Reality T.V. Responsible for West End Boom?

It is something no artiste would like to admit, but according to a report in the London Evening Standard today, West End box offices may have reality television to thank for its swelled intake.

With programs such as John Barrowman's How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? and Any Dream Will Do talent searches for the next stars of blockbuster hits have, undeniably aided in ticket sales, as these programs have brought West End theater to the attention of entirely new audiences.

According to the Evening Standard, The Society of London Theatre polled 716 people about the influence of TV talent programs on the productions for which they were most likely to purchase tickets. Almost half said the reality shows made them more apt to see the musical in question.

What is more, such reality programs have made stars out of what would otherwise be working talent, including such performers as Lee Mead, Connie Fisher and Jodie Prenger lead roles in Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Sound Of Music and Oliver!, respectively.

A Ipsos Mori poll additionally revealed that one third of people who watchedmusical-related reality television programs were more likely to see any musical than not.  One fourth of this same batch questioned said that they would consider attending a non-musical as well as a result of the program.

to read the full report in the Evening Standard, click here.

So while this may be hard to stomach for some committed to their craft, such as Old Vic artistic director Kevin Spacey who has blasted the BBC for exploiting commercial theater through petty, publicized contest, reality television's lucrative impact on any product seems to be a relatively sure thing.  It was reality television that made stars like Jessica Simpson famous, the show catapulting her album Sweetest Sin from barely chartable to number 2.  It was also reality television that launched Paris' Hilton's empire (The Simple Life, anyone?).  

So while many thespians may like to think that good old fashioned theater is immune from the 'fame and money gained through overexposure on reality television' game, best reserved for those "other" indutries, perhaps the new media really is infiltrating their world for the box office better, whether it offends the craft or not.

 

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