Sound Theatre To Offer COST OF LIVING On-Demand Streaming, June 22-30

The show (and the stream) must go on: Sound Theatre Company has announced that its Seattle premiere of Cost of Living will also offer hybrid/streaming viewing options accessible to audiences nationwide.

The company will host numerous special engagement performances (ranging from captioned to Sensory-Friendly shows) to foster accessibility and dialogue-building around the Pulitzer-winning play which follows the deeply moving parallel journeys of two caregivers and two disabled characters. Tickets for the general run are now on sale.

With a 2022 Broadway run, a 2018 Pulitzer win, and four Tony Award nominations, Cost of Living remains a seldom-produced play due, in part, to a script note by playwright Martyna Majok: producers must authentically cast disabled actors for characters John (who lives with cerebral palsy) and Ani (who has a spinal cord injury). 

Through a digital presentation license, audiences nationwide can remotely view the play two ways: via a 2PM PST livestream on June 11, or a Video On Demand presentation with a target start of June 20 and closing June 30. Both will run on theatrical streaming platform Broadway On Demand (now powered by Stellar Tickets).

It's the end of an era: June 30, 2023 marks the expiration date of a temporary pandemic-era agreement by Actors Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA to address live theatre recorded or streamed for exhibition to a remote audience. 

In-person audiences should note Sound Theatre's Sunday June 11 matinee show will be livestreamed and does not conflict with the 5PM PST/8PM EST 76th Annual Tony Awards live telecast.

Other Cost of Living Special Engagements (Seattle, WA audiences)

In addition to a remote-accessible presentation, Sound Theatre will offer multiple special engagement performances, including talkbacks, to create tailored theatre experiences.

Scenic design by Brian Boyd, for example, allows for up to 20 wheelchairs to comfortably navigate the Studio Theatre space. Immunocompromised audience members may choose between two all-vaccinated shows (note: all shows will require masking), whereas Deaf and Hard of Hearing audiences can choose between several accessible shows.  

The planned special engagement performances are as follows (and subject to change):

Week 1

Thursday June 9, 7:30 PM – Preview

Saturday June 10, 7:30 PM – Opening Night

Sunday June 11, 2023, 2PM – Livestream Filming

Week 2

Thursday June 15, 7:30 PM – All-Vaccinated Show

Friday June 16, 7:30PM - English-Captioned Show

Sunday June 18, 2:00 PM – Sensory-Friendly Show

Week 3

Monday June 19, 7:30 PM – English-Captioned Show and Industry Night

Saturday June 24, 2:00 PM – All-Vaccinated Show

Saturday June 24, 7:30 PM – English-Captioned Show

Sunday June 25, 2:00 PM – Tactile Tour and Pre-Show Engagement

Thursday June 29, 2023, 7PM - Spanish-Captioned Show

Week 4

Saturday July 1, 2:00 PM – English-Captioned Show

Saturday July 1, 7:30 PM – Closing Night

Sound Theatre will host audience talkbacks with mutual aid groups WashMasks and Super Familia (Saturday June 17 and Thursday June 29), as well as other pending talkbacks with other local organizations.

COST OF LIVING opens June 10 at 12th Avenue Arts. Tickets for June 11 live streaming are now available for purchase. For updates on Video On Demand release date and special engagements, visit www.soundtheatrecompany.org/costofliving