It’s not just about live show promotion by producers.
Despite being able to access a variety of on-demand services, like food delivery, household essentials, and movies/TV shows, live Broadway performances cannot be streamed at will.
The absence of current Broadway shows on streaming platforms like Broadway HD, or Disney+ may raise questions, but the answer is complex.
Why aren’t more Broadway musicals available for streaming?
Despite the presence of shows like Hamilton, Diana the Musical, American Utopia, and Come From Away on various streaming platforms, the limited selection may surprise fans.
The common belief is that producers fear the impact on live show ticket sales if their shows are easily accessible online.
However, Lin-Manuel Miranda stated that the demand for the live performance of Hamilton actually rose after it was streamed on Disney+.
Nevertheless, only some shows can expect similar results. The main reason why streaming a Broadway musical is a complex task goes beyond just setting up cameras and putting it online.
Reason 1: High Production Costs
Theatre production is costly, and filming a musical can add even more expense. A high-quality pro-shot of a musical can easily cost millions of dollars, as seen with the $10 million budget for filming Hamilton.
Only 20% of Broadway musicals recoup their costs from their initial run, making money from tours and licensing later.
Hence, for a producer to consider filming their show, they have to weigh the economics: Is funding available from sources like PBS or passionate investors?
If the production funds the pro-shot itself, will the profits from streaming be enough to cover costs? Can they find a distributor like PBS, Disney, or Netflix to license the filmed version?
And most importantly, will the filmed version affect the profits from the Broadway show or tour? Filming a show is not just about setting up cameras; it involves complex financial considerations.
Reason 2: Union Contracts
Costs for filming a Broadway show don’t stop at one-time expenses.
In theatre, licensing fees and royalties are paid to playwrights, composers, and book writers, while actors, backstage crew, and weekly workers are paid on an ongoing basis based on the length of the show’s run.
In contrast, TV actors receive a flat fee for filming and additional residuals every time an episode they are in is streamed or broadcast.
Similarly, artists involved in a film or TV show receive a percentage as long as it is available on a streaming platform.
Theatre artists belong to different unions, such as the Actors’ Equity Association, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, and United Scenic Artists.
For each filmed theatre project, producers need to negotiate with every member of the show (composers, actors, directors, designers, crew, etc.) for their payouts and if they receive a cut every time the work is streamed or purchased on demand.
Currently, there is no standard contract for pay breakdown when a theatrical production is filmed for streaming, requiring separate negotiations for each show.
During the pandemic, the Actors’ Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA created a contract for live-streaming stage performances, such as the upcoming “Between Riverside and Crazy.”
However, the number of simultaneous streams is limited to the number of people in the theatre and is not unlimited or on demand.
A standard contract for an on-demand Broadway show on Netflix doesn’t exist. Filming a show is complicated, with negotiations that can easily fall apart.
Why Can’t Broadway Producers Like the National Theatre?
You might wonder why the National Theatre in London can stream its shows while Broadway can’t. The National Theatre receives UK government subsidies, making live streaming possible.
UK union rules and lower residuals also play a role. That’s why Broadway HD mostly features shows from the West End – due to lower costs for filming and licensing outside the US.
The NY Public Library’s Theatre on Film and Tape Archive can film actors without paying residuals. The archive has complete videos of Broadway shows since the 1970s, but can only be viewed at the library with a librarian present.
Why Not Make the Archive Publicly Available?
Many have asked why the archive doesn’t stream publicly, but there are several reasons. Older archival recordings have poor video quality and only one camera.
If the library charged a fee for viewing, it would have to negotiate residuals and royalties with everyone involved in the shows in its archives, including older shows and new ones from now on.
The library doesn’t have the infrastructure to pursue actors from 30-year-old shows for residuals and royalties, and eliminating late fees for library books was already a challenge.
The library’s status as a research archive for select users enables it to keep its archive fee-free. For now, you can’t stream Broadway shows on demand, but that’s what makes the live experience special. The ephemeral nature and delayed gratification are what makes theatre unique.
