Been thinking about Broadway after reading Mark Harris. We've gotten used to the idea that commercial theaters are always in demand, the tickets are always high, that plays were always a bigger risk than musicals, that tourists are the core of the biz. But it was not always so. 1

To get a sense of the possible future, worth looking at the past. Start with this book about 80s Broadway where things were very different. At this time, it seemed real bad. But in hindsight, it's more complicated. 2 https://www.amazon.com/Fifth-Row-Centre-Critics-Broadway/dp/023398108X

Not everything about the post-pandemic Broadway needs to be awful. We might rediscover some of the essential elements of an older Broadway. If you're like me, and think ticket prices are a if not the critical issue, that's a place where creative thinking might begin.

But also, if your business is no longer dependent on tourists, if you need to appeal more to New Yorkers, then what should it look like? If massive endlessly running hits are less likely, then what should the goal be for producers? What kind of shows should you aim for?

There's no rule that says Phantom of the Opera or Chicago must run forever. Or that them taking up that space is unquestionably a good thing. And i like those shows (even kinda sorta Phantom, yes) and the kind of NY landmarks they have become. But still.