Industry Pro Newsletter: Roundabout Going Dark on Broadway
New Artistic Leadership in Berkeley and Chicago, Red Buckets Raise $5 Million
By: Alex Freeman Dec. 12, 2022
As the end-of-year fundraising pushes are in full swing, a few different stories this week underscore the precarious position the industry finds itself in - new research from IMPACTS highlights the importance of mission in soliciting both donations and membership renewals, the Met works to recover from a cyber attack, and as Cara Joy David reports, Roundabout will be dark on Broadway this Spring.
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Industry Trends
Mission-Focused Members More Likely to Renew/Donate
Some of the latest research analysis by IMPACTS indicates that when a person is more engaged with the mission of an organization - and understands how their dollar given either through a donation or through a subscription purchase goes to impact that mission - they are more likely to either renew their membership or make additional donations in the future. Click here to read more...
Union Leaders Call for Updating the Tax Code
The Performing Artist Tax Parity Act (PATPA) should be passed by Congress before the Republicans take over the House of Representatives in January, according to the union and guild leaders in the Performing Arts Industry. The legislation would update the Qualified Performing Artist (QPA) deduction and modernize a clause that has been in effect since it was enacted into law in the 1980s by President Ronald Reagan, restoring tax advantages for costs tied to labor. Middle-class entertainment workers would once again be able to deduct regular business expenses thanks to this legislation. For single taxpayers and joint filers, PATPA would increase the QPA deduction's threshold from $16,000 to $100,000 and $200,000, respectively, to assist ensure that middle-class entertainment employees are eligible for the deduction. Click here to read more...
Broadway/New York
Roundabout Goes Dark on Broadway This Spring by Cara Joy David
As discussed in last week's column, times are tough on Broadway. Since that column, KPOP and AIN'T NO MO' announced closings, leading to outcries on social media and several articles. Slipping under the radar this past week was the news that Roundabout Theatre Company would not be presenting a winter/spring offering at the American Airlines Theatre for the first time (pandemic excluded) since the space opened in 2000. In fact, Roundabout will not be presenting anything at its three Broadway houses this spring.
It is no surprise Roundabout is not occupying the Sondheim, which it leases from The Durst Organization, and is currently home to & JULIET. Since that theater (then Henry Miller's Theatre) reopened in 2009 with Roundabout's BYE BYE BIRDIE, Roundabout has only presented ANYTHING GOES there. The theater has otherwise been a rental house.
Roundabout has presented more at Studio 54, which is the only Broadway house it owns, but Studio 54 has also been frequently used for rental income. This winter/spring it will house the commercial production PICTURES FROM HOME.
It is the American Airlines, which opened in 2000, that has never been rented for a full commercial run. The American Airlines -- which is owned by the city and state governments and leased to the non-profit New 42nd Street which leases it to the Roundabout -- is considered Roundabout's premier theater. So, when FAT HAM was announced for the theater, the excitement over that transfer was mixed with shock that Roundabout would not be presenting a show there. Nothing had been announced for the theater (current tenant 1776 is closing January 8), which was perplexing. But the belief was always that something Roundabout-related would come -- a one-person show, a small play, something.
The last Roundabout financials available publicly are for the period ending August 30, 2021, so it is impossible to know the current financial state of the non-profit. 1776, a costly musical co-produced with A.R.T., has not been a hit, grossing less than $300,000 per week all last month. It is less clear how Roundabout's off-Broadway offerings are doing, but it is a hard time for theater in general.
In a provided statement, Roundabout Artistic Director/CEO Todd Haimes explained Roundabout had a production planned for the American Airlines, but it fell apart before it was announced, leaving the space free for possible rental. Alluding to industry troubles, Haimes further stated:
"We have been observing that there is a great number of new Broadway shows vying for a very gradually recovering core audience in New York. It seems prudent to balance the quantity of our new productions with our capacity to offer our spaces, and our audience-base, to great artistic partners who have remarkable projects that need theatres. I'm pleased that both PICTURES FROM HOME at Studio 54 and FAT HAM fit into our mission. I expect both productions will appeal to our subscribers and we are pleased to be able to offer them tickets to both productions.
Offering our spaces when we are not producing also continues employment for the staff who works at the particular theatre. This is important to me since we have some of the best house and crew members working at our theatres."
This spring, Roundabout is still presenting its full slate of planned off-Broadway works and the national tour of its acclaimed A SOLDIER'S PLAY revival.
The Met Attempts to Recover From Cyber Attack
The Metropolitan Opera on Friday said that it would sell $50 tickets to some shows via a site maintained by Lincoln Center, three days after a cyberattack disrupted its website and box office. The Met offered the general admission tickets in a brief statement shared on social media while it worked to fully restore its computer systems, which had been down since Tuesday morning. All of the performances, including those of "Aida" and "The Hours," have gone on as scheduled, but the Met has been unable to sell any further tickets, even during its last-minute rush ticket program. It could take several more days before operations are fully restored. Click here to read more...
Red Buckets Raise More Than $5 Million This Fall
With the traditional in-theater Red Bucket fundraising event, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS raised $5,107,791 from 36 Broadway, Off-Broadway, and national touring productions to support those this holiday season who are living with HIV/AIDS, battling COVID-19, or dealing with other crippling illnesses. The six-week Red Bucket Fall Fundraising Campaign for Broadway Cares came to a close on Sunday, December 4, 2022. All fundraisers were outdone by Broadway's The Music Man, which raked in$ 2,002,612. Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster's nightly costume and prop auctions brought new life to the show's campaign and almost equaled the single-show record they had previously achieved during the Spring Fundraising Campaign. Click here to read more...
Regional
Berkeley Rep Names New Associate Artistic Director
David Mendizábal (they/he) has been named the acclaimed theater company's new Associate Artistic Director, according to Berkeley Repertory Theatre. David will take on the responsibility of co-leading Berkeley Rep's In Dialogue program, which attempts to use theater-making to promote and be of service to community initiatives and groups through fostering continuous relationships and participation. David will also perform a number of artistic tasks, such as taking part in season planning, directing on the mainstage of Berkeley Rep, designing and producing The Ground Floor: Berkeley Rep's Center for the Creation and Development of New Work, and assisting with ongoing artistic projects. Click here to read more...
In Boston, and Elsewhere, Where is the Next Generation of Donors?
Industry observers claim that the next generation of donors are much more hands-on and committed to making sure their money has a real impact in fostering communities, fostering equity and opportunity, and advancing social justice rather than being content with having their name on a university building, hospital wing, or gala brochure. The stakes of this generational change could not be higher, especially for Boston's arts community, which is mostly supported by multimillion-dollar gifts from the city's leading donors and opulent galas. It is challenging to examine donating over the previous few years as a whole, but a look at the raw data reveals that some institutions are receiving fewer gifts. For instance, the Museum of Fine Arts reported total contributions of $132.4 million in 2020; by 2021, that amount had dropped to $56.3 million. Click here to read more...
Peter G. Anderson Named Artistic Director at Oak Park Festival Theatre
The Oak Park Festival Theatre, the oldest professional classical theater in the Midwest and Oak Park's flagship Equity theater, announced last week that Peter G. Andersen would start working for the organization as its new artistic director in January 2023. After an extensive search, Andersen assumes the artistic reins and will lay the groundwork for the thousands of annual visitors who turn to Oak Park Festival Theatre not only for Shakespeare in the Park in the summer but also for fresh interpretations of great works all year long. Click here to read more...
International
Vienna State Opera to Eliminate Music Director Post
When Phillipe Jordan leaves the post at the end of 2024, the organization will be without a Music Director for the first time since 2005. In lieu of searching for a single permanent replacement, they will work with a group of music directors. Click here to read more...
Missed our last few newsletters?
With voting underway in the BroadwayWorld Awards around the globe, it is an exciting time around the BroadwayWorld offices - but nothing has been more exciting than our announcement last week of our 20th Anniversary Celebration set to take place on May 21, 2023 at Sony Hall in the theatre district. The event will be hosted by none other than BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge and Tony Award-Winning Broadway Legend Chita Rivera. This is an event we're all thrilled about, and can't wait to release more details as the date gets closer. Click here to read more...
November 28, 2022 - Orchestras Back on the Road, Streaming Continues for Some Companies
With many theatres getting into the swing of things with their holiday offerings, the end of 2022 is now in sight for many companies. The last few years have seen seismic shifts in how the industry operates, and this week, Cara Joy David brings us a great piece about how some companies are keeping the relatively new avenue of streaming open as a way to maintain access for audiences. Click here to read more...
November 21, 2022 - NYC Tourism is Back, Regional Awards Voting Underway
As many theatres get into the swing of their holiday shows and end of year giving campaigns, some good signs for the New York theater industry as tourism continues to rebound from the pandemic. While things still aren't back to the record setting year of 2019, the city is anticipating ending the year at about 85% of those levels, with a huge number of tourists making their way to the city between Thanksgiving and New Years Eve. Click here to read more...
BroadwayWorld Resources
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