Speculation About Cancellations.

I know we talk about theatre surviving but i think especially for regional theatres, even if they do, their programmes and work are going to be impacted for several years to come. If they survive they will still go a large chunk of the year, maybe the rest of it, with little to no income and that is what most small or regional theatres rely on and usually that will then be put back into their shows, projects and maintaining their buildings. If they aren't generating this income are they going to be able to put on shows they planned for next year? Or at least to the scale they were planning to? If not then that equals less income which puts them in dire straights again. It's a viscous circle.  What about the work that these theatres do in their community or in arts education? Will there be the funds now to continue this at a time where it's already squeezed.

I understand the focus point being on the West End but those are the theatres that can survive when they have multi millionaire owners and producers and will still be able to put on shows at scale, less so for small or regional theatres across the country. I'm personally doing everything i can to support my local theatre because it's vital that not only does it survive, but that it can continue to do all the work that it normally would. Most of these venues only break even as it is.  We've already seen one regional theatre go under this week.

I'm hoping the pandemic may yield a reset in the seemingly endless race to higher-priced premium options and lead to a re-democratization of the overall experience in London and NYC, among other major arts locales. The pricing was going to be unsustainable at some point.

While I fully understand the real expenses involved, as well as union contracts for at least US Broadway productions, the idea that a show like Hamilton or Dear Evan Hansen is charging $300-$500 for basic orchestra seats in Chicago or NYC is just beyond the pale to me.

I love ambitious production values, but I have also seen an impressive amount of theatre with minimal sets and props, ones where the story and the acting compelled all my attention and imagination. Lower costs do not necessarily equate to lesser productions.

And perhaps, we'll also see digital offerings as an increasing part of the value chain and revenue mix for theaters. Smart companies right now could be intentionally testing pricing models and consumer reactions so that they are positioned to make strategic choices when in-person performances resume. 

If nothing else, I'd love to see that every in-person ticket also comes with a code (included in the price or for a nominal add-on) for a one-time digital viewing whether you watch it yourself or provide the code to someone else.

No, is the short answer.

(Unless our lynette becomes chair of ACE, and even then the concrete is listed! 🙂)

Agree, although my speculation is that could be at the expense of one or more of the smaller subsidized theatres.

One of the best things I saw last year was 'Islander' which I saw at Southwark having seen it in Edinburgh the summer before. Superb storytelling, totally drew me in both times and could not have been simpler. Shows like that would be a great way to start the industry up again, low costs would offset fewer people in the audience for social distancing and theatres get a chance to open slowly

I would just like to point out that my post, which has been removed, specifically commented on the news item in the two posts prior to mine in relation to its potential impact on theatregoing, so I'm not sure why my post is considered to have been off topic.

Maybe government could buy out theatre buildings at favourable prices, preserving them for theatre use. Then they can rent them out to the companies that emerge, replacing those that have gone under. The demand will be smaller for a while but large cities should be able to support a large theatre alongside some studio spaces. Those employed in theatre would be able to get whatever work they can (no change there). What is likely to disappear is at the building level, the owners and operators of venues or companies with money sunk into aspects other than production/education work, but they are only one strata of the industry. It’s the same with shops or whatever, one store goes under and another takes its place if there’s a customer base for it.

On what shows, the particular issues with airborne transmission make this tough for theatres, choirs, orchestras with wind instruments and so on. That suggests no big chorus shows, maybe more guitar, bass, drums, keyboards style orchestrations, limited cast sizes for musicals (also necessary to pare down running costs). The fringe theatre model could be the base level starting point to take over larger spaces. The West End model may have to wait some time longer to return.

I was wondering about Rent myself. I would of imagined info would being going out this month under normal circumstances for auditions so I wonder if there is going to be any announcement soon about the production going ahead or not? I would like to think that we might see it this year, but I am expecting another cancellation to be honest under the current climate. 

Will international students really want to arrive two weeks early and pay for two weeks of extra accommodation though? Or will they be deemed to be self-isolating at school even if they mix with day scholars. I can't see how that is going to work except for schools which have 100% international pupils, all of whom board.

As for theatre, it is a complete and utter disaster given how much it will discourage tourism further, never mind restrict foreign performers from coming here. I expect any show due to open before September at least (if not January 2021) that hasn't already cancelled will now do so.

This.
Shows which rely heavily on international tourists (Wicked comes immediately to mind, along with Phantom, Les Mis, Mousetrap, Mamma Mia) would suffer the most. 

Surely this is the best place to discuss tourism and in particular the potential impact that tourism restrictions could have on theatre and what does and doesn't get cancelled? That is what we're doing and it seems to me that falls squarely within the title of this thread.