How Green Was My Wicked Witch

There has been an ongoing debate about whether simulcast performances from the Metropolitan Opera or London’s National Theatre will serve to erode audiences for live performances. According to research over the last few years, the answer isn’t entirely clear.

I have been thinking in the last couple weeks that one event I wouldn’t mind having the opportunity to live stream is the proceedings of BroadwayCon. The first Con a couple weeks ago seemed to exceed expectations despite the snowstorm that hit NYC.

The fact that so many people traveled great distances to meet each other, dress as their favorite characters and pick up new skills indicates there is potential to serve the large number of people who can’t make it. A live stream or two from the major speakers and panel events would allow groups across the country to organize their own local convention around the main convention schedule.

Sure, regional conventions like those organized for gaming, comics, anime, etc could be hosted independently around the country to tap into the enthusiasm a different times of the year. However, a live stream from the NYC Con (or other significant Con that subsequently pops up) could help provide performing arts entities in smaller communities that aren’t going to be able to attract celebrity guests an opportunity to organize people in their area.

This sort of event might serve to get people into their venue in the first place and create an energetic and friendly environment to introduce people to live theater. When major events aren’t being broadcast, workshops, panels, meetups, costume contests and such can be conducted where the rabid fans and the relatively uninitiated could mix together without a high intimidation factor. (Though debates over the correct shade of green to accurately depict Elphaba pose their own challenges.)

The biggest question would be the cost of streaming. I think it would be in the best interest of the BroadwayCon organizers to keep it low. Even if they lost money on streaming the event, they would likely be stoking the desire attend in person in people across the country.

For those who are tired of NYC and Broadway being held up as the be all and end all of theater in the country, I am completely with you there.

But my thought is that if you have a horde of people in your venue, some of which have never been there, and you are having classes in costume construction, giving tours of your fly gallery, holding acting classes and hosting karaoke sing alongs, not only have you found a way to fulfill your mission but they have new incentive to come back in the future.

That is, of course, dependent on you providing events and activities that are appropriate to their interests. It can’t be exciting times once a year and then a return to a situation that has little resonance with that same demographic the other 51 weeks. (Or other 11 months of the year in the case of Black History month programming.)

After a month or so when the dust settles, I was considering dropping the BroadwayCon organizers a line to see if they might entertain this idea. Anyone have any thoughts or ideas on the matter?

One of the first things that popped in my mind given the weather this year was whether there would be a way to avoid paying for the stream if snow forced you to cancel your local branch of the convention.

About Joe Patti

I have been writing Butts in the Seats (BitS) on topics of arts and cultural administration since 2004 (yikes!). Given the ever evolving concerns facing the sector, I have yet to exhaust the available subject matter. In addition to BitS, I am a founding contributor to the ArtsHacker (artshacker.com) website where I focus on topics related to boards, law, governance, policy and practice.

I am also an evangelist for the effort to Build Public Will For Arts and Culture being helmed by Arts Midwest and the Metropolitan Group. (http://www.creatingconnection.org/about/)

My most recent role was as Executive Director of the Grand Opera House in Macon, GA.

Among the things I am most proud are having produced an opera in the Hawaiian language and a dance drama about Hawaii's snow goddess Poli'ahu while working as a Theater Manager in Hawaii. Though there are many more highlights than there is space here to list.

CONNECT WITH JOE


4 thoughts on “How Green Was My Wicked Witch”

  1. It would be informative to know the demographics of those who attended in NY: where did they come from? how often do they attend performances “at home”? and how far in advance did they book their travel/how long was their stay (factors that impact ability/desire to cancel due to weather)?

    Reply
  2. This is a fascinating discussion and the notion of keeping costs as low as possible struck me. Personally, I’d love to see paid simulcasts for Broadway shows and I can say that in my case, it wouldn’t preclude me from seeing the live production when/if it comes to my city. But I can’t escape wondering about the increased risk for failure due to an expense/quality conundrum.

    Within the orchestra field, the Berlin Philharmonic streaming program is the gold standard for production quality related to audio, video, and streaming. It isn’t inexpensive but they deliver something worth purchasing.

    There are other orchestras that provide a simulcast experience but most adopt the lowest-cost-possible approach and it shows from the perspective that the simulcast experience isn’t worth paying for.

    I would be curious to see how successful commercial Broadway productions would be at resisting those same temptations related to moving the expense bar so low that it trips up quality.

    Reply
    • Well right now from what I hear one of the biggest impediment to streaming Broadway performances is getting all the unions and rights holders involved to sign off. Given the recent successes of The Wiz and Grease live broadcasts, that resistance may start to wear away.

      Actually, I just remembered Daddy Long Legs was live streamed back in December. I suspect that was because producer Ken Davenport laid the groundwork for it early on. http://www.daddylonglegsmusical.com/livestream/

      Reply
  3. My wife regularly attends the Met broadcasts, but that doesn’t stop her from buying season tickets at SF Opera (despite a five-hour-each-way public transit connection). We both regularly attend the National Theatre broadcasts, but that doesn’t stop us from being season ticket holders for Jewel Theatre and for Santa Cruz Shakespeare, attending 8 Tens @ 8 by Actors’ Theatre, or even from attending half a dozen teen performances by West Performing Arts.

    I don’t think that the broadcasts of live performances cut into live theater much—the live shows here have much bigger audiences than the broadcasts (and are generally cheaper than broadcasts as well).

    Reply

Leave a Comment