BWW Blog: The Theatre World is “Non-Stop” - Ways to Keep Engaged with Shows

Since the day that the theaters in New York closed, I've felt a little emptiness in my heart. Not seeing the actors I follow on social media getting ready for shows that day, was a strange experience as I'd grown so used to it over these past few years. Looking at photos of the Theater District in Manhattan felt like looking at a ghost town, with only a few people wandering around outside and no sign of the usual buzzing energy. But, despite all of the challenges it is facing right now, the theatre world is continuing to share performances and is determined to keep the light on throughout these difficult times.

Just because theaters are closed it doesn't mean that we have to give up on theatre! There are plenty of different things that you can do in order to keep the magic of Broadway in your life while staying safe at home. As someone who's been living in a country that doesn't have many opportunities to see musicals in person, I have quite a bit of experience with experiencing the theatre world through a screen, so here are some of my best tips to help keep you sane during this strange times.

One of the easiest ways to get your theatre fix is on different streaming platforms like Netflix. There are plenty of movie musicals like Shrek (an actual performance of the stage show), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Jersey Boys. The site even has John Leguizamo's Latin History for Morons! If you're a Disney fan, Disney+ has all of the musical movies like The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast that your heart could desire (except Song of the South, but that's another story). Other sites were made with Broadway shows in mind, with BroadwayHD being a prime example. The streaming service has recorded performances like Falsettos at the Lincoln Center, Noel Coward's Present Laughter, Puffs (filmed live!), She Loves Me, Indecent, The King and I, and countless other options. Of course, there's always the option of bootlegs, but we're not going to open that can of worms right now.

Along with the classic style of performances, there are also different types of theatre that are being shared online. 54 Below in New York City, also known as the "Living Room of Broadway", is providing free streams on YouTube of different performances. Some shows from the past will be streamed at least once a week and some artists who were meant to be performing soon are going to be hosting live streams to preview some of the songs they would have performed. The Theatre Café in London has partnered with Lambert Jackson Productions to create the series Leave A Light On, where West End stars like Jordan Luke Gage (& Juliet, Bat Out of Hell), Marisha Wallace (Dreamgirls, Waitress) and Aimie Atkinson (Six, Pretty Woman) perform a concert from their home for fans, who only pay £7.50 for a link to the livestream.

Something that many shows are doing on social media is having more interactive activities in order to keep fans engaged while they wait for the performances to begin again. Show accounts like the one for Six are posting fun trivia quizzes and lyric games to challenge even the most knowledgable super fans. Other shows are having different actors take over their Stories to show what they're doing while staying at home. And it's not just the shows themselves that are using social media to keep in contact. Actors from around the world are taking to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other forms of communication in order to keep in contact with their fans while spreading some happiness and music. Many people are hosting Instagram Lives, whether it's to perform a miniconcert or to even lead a dance class.

If you were planning on seeing a show, maybe donate the money you would've spent on a ticket to a theatre organization that is near and dear to your heart, like The Public Theater in New York City or a charity like Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BCEFA). There's also the option of helping actors directly by paying for things like Cameos, where you pay for an actor to send you a personalized message. Former stars of Dear Evan Hansen Andrew Barth Feldman and Alex Boniello are hosting "Broadway Jackbox" online in order to help raise money for The Actors Fund as well. There are plenty of different ways to help out the theatre community, and if you're unsure of what to do, try reaching out to your local performing arts centers to see what you can do to help.

Ultimately, these are just a few of many, many ways that you can continue to keep theatre in your daily life while staying and home and keeping yourself and others safe. Please remember to keep social distancing and washing your hands!