Bway Leaders

[zainmax]

Posted: 10/30/20 at 10:24am

I know that there are threads about the shutdown, but I have a q about leaders on Bway

Read in this article that Howard Panter is trying to save the west end, and Ive seen that ALW, Cameron Mackintosh + and Sonia Friedman are also doing stuff. But not much happening here on Bway. Why??

Should Bway producers do something? (Can they even do anything, because Cuomo wont let the theaters reopen?)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/marchershberg/2020/10/30/jersey-boys-to-return-to-west-end-as-producer-strives-to-save-theatre-industry/?sh=c5403d11bd1d

Updated On: 10/30/20 at 10:24 AM

[HogansHero]

Posted: 10/30/20 at 10:43am

The UK has more new cases per capita right now that the US (not NY, the whole US). All along, our UK friends have been delusional at best and irresponsible at worst re reopening. How much more tone deaf could they be than this?

I don't know what leaders here could do that is not creating false hope. We are not going to have unsafe theatre, because of both our responsible government and our responsible unions. The real crisis as it relates to Broadway (and lots else) is the human toll and the devastation in the non-profit sector (especially the smaller theatres). In other countries this is recognized and leaders can help persuade more coin from the government. That is not going to happen here. Not now at least. Broadway itself does not need a handout.  

[zainmax]

Posted: 10/30/20 at 11:17am

I get you and I agree. But the West End isn’t forcing people to show up. It’s up to them and I think that all of the stuff makes people more confident, creates some momentum and ultimately, through more $$$ being spent, creates jobs and improves people’s lives ...

I’m not sure if sitting around & waiting around is the best thing to be doing now. People aren’t talking about Bway that much anymore and it could make the recovery much much worse IMO

[JBroadway]

Posted: 10/30/20 at 12:45pm

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't half capacity productions be easier on the West End than on Broadway due to the lower costs of production and looser union rules in the UK? Also, it seems to me that people like Cameron Mackintosh, who is himself a West End landlord, would be able cut costs even more, as he wouldn't have pay rent for the things he produces. But maybe that still isn't enough to operate a commercial production at severely reduced capacity. And maybe I'm missing something else as well.

And of course, as Hogan pointed out, the non-profit theatres in the UK get money from the government, so it's even easier for them to operate at reduced capacity than on the West End, and certainly easier than commercial Broadway productions. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 10/30/20 at 12:46pm

zainmax said: "I get you and I agree. But the West End isn’t forcing people to show up. It’s up to them and I think that all of the stuff makes people more confident, creates some momentum and ultimately, through more $$$ being spent, creates jobs and improves people’s lives ...

I’m not sure if sitting around & waiting around is the best thing to be doing now. People aren’t talking about Bway that much anymore and it could make the recovery much much worse IMO"

What "improves people's lives" is keeping them healthy. No one's life is improved by contracting covid. And in case you haven't noticed, we are not leaving it up to people to decide: that's just a formula for more pandemic, something that goes far beyond an individual assumption of risk. That's how we got ourselves in this mess. Broadway will recover; the theatre will recover; sitting and waiting is most certainly the best thing to do right now. Patience. 

[itsjustmejonhotmailcom]

Posted: 10/30/20 at 9:12pm

zainmax said: "I know that there are threads about the shutdown, but I have a q about leaders on Bway

Read in this article that Howard Panter is trying to save the west end, and Ive seen that ALW, Cameron Mackintosh + and Sonia Friedman are also doing stuff. But not much happening here on Bway. Why??

Should Bway producers do something? (Can they even do anything, because Cuomo wont let the theaters reopen?)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/marchershberg/2020/10/30/jersey-boys-to-return-to-west-end-as-producer-strives-to-save-theatre-industry/?sh=c5403d11bd1d"

Leadership is doing a lot (not as much as they could/should but a lot,) it's just that most of the work isn't public-facing. Politics are very different in the UK than in the US. Since there are strict limits on fundraising in the UK, public pressure campaigns work well. In the US, it's about using access and influence (and money) to get what you want. 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/31/20 at 12:00am

"People aren’t talking about Bway that much anymore,"

What exactly do you want them to talk about? This board certainly doesn't have a shortage of conversations.

[zainmax]

Posted: 10/31/20 at 1:22am

itsjustmejonhotmailcom said: "zainmax said: "I know that there are threads about the shutdown, but I have a q about leaders on Bway

Read in this article that Howard Panter is trying to save the west end, and Ive seen that ALW, Cameron Mackintosh + and Sonia Friedman are also doing stuff. But not much happening here on Bway. Why??

Should Bway producers do something? (Can they even do anything, because Cuomo wont let the theaters reopen?)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/marchershberg/2020/10/30/jersey-boys-to-return-to-west-end-as-producer-strives-to-save-theatre-industry/?sh=c5403d11bd1d"

Leadership is doing a lot (not as much as they could/should but a lot,) it's just that most of the work isn't public-facing. Politics are very different in the UK than in the US. Since there are strict limits on fundraising in the UK, public pressure campaigns work well. In the US, it's about using access and influence (andmoney) to get what you want."

You mean like the Bway League lobbying Congress? You might be right... But, I would like to see more stuff that is public, because it sort of seems like no one is doing anything

i feel like if Gerry was still around, we’d see him all over the place

[zainmax]

Posted: 10/31/20 at 1:24am

dramamama611 said: ""People aren’t talking about Bway that much anymore,"

What exactly do you want them to talk about? This board certainly doesn't have a shortage of conversations. "

It seems much less active than it was, which is to be expected... I guess that I was hoping to hear more about stuff in development etc. Seems like people are waiting around ...  even with like the Tony Awards (when is the “ceremony?&rdquo

[devonian.t]

Posted: 10/31/20 at 3:46am

Hogan's Hero I'm with you!

[HogansHero]

Posted: 10/31/20 at 11:22am

zainmax said: "You mean like the Bway League lobbying Congress? You might be right... But, I would like to see more stuff that is public, because it sort of seems like no one is doinganything

i feel like if Gerry was still around, we’d see him all over the place"

First of all, I seriously doubt you were on a first name basis with Mr. Schoenfeld, and second of all I knew him well enough to know that you are dead wrong. To me there is quite a bit of stuff about development seeping out but you have to understand that people developing shows are not spending money on publicity right now and there is really no point. Other than your own curiosity, what is the reason for this? You say it "[s]eems like people are waiting around." Guess what? We are; what is the alternative? Raise false expectations? Announce plans that lack any foundation? Do something irresponsible? I'll say it again: patience.