Broadway Booms In Recession

“Broadway grosses are holding their own, with fairly minimal boxoffice dropoffs, and some shows — notably the revival of “West Side Story” — are doing $1 million a week even in preview. More startling still, this spring features an impressive number of openings, with virtually every theater booked. By the time the season wraps at the end of April, more shows will have opened during the 2008-09 campaign than in each of the past two years.”

The Case Against Regional Theaters

“The principal argument is that the theatrical establishment in America has lost sight of the values that led to the establishment of regional theaters, and in its place are institutions that value buildings over artists, isolation over engagement and corporate growth over artistic development. On top and in part because of this is a shrinking and aging audience base, which has led to an art form in contraction, with less and less audience every year.”