Theaters Shouldn’t See Streaming as a Threat to Live Performance
Broadcasting plays on the internet may increase audiences’ appetite for seeing shows in person.
If theatergoers have learned one thing this year, it’s that watching live productions online isn’t a substitute for seeing the performances in person. That’s also why theaters shouldn’t see streaming as a threat. It’s an opportunity.
Stage writers and directors have been wary of broadcasting their productions. There are the artistic considerations: The show was developed with a theatrical audience in mind, so watching it on a 32-inch screen compromises the experience. And there are other worries: that audiences won’t buy $90 tickets if they’ve already seen it on the box and that subsequent rights for a TV or film adaptation might become harder to sell.