A new article titled "Theatre in Crisis: What We’re Losing, and What Comes Next," published by American Theatre, delves into the state of the theater industry during the ongoing crisis, examining the losses experienced and exploring potential paths for the future. It reflects on the financial challenges faced by theaters and the impact of the pandemic on the performing arts ecosystem. The article also discusses innovative approaches and adaptations that some theaters have undertaken to sustain themselves and connect with audiences. It provides an insightful analysis of the industry's current predicament and looks ahead to the measures necessary for its recovery and resurgence. Below is an excerpt from the article.

"But if theatres are responding rationally to a drop in demand with a commensurate drop in supply, that doesn’t answer the question of why audience demand fell off a cliff. Zannie Voss, who as director of SMU DataArts studies audience trends, told me that a key difference between this crisis and the Great Recession of the late 2000s is that then, “People were still going about their daily lives and holding on to most of their habits, even if they didn’t have as much cash to spend. The pandemic was a hard stop button on life. And over the course of two years, people changed their habits, their behaviors, their preferences, and the way they consume arts and culture. It’s a shift in consumer behavior.” Jill Robinson at TRG Arts, an arts analysis and consultancy firm, broadly concurred.

Click here to read the article in full.