The wider trend of streaming live events has now made its way to the theatre, and in the recent past, Broadway and The West End have been embracing streaming more than ever. There are several reasons behind this, including cost and accessibility. Let’s explore some of them.
Making Theater Shows Available to All
Streaming gives people the chance to watch shows from the comfort of their own homes, allowing those who can’t attend the theater, or who can’t get to the venue, the chance to enjoy the same performance. The shift to streaming makes a lot of sense, especially when you look at previous entertainment trends. For years, people have been able to play live blackjack online, with the experience mimicking that of a real-life casino. You’re able to interact with a live dealer, and often the games take place in a real casino. Similarly, in other spheres of entertainment, such as the sports arena, events are now livestreamed for the benefit of fans located in different corners of the world. This helps to provide an immersive experience, but in a way that is both cost-effective and accessible.
Experiences like this also help to facilitate bigger market penetration, as you’re no longer limited to selling a certain number of tickets, or the amount of seats that there are at the table. Even though theater may have been slower to adopt streaming, platforms are taking off.
The National Theatre Streaming Service is one of the biggest, with recorded performances including Coriolanus and Vanya currently available. You also have BroadwayHD, an on-demand streaming service based in NYC. They distribute several recorded theatrical productions and shows. The National Theatre Live also streams performances live to cinemas across the country, showing how much of a demand there is for this type of content.
Additional Features and Immersive Experiences
Streaming is one of the best ways for you to ensure an immersive experience, even allowing viewers to delve into backstage areas or into rehearsals that show how people prepare for the show. Streaming is also a very good way for production runners to fill gaps, if the production halts for a period of time.
As time goes on, streaming is becoming more and more immersive too, as clever editing and improved sound quality help pull you into the experience, making you feel as though you are sat watching the show in the theater at the time. With stunning visuals and the opportunity to watch the show again after it’s finished, or on-demand, this provides fans with the chance to reconnect with their favorite stars.
On top of this, it also helps to fuel the love and passion that they have for the show, as they can revisit all of their top moments, time and time again. With live experiences, this isn’t possible, but streaming helps to facilitate this by giving people the chance to be more in control of their viewing experience.
With streaming becoming the norm and live streaming taking off more and more by the year, it’s safe to say that the demand for it is strong. Theaters are beginning to embrace it more, and it’s great to see. Fans are benefitting quite a lot too, as they have the chance to connect with their favorite shows on the go, at home or live in the theater.
