This Is Broadway Campaign & Website Showing Every Open Show

Broadway producers are joining forces with one another, with unions, and even with Oprah Winfrey to urge potentially jittery theatergoers back into seats, with a new marketing campaign called “This Is Broadway” set to launch on Monday.

A centerpiece of the campaign, which is sponsored by the Broadway League, will be a two-and-a-half-minute video featuring past and current Broadway shows – around 100 in all – melding current and archival clips encompassing 735 stars (including Hugh Jackman, Bruce Springsteen, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Sara Bareilles, Billy Porter, Angela Lansbury, Ethel Merman, James Earl Jones and Denzel Washington).

The video, narrated by Winfrey, is a dazzling montage of Broadway past and present – emphasis on present – and includes audio samples of musical numbers from current shows The Lion King, Hamilton, The Phantom of the Opera, David Byrne’s American Utopia andWicked, along with beloved classics including, among others, Angela Lansbury singing “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” Patti LuPone belting “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina”, Elaine Stritch “Ladies Who Lunch”....

According to the League, the effort marks the first time that the archival footage was made available to the industry, an accomplishment made possible through an agreement between producers and key labor unions, all designed to repopulate Broadway’s theaters after what will be by September the 18-month Covid shutdown.

The video campaign will begin its roll-out on Monday, appearing on screens throughout New York City’s subway and bus stations, in taxis, and a Times Square electronic cube. Though targeted toward East Coasters with an existing taste for theater (“This is Broadway and we can’t wait to welcome you home,” Winfrey says at the end), the video’s reach will expand beyond the five boroughs with placement on major social media platforms and media sites.

Also part of the League’s campaign (which The New York Times has reported cost $1.5 million) is website:

New Website https://thisisbroadway.org

• • • descriptions of current Broadway shows
  • • links to ticket sales
  • • information about Covid safety protocols (all 41 Broadway venues require proof of vaccination and the wearing of masks).
• • A recommendation engine built on five years of data and ticket sale information, and will have the capability to make accurate show recommendations.
• • The website also will house the campaign film and real time updates regarding Broadway’s return.

August 30 lighting of the Empire State Building

Launch of a League-sponsored contest in which one winner will receive four tickets to every Broadway show in the 2021-2022 season. The prize covers 37 shows, with a total value of $18,000. Details to follow.

Source: https://deadline.com/2021/08/this-is-broadway-marketing-campaign-oprah-winfrey-video-1234823240/

The website is cool!

Updated On: 8/27/21 at 02:50 PM

The video: https://youtu.be/vFIvsNJShYQ

Updated On: 8/30/21 at 11:56 AM

Sutton Ross said: "It's a great video, maybe some discounts would help too "

I've received two flyers in the mail with discount codes: one for Come From Away, and one from Wicked. I'm a bit surprised I haven't received more, considering the the low advance for most shows (based on my unscientific review of seating charts on TM and Telecharge).

Company will most definitely be discounting heavily after the first two months or so. It's Patti LuPone and Sondheim –– two things that have a devoted but limited audience which will dry up after the initial burst.

People continue to seriously overestimate the demand for most of these shows.

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Company will most definitely be discounting heavily after the first two months or so. It's Patti LuPone and Sondheim –– two things that have a devotedbut limited audience which will dry up after the initial burst.

People continue to seriously overestimate the demand for most of these shows."

Unlike a majority of the announced shows for which there is indeed a serious overestimate (IMO, I continue to pray I'm wrong), I think Company has a plausible path to viability. Which is not to say it can get there without any discounting but I do think the discounts will be more around the edges (meaning a lot of people won't like where they are). I am truly mystified by the delusional nature of some of the strategies we are seeing. What are these people drinking? (or smoking)

That was great but let's be honest, The Music Man does not need more publicity. The rest of Broadway sure does though.

While I agree that a frightening number of shows are not gonna float beyond a few weeks at most, I don't think megastars are the key. I think the key is what the local/regional audience will go to see. Hamilton has no stars, for example, but it will be fine. Shows that wore out their local luster years ago may want to invest in some freezers for their ice cream namesake...