 Industry Editor Exclusive: Women Playwrights Make Inroads, But Broadway Still Eludesby Cara Joy David - January 1, 2019 We have a lot of new plays on Broadway this season. Thirteen are currently set. There are also seven play revivals. Two of the new plays were written by women--both produced by non-profits and both already closed. Not one revival is of a play written by a woman. (more...)  Industry Editor Exclusive: Givenik- Broadway's Way to Give Backby Cara Joy David - December 24, 2018 Ten years ago, Jujamcyn Theaters founded Givenik, a service that enabled ticket buyers to give a little back to charity when buying tickets to a show. (more...)  Industry Editor Exclusive: BAT OUT OF HELL and the Tour That Never Wasby Cara Joy David - November 20, 2018 It was around 3pm on November 1, 2018. The members of the company of BAT OUT OF HELL, which was in the midst of an engagement at Toronto's Mirvish Theatre, received a text saying there would be a company meeting at 7pm. Nothing good ever comes of those; veterans knew there was something up. Once gathered, the Company Manager told them the bad news: the tour was ending where it began, in Toronto. The final performance there was to take place, as scheduled, two days later. The rest of the stops had been cancelled. Their futures were now uncertain. The night they were told that news, one actor broke his hand during the performance, another his foot. (more...)  Industry Editor Exclusive: Tony Awards Voting and the Flaw in the Systemby Cara Joy David - November 2, 2018 The Tony Awards policy has always been that in order to vote in a certain category, you needed to have seen all the shows nominated in that category. If, for example, you missed one show that was nominated in eight categories, those eight categories were off limits to you. Makes sense and seems a simple enough rule to remember. Except folks have constantly complained that people violate the policy and just vote regardless. (more...)  Industry Editor Exclusive: A Paperless Broadway- Technology in the Rehearsal Roomby Cara Joy David - October 19, 2018 Theater folks are not necessarily the first to embrace change or technology. So it's not surprising when you walk into a rehearsal room and see creatives sitting with giant binders of paper. But certain companies are trying to change that. (more...)  Industry Editor Exclusive: Revival(s) on the Horizonby Cara Joy David - October 1, 2018 We are still fairly early in the Broadway season, but it is never too early to start thinking of the Tony race. And what do people seem to be focused on? Whether the Roundabout Theatre Company revival of KISS ME, KATE, which is currently the only announced musical revival, will simply be handed a Tony. (more...)  Industry Editor Exclusive: The Fate of Broadway's Criticsby Cara Joy David - August 21, 2018 In the last few decades, theater has become much bigger business than it used to be. However, in that same period of time, the coverage of it in mainstream media outlets has dwindled. Many of us may not remember a time that off-Broadway openings were covered on Entertainment Tonight, but it happened. In recent years, even in America's theater epicenter, theater is losing ground in major publications. Neither The New York Post or The New York Daily News has a critic on staff any longer. It is hard to even tally the amount of veteran theater writers from around the country that have lost their jobs in the last decade. (more...)  Industry Editor Exclusive: TheaterWorksUSA's Summer Vacationby Cara Joy David - August 1, 2018 If you have kids, or just a love of children's theater, you may have noticed that TheaterWorksUSA-and, yes, after a rebranding, that is how to write it-is not presenting its free summer theater in New York this year. The program has happened almost every year since 1989, but not this one. (more...)  Industry Editor Exclusive: New York Stage and Film- Broadway's Upstate Playgroundby Cara Joy David - July 9, 2018 What do HAMILTON, THE HUMANS, DOUBT, SIDE MAN, THE WOLVES and AMERICAN IDIOT all have in common? They all started with New York Stage and Film (NYSAF). Since 1985, the non-profit's summer program, set at Vassar College, has presented a variety of readings, workshops and productions of in-development works. (more...)  Industry Editor Exclusive: The Trouble with Late Seatingby Cara Joy David - June 19, 2018 We've all had it happen--we're sitting in the theater, we're enjoying a scene and half a row in front of us gets up because of the arrival of a latecomer. You think: 'Can no one stop these people?' (more...)  Industry Editor Exclusive: The Year Away for FringeNYCby Cara Joy David - May 8, 2018 When FringeNYC announced in fall 2016 that it would take a year off, some wondered if it would come back. After all, since the festival began in 1997, many others have sprung up around the city. Was there really a need for it? FringeNYC producer The Present Company believes there is. (more...)  Industry Exclusive: Solving This Year's Biggest Tony Nomination Mysteriesby Cara Joy David - May 1, 2018 As we enter into this, the most industry of all industry times, there are some Tony related questions that many believe need answering. (more...)  Industry Editor Exclusive: THE STONE WITCH- Donations to a Non-Profit with a Commercial Upsideby Cara Joy David - March 30, 2018 Very rarely do you hear of new ways to invest in, or contribute to, the theater. Something surprised me recently however--on the website for the off-Broadway commercial production of THE STONE WITCH, you can make a tax deductible donation to the Berkshire Theatre Group (BTG) and have the money go to THE STONE WITCH. According to producers Laura Janik Cronin and Darlene Kaplan, the money goes not to increase BTG's share of the profits, but rather to keep the show afloat. (more...)  Industry Editor Exclusive: Actors' Equity vs. ROCKTOPIAby Cara Joy David - March 16, 2018 When you think Broadway, a lot of things come to mind. For me one of them is unions because I've had to cover many a threatened strike in my day. Except Actors' Equity, the union that represents actors and stage managers, doesn't have a hold on every Broadway show. It has a contract with the Broadway League for 'First Class Performances,' as defined by the Dramatists Guild. That generally means what we think of as Broadway plays or musicals, though the actual definition is way more confusing: 'live stage productions of [a] play on the speaking stage. . . under Producer's own management, in a regular evening bill in a first class theatre in a first class manner, with a first class cast and a first class director.' The trouble hits for Equity when shows come that aren't what we traditionally think of as a play or a musical with people we traditionally call actors. In those cases, if the producer is a member of The Broadway League, which has a production contract with Actors' Equity, that producer has an obligation to at least try to negotiate with Equity, at least according to an Equity spokesperson Brandon Lorenz. If a producer is not a member of the League, and is bringing in a show that is not a 'First Class Performance,' there is no obligation for that producer to even speak to Equity. Except Equity wants all producers to speak with them and they are willing to put pressure on producers to do just that. The latest example is the current situation with ROCKTOPIA. (more...)  Industry Editor Exclusive: To Dim or Not to Dim? How Broadway Chooses When to Dim Its Marqueesby Cara Joy David - March 2, 2018 A couple of weeks ago when five-time Tony nominee Jan Maxwell died, I assumed the marquees of Broadway theaters would be dimmed. I emailed the Broadway League--the association of theatre owners and producers who issues press releases on such things--to ask 'when' it would happen. I don't know why I automatically assumed it would. (more...)  Industry Editor Exclusive: How THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG Went Rightby Cara Joy David, Industry Editor - February 15, 2018 In fall 2016, when it was announced that THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG was coming to Broadway in the spring, I don't think many in the community thought it was the best idea ever. It was a play with no stars, announced for an open-ended run at The Lyceum Theatre (not exactly a house of hits). It was a success in London, but decidedly British seeming. Mischief Theatre, the company that created it, was an unknown quantity in the United States. The one 'name' it had was television and film producer/director/writer J.J. Abrams, who signed on as a producer after seeing it in the West End. And even his involvement was perplexing-known for his eye for action fare, the early ads humorously stated he 'must have lost a bet.' Yet the show is still running, making it Broadway's longest running play. (more...)  Industry Editor Exclusive: How Broadway's Dealing with #MeToo and #TimesUpby Cara Joy David, Industry Editor - January 31, 2018 It is hard to be the first person to report someone's harassment. Even in this day and age, with the TimesUp and MeToo movements, most individuals are afraid to be labelled forevermore as the person who came out against X person. What happens if no one else chimes in? Will you look like a liar? And--even if you did want to come forward--how would you do it? Going straight to the media is not the right call for everyone, and the media also doesn't care about every harasser. (more...)  Industry Editor Exclusive: 1984 and Beyond - How the Tony Awards Committee Makes Their Determinationsby Cara Joy David - November 20, 2017 A couple of weeks ago, the Tony Awards Administration Committee made news when it declared 1984 ineligible to receive a Tony Award. The decision covered not only the play itself, but everyone who worked on it. What happened? (more...)  Industry Editor Exclusive: Paper Mill Playhouse - Broadway's Closest Out-of-Town Tryout Homeby Cara Joy David, Industry Editor - November 8, 2017 About ten-and-a-half years ago, Paper Mill Playhouse was in such financial trouble it was on the verge of closing. This season the 2016 Regional Theatre Tony-winning theater is hosting two world premiere musicals and two east coast premieres. How did the turnaround happen? (more...)  Industry Editor Exclusive: What Ever Happened to Broadway 4D?by Cara Joy David, Industry Editor - October 19, 2017 It's been five-and-a-half years since Broadway 4D was announced and many barely remember it. Those that do however frequently ask me about it. Will that ever happen? What even was it? What was recorded for it? (more...)  Industry Editor Exclusive: Inside THE RIDE's Theatrical Quest to Take Over the Streets of NYC & Beyondby Cara Joy David, Industry Editor - October 4, 2017 In summer 2010, something described in a Variety article as a 'melding of a Broadway show and a Gray Line bus tour' was announced and I was very confused. And maybe appalled. In late fall of that year, when the giant buses labelled THE RIDE hit the streets, none of these feelings subsided. Now, seven years later, THE RIDE is a hard-to-describe but well-known fixture on New York City streets, even being parodied on THE SIMPSONS and, more recently, DIFFICULT PEOPLE. Yet, despite the long lines to board, it still has yet to make money. (more...) Industry Editor Exclusive: The Rise and Fall of Cirque du Soleil on Broadway by Cara Joy David, Industry Editor - September 20, 2017 The early success of Disney on Broadway led other successful entertainment companies to believe that conquering the Great White Way possibly was not that hard. But, as Warner Bros' first foray into the lead producing game, LESTAT, proved, it's not as easy as opening and tossing some money at marketing. And now, after a sole Broadway show, PARAMOUR, Cirque du Soleil has essentially shuttered its theatrical division, Cirque du Soleil Theatrical. A spokesperson for Cirque confirmed that former head Scott Zeiger is no longer with the company. (more...) Industry Editor Exclusive: The Mysteries of Success and Failure for Broadway on the Road by Cara Joy David, Industry Editor - September 7, 2017 We all think we know a lot about Broadway financing. We read capitalization numbers in stories. The Broadway League puts out weekly grosses and, even though we may not know a show's exact weekly running cost, those in the know can approximate. It is obvious when a show opens and closes on the Great White Way. Tours get into murkier territories. (more...) Industry Editor Exclusive: Inside Broadway's Social Media Problem; What Can and Can't Go Up by Cara Joy David, Industry Editor - August 25, 2017 Social media is an increasing part of every business, including the theater business. There is some debate about what it means for ticket sales, but it is clear that it can mean a lot to increase actors' profiles. Actors who would have only been truly known by a select group of theater insiders have thousands of followers on Twitter and Instagram. Some report being asked about those numbers, and Facebook fan page likes, by casting directors and directors. But it's not necessarily easy for actors to share on social media. There are some impediments. (more...) |
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