Broadway League To Announce Further Broadway Closure til May 30th- Page 4

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 10/10/20 at 2:51pm

You made $1300 a week as a waiter? Impressive.

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 10/10/20 at 3:55pm

Is there a chance that Off Broadway or Off Off Broadway will open sooner?

[HogansHero]

Posted: 10/10/20 at 4:56pm

SmoothLover said: "Is there a chance that Off Broadway or Off Off Broadway will open sooner?"

I think this is extremely likely. Because of the non-profit nature of most of off- and off-off B, capacity limits will be more viable (and some spaces will lend themselves more easily to reconfiguration), plus they are rarely tourist-dependent. 

[Kad]

Posted: 10/10/20 at 5:02pm

A lot of the major off-Broadway spaces are also more modern than Broadway houses.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 10/10/20 at 5:09pm

Sutton Ross said: "You made $1300 a week as a waiter? Impressive. "

Yup!! Great spot! 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 10/10/20 at 5:11pm

The reality is that health and safety is the main priority. While the ramifications of the Broadway shutdown are severe, entertainment is the epitome of non-essential business, and it's ridiculous to hide behind unemployment to mask a selfish desire to run out and see Company. Live theater is simply not financially viable without a vaccine. I don't know a single person working on Broadway who would risk their health for money simply because some people are bored at home.

THIS EXACTLY. People are so selfish, so demanding, but I'd also like to add that when they're saying theater is not accessible, that's not true. It's not accessible to people who demand it and want it, a generation who is so used to streaming services, getting things by a click of a button whenever they want it. That's simply not a viable argument. That's greed. There's so many ways to discover theater, so many things that people like Seth Rudetsky are doing like Stars in The House. I think we live in an incredibly modern time, and people are expecting theater to just automatically catch up with that. That's not how it works. That's not how this centuries old form of entertainment works.

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/10/20 at 5:15pm

SouthernCakes said: "As someone in the industry it’s been rough! Seeing friends - including myself - leaving the city because we simply can’t afford to live there anymore. I went from making around $1300/wk to $400.

And not just the actors: think stage managers, front of house, box office, Ticketmaster employees, etc. It’s really a travesty."

And I would add to that, Merch people, bartenders/snack concessions, and hearing device people. A lot of those people do these jobs as supplemental income to make ends meet. Porter/cleaning staff. Also TDF/TKTS employees and Ticket buyers like Today Tix runners. Also stage crew and those who do load ins and load outs (Not just for theater).

 

Updated On: 10/10/20 at 05:15 PM

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 10/10/20 at 6:19pm

I sincerely hope that these people all can come back next year and resume their jobs. It kills me to think some people will just never return. 

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 10/10/20 at 7:29pm

FORGET THE DAMNED VACCINE. The vaccine fetish is exhausting.
LIVE THEATRE is happening elsewhere in the world and some of those productions are reproduction companies of Broadway and West End shows that look just as they did on stage BEFORE the pandemic.

Let's try using some specificity here..
The problem is NOT that we can not do it safely.
The problem is NOT that we do not have the knowledge.
See above - we have the knowledge and we COULD be doing it.

The problem is that WITHIN the industry, we need actually need the powers that be on all sides of the table to actively agree on something and not do what they have specialized in for 100 years - which is trying to eat each other alive and squeeze blood out of a stone.
The problem is that we have landlords who often get a tax credit for any empty theatre and rarely ever see a point in actually investing in the building itself... and when they do, it is to make it look shinier for an audience and to cram more bodies (and more larger bodies) into a space, not to look after the health of cast and crew (just ask around about respiratory infections... it's gross).
The problem is that no matter WHAT we do INSIDE of our buildings, we are the mercy of what happens OUTSIDE of our theatre buildings... inept / criminally negligent federal response, and equally terrible state response (because we have 50 states plus the territories, and we are only as strong as the weakest link), and a population that has far too many selfish people.

Let's look at the world tour of Phantom of the Opera in South Korea.
The show onstage looks just the same as it did before the pandemic.
There are rules and safety measures for cast, crew, and front of house, audiences.
They had ONE performer test positive and they were able to safely contain and isolate and continue.

The problem is NOT that we can not safely bring theatre back looking like it did.
The problem is that the outside world is refusing to behave so that we can safely bring theatre.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 10/10/20 at 10:09pm

The reality, at this point, is that many of these people may need to find another source of income until theaters reopen. As I said, entertainment is the epitome of a nonessential job (regardless as to its economic impact...people don't need entertainment in order to live). It's never been an industry defined by economic stability or job security. While this obviously is not a typical period of unemployment for those in the industry, the truth is that at some point they can't and shouldn't rely on the government to support them for 18-24 months of unemployment.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 10/10/20 at 10:12pm

@broadwayguy2 It is true that some places in asia know how to do this, because they've been through it before. But Broadway cannot operate at reduced capacity, and three things converge to make it impossible: much of the rest of the country, some degree of social distancing, and the need for tourists. If we could actually build a bubble around the city (and a few bubbles within it unfortunately, although that seems to be abating) we would be able to have theatre here if we did shows that did not need tourists. We have 2/3 of the states subject to quarantine for goodness sakes not to mention overseas visitors.  We will have a vaccine when we have a vaccine but we may well have effective treatment much sooner. Still, the key for Broadway is the tourists.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/10/20 at 10:12pm

Yet, when the government is responsible for the reason you’re not able to continue working due to their handling of the pandemic - that becomes another issue.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 10/11/20 at 12:29pm

A lot of actors I follow have bought houses in other states and seemingly have moved on. I just wonder if they will be back or if they’ve actually moved on. Very interesting to see how it all plays out, etc.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 10/11/20 at 1:32pm

@HogansHero -
Yes. We aren’t fundamentally disagreeing on anything as far as logistics.
But I stand by my statement. The knowledge is there to put up a show soon. It just requires everyone to be willing to work together, and to rethink a toxic, selfish model...
... and a vaccine will be AMAZING to have but it is an absolute cheap cop out to not do any other work.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 10/11/20 at 2:01pm

broadwayguy2 said: "@HogansHero -
Yes. We aren’t fundamentally disagreeing on anything as far as logistics.
But I stand by my statement. The knowledge is there to put up a show soon. It just requires everyone to be willing to work together, and to rethink a toxic, selfish model...
... and a vaccine will be AMAZING to have but it is an absolute cheap cop out to not do any other work."

all I can say is, I'm glad you're not in charge.

we can't even keep NFL football operating. without audiences crammed together indoors. A theatre in Japan just announced it has a majority of its cast and crew sick. During rehearsal!

one more time, my friend, patience. (It's a virtue.)

[ViniFromBrazil]

Posted: 10/12/20 at 7:06am

Very sad... also had tickets for Music Man in April for my long awaited annual NY trip... =(

[Robbie2]

Posted: 10/20/20 at 1:56am

Broadway worker: My career of 15 years vanished overnight

https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2020/10/16/broadway-shutdown-coronavirus-pandemic-pkg-yurkevich-newday-vpx.cnn/video/playlists/business-coronavirus/

[soulmistin]

Posted: 10/28/20 at 12:26am

AndreyIsntHere said: ""Returning productions are currently projected to resume performances over a series of rolling dates beginning June 2021."
I wonder how that's going to work. I imagine they'd go by capacity? Theatres with a smaller number reopen first?

I wonder about the casts/crew/bands of shows too. I can't speak for any shows personally, but I will say that I follow HADESTOWN pretty heavily and almost everyone in the cast has said/implied that they're returning and/or want to return, but will they be able to? Most shows will probably be completely recast."

Eva Noblezada is starting to throw out some hints that she probably isn't returning. Not because of the show itself, but it seems she's disenchanted with the Broadway lifestyle. Can't blame her, she basically did a speed run of the whole thing in a few years.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 10/28/20 at 1:15pm

I can't blame her, she's been in theaters since she was 17, working non-stop. I am so glad I saw her shine in Hadestown, what a talent.  

[soulmistin]

Posted: 10/28/20 at 9:09pm

I got to see her for the first time about four days before the shutdown. Lucky that my show wasn't later that week. Not only has she been non-stop, but she also had a rough time with it from the start. It'll break my heart to see her leave Broadway, but I'm happy she's taking autonomy over her life.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 10/28/20 at 9:33pm

Good for her! She wasn't afraid to speak her mind, and I much respect her decision. Anything that does her as much good as possible. She's worked so hard/pretty much nonstop for many years now, and she deserves to step back and slow down. Good luck on your future endeavors, Eva... B'way will never forget you. 

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 10/28/20 at 10:14pm

She was my favorite part of the show! Gorgeous voice!

Really curious about the future. I see a lot of my actor friends becoming realtors or personal trainers, etc. Just wonder what will happen when things get back. Might be tough to justify making $600-wk to do “My Fair Lady” regionally when you’re use to a certain income.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/28/20 at 11:15pm

i think the majority of Broadway shows that reopen will have a few cast changes take place.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 10/28/20 at 11:30pm

I think casting will be completely different for shows that return, for a variety of reasons.