Innovate or Die: Streaming Live Performance During COVID

“Innovate or die” is a common phrase in the world of business, but it is terrifyingly true for theaters during COVID. It is estimated that more than a third of arts organizations are expected to close; and even that number may be conservative. With Dr. Fauci’s prediction that theaters will not return to normal until the end of 2021, it’s a critical time for the performing arts. Even before COVID, you’d likely heard a familiar story; theater audiences are dying out, it’s only becoming more expensive to produce theater, and entertainment disruptors like Netflix and Hulu are whittling away at ticket sales.

In spite of theater closures extending longer than six months, the performing arts is still reluctant to change, but with another year of no ticket sales looming and federal aid unlikely, there are few options left. The performing arts has long seen recorded or remote performances as inferior to the live experience (one of my past employers referred to TV as the domain of “failed” performers). In an odd way, the performing arts industry seems to view digital theater with the same distaste as movie studios cracking down on pirated content. Theaters often cite a fear of low quality and lost ticket sales as their reason for not pursuing remote options-both of which are fears of pirated movies and music. Performing arts organizations need to stop…