The Performer Life
Virtual Viewing
The Value
The days of buying tickets at the box office and seeing shows is on hold. Performers can no longer see a show on a Broadway stage. Seeing shows provides hope, inspiration and passion for many performers. I feel re-ignited and ready to work hard toward my dreams after seeing a Broadway show. Something about the electric energy in the room and seeing people performing makes me remember what all my hard work is for. The hustle can be hard, but it is ultimately worth it.
There is truly nothing like watching live theater as a performer. You can learn so much from the performers onstage. Taking note of what performers did well in shows can help you grow as an actor. It is helpful to be able to watch shows that you are auditioning for, so you know the vibe of the show and the requirements of the actors. There is nothing more valuable than learning from others.
The Change
All live theater stopped with the onset of the pandemic. I remember looking on Facebook and seeing the news article reporting on the Broadway shut down. My heart broke the instant I read it. Nothing like this ever happened in most of our lifetimes. As a theater performer, my entire career felt like it was unimportant and easily expendable. A life without live theater, even if it is temporary, is I life I didn’t want any part in.
After the initial shock wore off, I realized that this could maybe be a good thing. Maybe a break was just what the theater community and the world needed. Maybe new art and new ideas would come about in this time. Even though the month pause turned into several months, the theater community found new ways to continue sharing art.
The Online Alternative
Thankfully, many Broadway shows were professionally recorded in the past. These shows are available online through various streaming services. For example, Hamilton is on Disney+ and She Loves Me is on BroadwayHD. Playbill has a great list on where to watch musicals online. How fun is it to have a streaming party with your quarantine crew and pretend that you are in the audience of a Broadway show? It isn’t the same as seeing it live, but watching recorded shows gave me a similar feeling. A feeling like someday, everything will be right in the world again. My sister and I saw Hamilton in person in 2016. We had so much fun reliving those memories! Watching it was definitely a highlight of our summer.
If musicals aren’t your thing, many other arts organizations are embracing the online platform. Companies like The Metropolitan Opera and New York City Ballet are streaming previously recorded performances online for a small fee. They are using this virtual setting as an alternative to their Fall seasons.
Most of the options to watch live theater are through a streaming service. Even if you don’t have a subscription, think of it this way. Paying for a monthly subscription is much more affordable than most theatertickets. Watching online doesn’t replace live theater, but it does give us hope and excitement for the day we can all sit together in a theater again. The arts are important now more than ever. On the days when we are down, we turn on our favorite movies, television shows, songs or performances. Artists are the people who lift others up through their work.
The Free Options
Love theater but maybe don’t want to subscribe to different subscription series? Instagram is a great way to connect with your favorite performers and it is totally free! Musical theater performers often post videos of themsinging. It always makes me smile when this shows up in my newsfeed! A lot of artists are also doing Instagram live videos where they perform or even go live with other artists. This article has awesome information on what performers to follow for fun content! We could all use a little music and laughter in our days and these artists deliver that on their Instagram.
The Question
What are you watching these days? Have you taken advantage of all the new virtual options? Which is yourfavorite? Share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments below!
