Engagement Potential

In my previous AMT-Lab article, Livestreaming And Live Theatre: A Promising New Industry, I presented the data and specifics of the current livestreaming market as a whole. During this research, I found that livestreaming viewership set record highs in 2020. Not only was livestreaming able to grow during the initial impact of the pandemic, but this interest was maintained throughout 2020 and into 2021. Livestreaming as an industry grew by 81% in 2020. The large potential for market utilization is undeniable. Most importantly, however, is that livestreaming theatrical events offers a level of access and opportunity to arts and cultural events that have yet to be capitalized.

Recently, Culture Track released a new report, Culture + Community in a Time of Transformation: A Special Edition of Culture Track, in which it surveyed over 75,000 people from all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and Canada. They “identified three elements that can inform the design of compelling online cultural experiences:” free access, global access, and social access.

Access is of top importance for those wanting to engage with livestreamed productions. Access equals more connectivity. In a recent AMT-Lab podcast Broadway Marketing and Audience Engagement, Quincy Brown, a Social Media Associate at RPM advocates for arts marketers to foster a sense of community through digital marketing in order to better connect with audiences. Livestreaming works the same way. As Culture Track demonstrates, having social access and the ability to connect with others through social components is of most importance to those attending livestreaming and digital events.

The Theatrical Livestream Market

We currently live in an age where more people are interacting digitally, and theatre organizations must continue to utilize resources and tools that engage with their audiences in the digital space. In recent years, Broadway, community theatres, and professional presenters have taken advantage of the digital space in presenting theatrical performances.

When people hear the word streaming, they think of Netflix, a platform of pre-recorded footage produced specifically to be viewed as media for television or the screen; Broadway HD is the equivalent. However, livestreaming, as the word suggests, is live and offers opportunities for engagement to audiences, something that Broadway HD does not have. Magnet Theater and Stellar are prime examples of livestreaming being used successfully in the non-profit and commercial market.

A major hurdle for organizations is the learning curve in using this technology, which can deter many organizations from taking advantage of livestreaming benefits. As mentioned above, Stellar is a livestreaming platform that provides services and resources for organizations that are seeking to livestream performances and events. As a part of their services, Stellar offers lessons and tutorials for those less acquainted with the technology. AMT-Lab had the opportunity to speak with the Founder and CEO of Stellar tickets and discuss how theatres can cultivate broader audiences with livestreaming and how it will grow in the next three years.

Listen to the podcast below:

Jim points out the importance of social engagement through chat, access to a global audience, and supports free access for livestreams; all of which support the findings from Culture Track.

During the podcast, we discuss the livestreamed production of Jagged Little Pill: Live Concert Reunion back in December 2020. For Brijana Prooker, a Californian who lives with an autoimmune disease, she never thought that she would see a Broadway show again, but with access to the livestream, she was able to once again experience the magic of Broadway from the safety of her home. While this opportunity was offered during the height of the pandemic, it provided access to the theatre that so many do not have. Further proving the reach and access that Brijana experienced, in 2015, Tony Award-winning producer Ken Davenport produced the first-ever livestreamed Broadway/Off-Broadway production, Daddy Long Legs.

The livestream was viewed by over 150,000 people in 135 countries. To put that number in perspective, in 24 hours, Daddy Long Legs reached an audience it would have taken a sold-out Wicked 10.4 weeks to achieve.

Despite the obvious benefits and successes of livestreams, it still has to yet pickup for the widespread theatre market. As Jim McCarthy mentions, there is a hesitancy due to the technology barrier, but there is a larger hesitancy because the perceived absence of the market itself can give the impression that livestreaming isn’t successful. However, the livestreams can be more “live” than being in person.

Hear more from Jim McCarthy as to why live events should be produced online:

THE NEXT GENERATION

Livestreaming theatrical productions provide not only the option for hybrid events but an even greater option to explore a new artistic form of theatre. The term “live” and “liveness” is a

Result from our engagement with it [an event] and our willingness to bring it into full presence for ourselves.

- Philip Auslander

NFL’s Thursday Night Football is on Twitch is an… [Amazon]… prime example (see what I did there) of how to engage with viewers. In 2020, NFL Thursday Night Football Twitch Streams reached 1.8 million hours viewed. Twitch viewers have the access to an array of features while viewing. Viewers can initiate their own instant replays, view interactive stats on players and teams, and game predictions. The partnership between the NFL and Amazon proves even further that livestreams are not only viable, but they are able to create a furthering experience for their viewers.

Theatre has the possibility, as Jim McCarthy states, to build out from the computer screen to the stage, in creating a production that is meant for digital audiences. Instead of pointing a camera at a stage, organizations could use their stage and create their very own livestream studio. Take it from Twitch streamers: if they are able to successfully sustain a platform with a webcam and video game, then surely the greatest artistic minds in theatre can create something even better.

As livestreaming continues to grow on platforms such as Twitch, Facebook, and YoutTube, so will its opportunities. In 2019, 73% of Twitch viewers were between the ages of 16 - 34, while 51% of artistic directors are 40+ years old; there is a clear disconnect between generations and the way that they interact digitally. As the younger generation continues to grow and influence the market, so will the way in which they engage with media, which is most often digitally. It is up to producers, artistic directors, and program directors to invest in this valid and promising medium. Livestreaming theatrical productions will never replace in-person productions, nor should they. But, it provides an opportunity to connect with more audiences globally and for those audiences to connect and interact in a meaningful way.