million gain in box office revenue from 2021/22 compared to 2020/21. The RSC made £94,000 from ticket sales in 2020/21, despite lockdowns restricting activity. For 2021-2022, this increased to £12.5 million, as those restrictions ended. Click here to read more...

Missed our last few newsletters?

December 19, 2022 - Drabinsky/Osnes Lawsuits, London Offering a Ticket Bank

Amid continued economic uncertainty, a wave of closing notices have hit Broadway - but why aren't audiences coming? In London, in response to the rising cost of living, the government has announced a plan to create the cultural equivalent of a food bank - providing free tickets and access to cultural institutions for those that are struggling to make ends meet. Meanwhile, Cara Joy David offers analysis on two newly recently filed lawsuits. Click here to read more...

December 12, 2022 - Roundabout Going Dark on Broadway

As the end-of-year fundraising pushes are in full swing, a few different stories this week underscore the precarious position the industry finds itself in - new research from IMPACTS highlights the importance of mission in soliciting both donations and membership renewals, the Met works to recover from a cyber attack, and as Cara Joy David reports, Roundabout will be dark on Broadway this Spring. Click here to read more...

December 5, 2022 - BWW 20th Hosts Announced, A Tentative Agreement Between AEA and the Broadway League

With voting underway in the BroadwayWorld Awards around the globe, it is an exciting time around the BroadwayWorld offices - but nothing has been more exciting than our announcement last week of our 20th Anniversary Celebration set to take place on May 21, 2023 at Sony Hall in the theatre district. The event will be hosted by none other than BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge and Tony Award-Winning Broadway Legend Chita Rivera. This is an event we're all thrilled about, and can't wait to release more details as the date gets closer. Click here to read more...

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.

Add Your Show to our Regional Events Calendar

As audiences get set to return to in-person performances, and as your company works to market your own return to the stage, make sure you've got your upcoming shows in our regional events calendars. Listings are free of charge, with boosting options available. Get your show listed now

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