Industry Insight
Industry Editor Exclusive: Inside THE RIDE's Theatrical Quest to Take Over the Streets of NYC & BeyondIndustry Editor Exclusive: Inside THE RIDE's Theatrical Quest to Take Over the Streets of NYC & Beyond
by 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 BroadwayIndustry 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 RoadIndustry 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 UpIndustry 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...)
Industry Editor Exclusive: Breaking Down Ambassador Theatre Group's Broadway Invasion; An International AffairIndustry Editor Exclusive: Breaking Down Ambassador Theatre Group's Broadway Invasion; An International Affair
by Cara Joy David, Industry Editor - August 7, 2017

For a community dependent on tourists, Broadway does not like outsiders. So it is no surprise that when in 2013 Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG), a large theater owner and producing conglomerate in the UK, paid approximately $60 million for a long-term lease on one of Broadway's largest, but most troubled, venues, the industry took notice. (more...)