Industry Pro Newsletter: Olivier Awards Last Night in London, Broadway's April Gets More Chaotic
And new fellowships at La Jolla, and new leadership at New Rep
By: Alex Freeman Apr. 11, 2022
The press releases are beginning to feel familiar again, with Broadway companies announcing show cancellations and short temporary layoffs as they deal with a new COVID surge within the theatre industry. What this will ultimately mean as we approach the Tony eligibility cutoff date remains to be seen, but there is a tension in the air as many shows work hard to get open and protect their stars from catching the virus. Gross information shows that attendance is uneven as more shows join Broadway, but as the City of New York continues to work to increase tourism, there are hopes that a return to a more normal Tony season and an influx of tourists can help stabilize the industry.
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Industry Trends
What Has the #MeToo Movement Accomplished for Women in Theatre?
As Prima Facie prepares to open at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London, the Suzie Miller play about a female lawyer who experiences sexual assault after a career defending accused rapists, Ella Fox-Martens examines how far the #MeToo movement in theatre has come, and how far it still has to go. Read more...
With the Unofficial Bridgerton Musical winning a Grammy Award last weekend, and the cultural phenomenon that was Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical, it comes as no surprise that TikTok is entering the game as a producer. They have commissioned an original musical called "For You, Paige" from Daniel Mertzlufft which will be live streamed on the app from a theater in New York later this week. Read more...
Broadway/New York
Everything We Know So Far About the 75th Annual Tony Awards
Looking for answers ahead of the Tony Awards? We've compiled all of the announcements so far in this handy guide to Broadway's Biggest Night. Read more...
Broadway Braces for a Chaotic April
What was already going to be a busy month in the theatre industry with a glut of shows opening between now and April 28th (the Tony Eligibility cutoff) has become complicated with a new wave of COVID cases amongst the star-studded casts. Read more...
AEA Issues Statement After New York State Budget Passes
The budget includes COBRA subsidies for artists, something the Union has been advocating for since the beginning of the pandemic. While this doesn't change the Union's position in support of universal health care, it does achieve their short term goal of making it easier for artists to keep their insurance. Read more...
Regional
La Jolla Playhouse Announces Two New Fellowships for BIPOC Artists
The two fellowships are in Directing and Stage Management. Each fellowship will last for two years and includes a full salary and benefits. Ultimately, the fellowship will culminate in the fellow directing or stage managing a show in La Jolla's subscription season. Applications are now open. Read more...
New Rep in Boston Returns with a New Focus
After a brief pause on producing activities, New Repertory Theatre in Boston has re-emerged with a new vision not only for production, but for leadership. The company will be led by four resident artists, each with their own focus built on their personal strengths. Read more...
International
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Missed the Oliviers? You Can Re-Watch the Stream Here
Last night was the West End's biggest night, and if you missed the stream (or want to re-watch any part of the ceremony), you can check out the stream of the awards ceremony and red carpet at the link above. Read more...
Just Looking for the Winners? We've Got You Covered Here
And if you just want to see which shows and artists took home the awards, you can find that list here. Read more...
Accounts Reveal the Challenges Faced by West End Theatre Owners in 2021
Andrew Lloyd Webber's LW Theatres, which owns six West End venues, reported losses of £28.1 million during fiscal year 2021, a period marked primarily by venues being shut down due to the pandemic. Read more...
Missed our last few newsletters?
April 4 - 'Keep the Requirements' say DC Theatregoers, April's Top Ten off-Broadway Shows
Survey data suggest that theatregoers want to see mitigation measures - such as vaccination requirements and masked audiences - remain in place for the foreseeable future. This survey data specifically comes from DC, but the Broadway League is also taking notice and currently mulling their own plan on whether or not to extend these requirements past April 30th. The data seems pretty straightforward that these measures are working in protecting audience members and staff members alike - and based on the Broadway League's gross reporting, they also don't seem to be hurting attendance at shows. While one does anticipate that at least some of these requirements will eventually return, landing in a new state of normal will require deep listening to the science and to audiences about what helps them remain comfortable sitting in theatre seats. Read more...
March 28 - The Lost Generation of Theatre-Makers, Broadway League Reports Individual Grosses
Last week, we got two different sets of data that started to make a case for the current state of the cultural economy - a report from the NEA laying out just how bad things got in the depths of 2020 (and hinting at some initial recovery in 2021) - and the first time The Broadway League reported individual show grosses since Broadway reopened. While these data sets don't give a complete picture on their own - not to mention the numerous regional data points that we've previously reported on - the signs are clear that recovery is upon us, but the path ahead is still a long one for many organizations. Read more...
March 21 - Nicole Rosky New Editor-in-Chief of BroadwayWorld, New Data on Pandemic Recovery
New data points show that the theatre industry is once again at an inflection point - first, data backs up the anecdotal sense that the recovery from the pandemic shutdown has been uneven across the globe, and across different regions within countries. With most pandemic response being handled on a local level, this uneven recovery is not surprising. As the industry gets back to the new normal, we are also seeing an increasing number of examinations that reveal that things might be getting back to the old normal in a way that seems to ignore many of the non-pandemic related conversations around equity and access to opportunity that occurred over the last two years - like unpaid internships continuing to be offered at many large institutions. Read more...
BroadwayWorld Resources
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 off-Broadway's Blindness and for Next on Stage Season 3! Then start building your own at stagemag.broadwayworld.com.
Add Your Show to our Regional Events Calendar
As audiences get set to return to in-person performances, and as your company works to market your own return to the stage, make sure you've got your upcoming shows in our regional events calendars. Listings are free of charge, with boosting options available. Get your show listed now!
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