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Co-founders Jim Augustine and Oren Michels are launching the all-new League of Live Stream Theaters ( LOLST) was established. The organization debuts in two-week simulcast From January 31st to February 12th, the second stage “Between Riverside and Crazy”
Augustine and Michels first collaborated in January 2022 on a livestream of Lynn Nottage’s ‘Clyde’s’ Second Stage through Assemble Stream, where Augustine was working at the time. The success of that experience sparked further controversy, and when Augustine left his Assemble Stream, he and Michels began envisioning a live-streaming service exclusively for non-profit theaters.
Second Stage’s former chairman and current board member, Stephen C. Sherrill, has provided initial funding to establish the league, which will be officially incorporated in October 2022 and has just attained non-profit status. After Bloomberg Philanthropies provided additional funding, League approached the Second Stage (Michels is also a board member) and picked “Between Riverside and Crazy” as the company’s debut his stream.
The league covers all costs of the stream, including camera equipment and installation, additional sound mixes for viewers at home, video costs, broadcast director, distribution, digital rights management, and marketing. aims to do the same for all future streams. “We want to be able to cover all or most of these costs. teeth It’s new,” Michels said. “From our experience [previously], better understand that they can do it with less risk and get better results than the company itself. ”
In fact, suppose cost is the basis of leagues. “The reason we’re a nonprofit is because we don’t want to make money,” he says Michels. “We want to keep what we’re doing so we can bring this to as many theaters and shows as possible.” share.
While the cost of live streaming has traditionally been one of the main obstacles for theater companies and individual productions, issues of rights and union permissions have been another.
In this case, in terms of rights, for example, playwright Steven Adley Girgis licensed the rights to “Between Riverside and Crazy” to Second Stage, so Second Stage could direct some viewers directly and some at home. I was able to do. (“musical [with more rights holders]Of course it will be more complicated,” admits Michels. )
As for unions, this is why the league is so focused on serving non-profit theaters.
Union permits and compensation have already been negotiated as League of Resident Theater (LORT) venue contracts were expanded to allow nonprofits to stream during the pandemic. “Currently, due to agreements made during the pandemic for LORT members, the union is allowing shows to be live-streamed to limited audience sizes,” Michels explained. “That number [of livestream tickets] is the number of [in-person] Unsold tickets during the run. ‘ This is why the simulcast airs during his final two weeks of the run. The calculation of unsold tickets is cumulative during the production period, so the maximum number of live stream tickets may be sold.
To allow ticket purchasers to visit the Second Stage website to purchase tickets to see “Between Riverside and Crazy” at the Hays Theater on a specific date, visit the website (or the league’s site) and visit the live You can also select the dates to stream. Ticket holders will receive her one-time viewing link via email to watch on any device with an internet connection.
Of course, some theater professionals worry that these efforts will prey on direct audiences. But the home experience is a different perspective than the actual participants. Another camera her director chooses angles, cuts and more. Additionally, the league plans to collect data, which Michaels said “should show people that this is how to build an audience that is not something to fear.”
He continued, “We live streamed ‘Clyde’s.’ Clyde’s is now the number one show in the US this year.” It’s an observation.
But Michels also plans to focus the league’s efforts on Broadway and regional short-run productions. “many [our audience] People who come to New York regularly to see Broadway shows, but their trips don’t match the 10- or 12-week run of shows like Between Riverside and Crazy,” Michels said. Told.
“Theater lovers who come to Broadway have a great opportunity to be reminded of all the amazing things that happen here, even if they can’t make it to Broadway. [in-person]”
Additionally, Michels argues that live streaming could be an additional revenue stream for these theaters. “I remember when home video was all the rage. Jack Valenti, president of the Motion Picture Association, famously said he was afraid of home video and said home video was in the movies. What the Strangler is like for a woman at night,” recalls Michels. Michels pointed out that Valenti’s modest predictions had come to nothing. “We saw [that] All the people in the film industry turned it into a revenue stream. ”
“Our overall goal is to new It’s a source of income for actors, designers, all unions, and everyone involved in all of this, whether they’re rights holders or not,” Michels explained. What we want to do with the show we’re working on this year is set a precedent and show what the numbers look like so that all stakeholders have a reason to get involved and support something. .this.”
Beyond revenue, the league plans to grow audiences on Broadway and theaters across the country. The league has already started conversations with venues in several regions. And while the process to membership in the league has yet to be established, Augustine and Michels are building an audience and introducing theater to people in their living rooms while gaining experience, gathering data and In order to build relationships, we will proceed with live broadcasting of individual works.
Michels sees endless possibilities.
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