I have to admit that I have not seen a single one of the Tony-nominated musicals in our listener poll - so I'm really relying on you folks to steer me in the right direction there. But I'm told this was a really good year for musicals, if you happen to like that sort of thing.
Jesse Green, despite reservations about the bombast that has infected much of Broadway, has written that this was a fine crop, and one of "surprising robustness." This struck me, and if you'll forgive what may seem an opportunistic analogy, I couldn't help thinking about the current on-air fundraiser we're doing here. We all know the economy sucks, but having no choice in the matter, WNYC went ahead with its Spring membership drive anyway, fingers crossed and eyes squeezed shut, just hoping that after a week we'd have raised the funds we needed.
Well, against all odds, the drive is going well, and people - you people - are showing a real commitment to public radio during a very trying time. It seems to be the same thing on Broadway: you'd expect that something as expensive (and as discretionary) as theater tickets would be one of the first casualties of a recession - the way the expensive seats at the Yankees' and Mets' new stadiums apparently are. But no. The theater season seems to have done quite well.
I understand the rallying supporters of public radio - when times are tough, that's when things like NPR News seem most important. A similar dynamic is probably at work on Broadway. Things get difficult; you need a break; and with a restricted budget for entertainment, you want to choose very carefully where you spend your money. You could take a chance on several less expensive things, but it seems like a lot of people are willing to blow their discretionary income on a "sure thing," which is what most people would expect from a Broadway hit. And maybe that's where the bombast comes in - Broadway producers know their audience comes expecting a "Show," and are bound and determined to give them one.
Tell us: Has the economy affected your theater-going habits? If so, how? If not, why not?
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John Schaefer has hosted Soundcheck since the show’s inception in 2002. He has also hosted and produced WNYC’s radio series New Sounds since 1982 (“The No. 1 radio show for the Global Village” – Billboard) and the New Sounds Live concert series since 1986.
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