Wall Street Journal Questions Necessity of Previews; BroadwayWorld Quoted

A story in the Wall Street Journal today examines the long-standing tradition of theatrical previews, and whether they continue to be relevant. This prompted by recent times when preview tickets can approximate the cost of a regular performance, and when the calibre of performances on the stage may leave audiences lukewarm in their reaction.

Notably, previews are necessary for the production team to gauge what is working and what requires adjustment. The story in the Wall Street Journal quotes a spokespesman for the Broadway hit 'Fela!'. "In the case of "Fela!", the creative team was actively working on the show in previews (it was shortened by 20 minutes, for instance) and needed to see how live audiences reacted to the material to know what changes to make. Because they knew there would be revisions, producers decided to charge less for the five-week preview period, with the top ticket costing $99 compared with $122 after opening."

Preview audiences for the Chicago production of "The Addams Family" were not too pleased with what some felt was a shaky performance by the cast and some questionable decisions by the production team shortly following the preview performances, the negative views went viral with comments posted on theatre websites, including BroadwayWorld.com. The Wall Street Journal quotes BroadwayWorld founder and editor in chief Robert Diamond who says that "posts about the Chicago previews of "The Addams Family" have received more than 41,890 views since November."

In this age of hyper-connectedness, news travels fast. If a preview is not up to par, it can send displeased theatre patrons' mobile phones and social networking sites into a frenzy. "As soon as [theatergoers] can buy a ticket and see a preview, the hell-gates open and anything goes," says Michael Reynolds, senior editor of 'Talkin' Broadway', a platform with an active message board.
 
To read the rest of the report in the Wall Street Journal, please click here.