It has been a tough year for everyone and especially challenging for those in the entertainment industry. From both the business and actors’ perspectives, this year has been chaotic as everyone is being left in the dark.
Business and production
Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, Broadway went dark, and the whole entertainment industry came to a speeding halt. There have been multiple releases of musicals on streaming services such as Netflix and Disney + and recorded cast reunions on Zoom, but just how has the industry been affected by COVID?
An interview with Caitlyn Moynihan, daughter of new history teacher Michael Moynihan, and a producer for Broadway.com, revealed how the future might look for Broadway productions, and what this pandemic might mean for upcoming shows.
“I believe that producers of closed shows will try to find new life by streaming it. I will be very interested to see how many previously unreleased pro-shots will make its way to a streaming platform,” said Moynihan. “As for currently-running shows, I think that the future lies in the hands of Diana, a new musical that was set to open on Broadway this year before the shutdown that will now make its premiere on Netflix.”
With streaming services picking up Broadway shows, the public not only gets access, but affordable access at that.
But is the experience the same?
“There is nothing like live theater. Cameras can only get so close and there will always be a wall between the viewer and actors, so pretending that watching a filmed version of a production is the same as seeing it live is a waste. That being said, I do believe that theater must be accessible. I think making Broadway, and theater in general, more accessible, will create more fans that will, in turn, end up traveling and putting money back into the industry,” said Moynihan.
Discovering new talent and cultivating creativity through this new medium as digital options expand is a challenge.
“Streaming your production can never be the final destination, because then it will become more about doing it for the camera rather than the audience,” said Moynihan. It can only act as a buffer. The moment streaming becomes the goal, the magic and reasoning of live theater disappears.”
What about shows that haven’t entirely made it to Broadway yet? Will they continue the process to theatres? Moynihan thinks that decision will ultimately be made by producers, but scheduling and quality are factors.
“As the months go by, it is interesting to see which shows are intentionally interacting with its audience on a consistent basis and which ones are staying more silent, I believe that’s a good tell on how confident each show is that it will eventually return.”
In the end, it’s all about economics.
“There are thousands of actors, musicians, stage managers, prop masters, dressers and more out of work right now with no end in sight, and it’s up to the producers to decide if their show is financially viable enough to have a future when Broadway does return.”
Acting
Actors are struggling since COVID interrupted work in Hollywood and on Broadway alike. For some Broadway actors, the solution is simple.
A TikTok takeover.
Actors ranging from productions such as Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen to some of our former and current Jemicy thespians have been using the social media platform as entertainment during this pandemic.
Dear Evan Hansen’s David Jeffery uses TikTok to give his followers an inside look at Broadway.
Here’s a Tiktok from Dear Evan Hansen’s David Jeffery
Professional actors have even found a way to profit from the app.
Whether it be the advertisement of new music when it’s released by Hamilton’s Leslie Odom Jr., to potentially using the platform’s creator fund, actors have been using this platform to make some money during the pandemic.
While the entertainment industry is shuttered, actors have had to find “day jobs” as baristas, and waiters to make up for lost wages, a difficulty compounded by COVID closures. However, those lucky enough to have an online following on platforms such as Twitch, a streaming platform usually used for gamers, make streaming a significant source of income.
Jordan Fisher, a well-known television and Broadway actor, has a twitch stream. As he gets over 600 viewers per stream, even before subscriptions to his channel, donations, and sponsorships, he earns about 4500.00 dollars per stream, according to Fossabot.
Television actors have also been out of work because of COVID shutdowns. Some countries have only recently started production on television programs and movies while others have put halts or delays to productions.
American Netflix has delayed the schedule for releasing Stranger Things because the pandemic delayed the time it takes to edit the entire season.
Actors have just recently started sending in their self-tapes for new shows. These tapes are the professional version of prescreens or auditions for people who live far from where auditions are currently happening.
Jemicy actors have also been keeping busy with college prescreens coming up. Prescreens are essentially an audition that you have to film and send in to be considered for a college’s audition process. How have they been honing their craft?
“I was in an Iron Crow summer intensive and I’ve been studying my music pieces to gain acting ideas,” said Jemicy’s Phoebe Boisvert ‘21.
What about the students who balance jobs on top of acting and school? How tough is their schedule?
According to senior Meghan Gosse, the balancing act is difficult.
“Work has definitely made it tough to find time in my schedule. I haven’t really done anything with prescreens yet and I’m starting to worry that I won’t get them in in time,” Gosse said.
Nevertheless, whether it be regular jobs or social media, entertainers are keeping busy, making money, and doing their best during the era of COVID.
MOOSE PRINTS 
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