The thing that puzzles me about the streaming-theater-online argument is... is anyone selling this as anything other than "making the best of it under deeply sub-optimal circumstances"?

I feel like opponents of streaming-theater are saying "It's not the same thing!" in response to... no one saying it's the same thing. It seems like basically everyone agrees it's a patch.

A number of the arguments are being bolstered by calls for inarguably needed reform that are just *always* true, and don't strike me as being especially germane to whether or not to watch streaming theater as consolation-prize recreation.

Calls for contemplation and reform are *always* valid, but strike me as a separate conversation.

Some people have replied to this thread that they are feeling unspoken pressure to take part in online theater. All I can say is I definitely don't endorse pressure to participate in any art form at any time, pandemic or no.