Where Theatre is Going…
…I think.
See, I’m not some guru who can just predict the future. I’m just a guy who enjoys theatre (and likes to make it!). However, after being actively involved with the theatre community over the last few years, I believe I at least have some legs to stand on (at least two, right?)
So here’s what I think will happen to theatre over the next few years.
There will be a great resurgence of live performance.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown all of us that we need face-to-face interaction. It doesn’t matter how great a Netflix show or YouTuber is, we still crave the feeling of being in the same room as our peers. Therefore, I predict that once the pandemic has officially been eradicated, the live entertainment industry will see a MASSIVE spike. Companies like Mirvish, Broadway, The Shaw Festival, Stratford, among others - they will all be seeing record audience attendance rates, weeks of sold out shows. and higher profits than ever before.
Of course, this won’t be an immediate response, as there will be some initial hesitancy from the general population to go out into large crowds and social gatherings. I know that I have experienced that same hesitancy when restaurants opened indoor dining in my area. Even though it is legal, I am still wary since I do not want to get the virus or carry it to my family. I believe this hesitancy will exist for at least a month or two before live entertainment companies truly start to see the spike.
2. We will see more young people attending live entertainment.
Even though we talk a lot about being antisocial and wanting to stay inside all day, this pandemic has shown us - that lifestyle is not sustainable. We can’t and won’t live like this, if given the choice. We want to have fun with our friends, we want to go out and experience life. So when things start to open up again, you bet that we’ll be going to live entertainment.
Now this may not necessarily be theatre shows that we’re going to - we could also be going to concerts, festivals, variety shows, etc. to get our live performance ‘kick’. But even if it is not specifically theatre, we are still supporting live performers who make their living through showing their art in-person. These artists have been hit the hardest during this pandemic, so I am glad that they will be getting their chance to shine once all this is over. As a live performer myself, I am incredibly excited for this new wave of entertainment.
3. The lines of “live entertainment” and “Zoom Theatre” will start to blur.
There have been some phenomenal Zoom Theatre productions over the past year - Brock University’s “Ouroboros” and Factory Theatre’s “Acts of Faith” both come immediately to mind. I won’t spend time reviewing these two productions, as that is not the point of this specific article; however, both of these pieces made great use of the Zoom space and how it can be most effectively manipulated to create the best experience.
I predict that this new way of performance will never go away entirely. It may experience a bit of a dip, as people will want to gravitate back towards the familiar (live performance), but it will live on. Once live theatre becomes an option again, performers will begin to ask “how can we use both?” Artists will have to reflect and innovate with both mediums, and the combination of live performance and Zoom performance will start to meld together. Performers will include Zoom segments into their live shows, or prerecorded elements to go along with their live acting. I, for one, am very excited as to what my peers create with this technology.
Again, I am no psychic, and I am no expert - I am simply a guy with a blog.