Industry Pro Newsletter: Artists Want to Get Back to Work, And It is Increasingly Possible

March 22, 2021 -

Across the globe, vaccine rollouts continue - at a more efficient pace in some places than others - and with that, plans for a return to normalcy continue to be put out by governments, unions, and institutions. In the UK, their aim is to be back to normal by summer, and in the United States many regional institutions are targeting the fall to start welcoming audiences back into their theatres at any kind of capacity. With outdoor theatres making their own plans for summer, we are starting to make the turn about what the new normal of audience procedure will look like. From seating procedures, to cashless transactions, to a desire for a digital program to reduce points of physical contact, how is your organization making plans to welcome an audience back through your doors?

What Do Audiences Want in a Stage Mag?

Using survey data and feedback from both audience members and producers, we've compiled a list of the most asked for pieces of content in a BroadwayWorld Stage Mag. Take a look at what audiences want to see, see the long list of features we've rolled out since launching Stage Mag, and then make sure to register for our upcoming webinar all about the ins and outs of building a Stage Mag of your very own.

More than 2,000 Actors Petition AEA to Get Back to Work

Born out of frustration from both performers and producers, a recent letter signed by more than 2,000 members of AEA demands a meeting with union leadership to discuss and ask questions about the health and safety guidelines put forth by the union, which many union members and producers view as an undue burden to get actors and stage managers back to work safely.

Should American Artists take After the French?

Writing in The New York Times, Jesse Green considers what lessons the American Theatre should take from the protests currently being led in France - even if not going so far as to protest in a similar fashion, at least considering how the French hold theatre in their culture, and how we should try and hold it in ours.

What Governments Have Issued the Most Support?

ArtNet put together a quick look at the data to see which countries have provided the most relief to the cultural sectors of their economies during the pandemic - the data is broken down both in gross amount of aid provided and on a per-capita basis.

Reopening Plans and Guidelines Continue to Move Forward

In New York, reopening guidelines for venues of various sizes continue to take shape, with smaller venues starting to receive guidance on when they can reopen at a reduced capacity. Outdoor venues in the city are also making plans for reopening, with The Public Theatre announcing that Shakespeare in the Park will go forward with a production of Merry Wives at the Delacorte opening in July. In Chicago, indoor venues are making plans for the fall, and outdoor concert venues have announced their own summer lineups. Want to learn more about reopening safety? The National Endowment for the Arts is hosting a webinar on March 23rd with opening remarks from Dr. Anthony Fauci. Register for the webinar here.

How Major Institutions Have Fared Across the Globe

The Guardian took a look at how major theatres have navigated the pandemic, through various health and safety responses, governmental support, and vaccine rollout plans.

The Actors Fund Has Distributed More Than $19 Million

With their recent annual report stating that 63% of arts workers in the United States are unemployed, with a full 95% reporting lost income, The Actors Fund Chairman Brian Stokes Mitchel sat down to discuss the state of the industry in the midst of the pandemic with Deadline. One other item of note is that they are anticipating recovery to take multiple years for shows and regional theatres to get back up and running at levels that look like they were pre-pandemic.

"When Broadway is Back, New York is Back."

Producer Kevin McCollum, whose current shows include Six and Mrs. Doubtfire sat down with CBS to discuss the challenges of getting Broadway reopened - and why that is so important to the heart and economy of New York City.

Moving Forward as a Sector: Expect the Unexpected

Last week, IMPACTS published some of their own findings about what institutions across the cultural sector about lessons learned in the wake of the pandemic about preparation for BLACK SWAN events - and offer a few ways that institutions can turn Black Swans into Grey Swans - events that are still unexpected and disruptive, but aren't entirely unanticipated and there is an institutional plan to deal with the things we don't always see coming.

Upcoming Webinar: The Ins and Outs of BroadwayWorld Stage Mag

Stage Mag is BroadwayWorld's free (and easy) to use solution to building a digital program - and this month we'll be joined by Senior Managing Editor Nicole Rosky to walk you through making your own Stage Mag step by step. Recently, Stage Mag has been utilized for Disney's Women's Day on Broadway and the 75th Birthday Celebration for Liza Minnelli. The traditional show program has been rethought to provide an easier setup, efficiently collect whole audience data (moving beyond just data on the primary ticket buyer, and interactive features - including countdown clocks, clickable ads, video covers, and more! All of that along with an easy to use design template that offers you both a printable PDF and a mobile friendly responsive display, audiences will love their Stage Mag for both digital presentations and when they make their return to your seats.

Join us on Wednesday, March 31 at 3pm Eastern to see how easily you can build your own Stage Mag!

BroadwayWorld Stage Mag - A Fully Interactive Show Program

The digital solution to your show program needs - want to see what's possible? Check out the Stage Mag's for Disney's Women's Day on Broadway and A Love Letter to Liza: A 75th Anniversary Celebration Then start building your own at stagemag.broadwayworld.com.

Are You Streaming Content?

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