Stepping foot into the theater feels like stepping into a magical environment. The whimsical sets that resemble a new universe, the actors who pour all of their emotions into their roles, the feeling in the air like childhood–the theater provides us with both entertainment and an escape from reality. Attending a show, whether it be on Broadway or off, used to be a unique, once-in-a-while experience. However, we are now able to attend the theater and not leave our own homes.
In recent years, we have seen an increase in the amount of platforms that offer livestreamed recordings of on-Broadway and off-Broadway productions. These sites include BroadwayHD, National Theater at Home, and Digital Theater. On these platforms, users can access theatrical performances from their computers or cell phones. All of these platforms can be accessed globally, and all have a wide range of different productions to choose from.
The ability to stream a production from home allows those who are otherwise incapable of viewing these shows. Ticket prices can be extremely high, paired along with travel expenses and hospitality. For those who do not have the means to create an entire trip surrounding a production, platforms that have the recorded version open the production up to a higher number of viewers. These platforms also allow for productions that are no longer running to be rewatched and appreciated. Communities online find themselves better able to analyze shows and understand the plot or content on a deeper level.
However, despite the ability to be open to a wider audience, the magic within theater productions is lost when viewed on a recording. The essence of theater is to watch a story performed by real individuals in a real live setting. Theater has always been a performance, and the magic behind the show is difficult to transfer via livestream. A connection with the set and the actors is not made as strong when watching a production on our computer or phones. Audiences cannot feel the genuine, raw emotion that is felt when the theater is truly in front of our eyes.
Not only do we lose the magic within theater, it is extremely expensive to properly record live theater productions. Multiple cameras are necessary in order to portray the production in a correct manner. Production costs increase greatly when a recording is done, which further drives up ticket prices and shifts the budget from the actual production itself. While the recording is done to allow for a wider audience, a wider audience would be better reached if the ticket prices were able to be decreased.
All forms of media can be accessed digitally–movies, shows, podcasts, etc. The one form of media that serves as a treat of a real-time entertainment experience is theater. Viewing a theater production in front of our eyes opens us to the true world of acting and producing live art. Our theater should not be on our devices, our theater should be that magical walk to our seats and the art laid out in front of our very own eyes.
