You shuffle into a velvet carpeted theater, vibrant playbill in your winter jacket. As you settle in your seat, you leaf through the playbill, reading the biographies of the actors — past shows, current excitement, and future aspirations. There is a chorus of sounds around you: whispers of enthusiasm, the animated holler of volunteers selling 50/50 tickets, the deep tone of a clarinet player tuning their instrument. The lights dim and after a few still, magical moments, the band begins in a low groan. They crescendo into the central melody of the show as the red curtain in front of you ripples open, and you lean forward with the magnetic force of the actors onstage. This is the magic of theater, a thousand year industry, and it is in danger of collapse.
Theater has had a rough go of it since the pandemic. Though these institutions were never flush with cash, this might be one of the hardest hits that they have had to endure. For theater enthusiasts, casts and crews, this tragedy is not confined to the stage. Amid post-covid news of theater closures, layoffs and project cancellations, actors and audiences alike have been struggling to comprehend the scope of this tragic turn of events.
Lookingglass, one of Chicago’s most essential regional theaters, is one of many struggling to stay afloat. In late-June, they released the following statement: “We are announcing today that we have to take the heavy, but intentional, step of reducing our staff and will be producing less and in different ways in the coming year as we re-imagine our future.” This story is familiar: theaters everywhere have had to rewrite the script of their operations .
Among the types of theater in the US, there are three main varieties. Community, regional, and professional theater, such as Broadway in NYC. Community theater has unpaid actors, a small production team, and relies on ticket sales and donations to stay afloat. In community theater, your local nurse might play the role of JeanValjean in “Les Miserables,” your grandmother might be part of the women’s chorus in “Phantom of the Opera” and your little cousin might debut his newfound love of dramatics on the stage a block from your house. Community theater is the backbone of the theater industry; it is the everyman’s theater. It produces more shows than any other type in the US, with more than 6,000 community theaters active in the US right now.
Community theater is often how many famous actors begin their careers, and is instrumental in the continuation of dramatics in the US. Anna Kendrick (“Pitch Perfect,”) Chris Evans (“Captain America”) and Robert Pattinson (“Batman,” “Twilight,” “Harry Potter”) are three examples of Hollywood actors who started their career in community theater. Jonathan Groff, who famously played King George in the Original Broadway “Hamilton” production, began his extensive acting career in his community, and even directed and starred in “You’re a Good man, Charlie Brown” at his local theater when he was 17. Community theater is a pillar to the local community’s artists, and is vital to the continuation of artistic expression and celebration among the locals.
Next is regional theater, which is semi-professional. The actors are often paid, and the production team is much larger than with community theater. Regional theater is outside the realm of NYC’s Broadway productions and is known for its experimental work with the art form. Though the relationship between Broadway and regional theater seems detached, that could not be further from the truth: shows such as “1776” “The Lion King ” and so many others originally got their start in regional theater. It’s a pipeline for Broadway; just as community theater is often the beginning for actors, regional theater is another step in this world. Both shows and actors often begin in regional theater and later migrate to Broadway.
The story of Stage Door Repertory Theatre of Orange County, California aptly highlights the tragedies that have been cycling throughout local theaters. The company’s founder, Nick Charles, detailed his struggle with affording rent on the theater with a local news agency, and explained the difficulties in trying to play catch up in rent after having no revenue during the pandemic. This and increasing post-pandemic costs has caused the beloved theater to close, one of many in the area to share this fate.
Theaters were uniquely situated to suffer during the pandemic, as they were the first to close and the last to open. In addition, the need for large spaces manufactured another issue: rent on theater spaces are astronomical, and as theater is a low-profit, high-cost industry, there was no money to spare for disaster. Stage Door was forced to move out of their space. After selling everything in their possession, they are a theater without a home. This story is not a singular occasion, it is a growing pattern, showcasing the possible fate of theaters around the country.
However, the most recognizable form of theater, Broadway, might broadcast a bit of hope on the topic. NYC’s Broadway has always had an allure with even non-theater fanatics, and the most recent theater season (early-spring is the biggest time for dramatics in the US) pulled pre-covid numbers in sales. As Broadway initially took an intense dive, this is impressive, but not unexpected. This art-form, at the highest level, is one of the pillars of the NYC experience, and in turn, the American experience. Its historical importance—such as with “Hamilton,” “Phantom of the Opera,” “Wicked” and countless others—cannot be understated. But it is not the highest level of theater that is in disrepair (yet), it is just…everywhere else.
Recently, Lin Manuel Miranda, creator and star of “Hamiton” announced that he is writing a new musical based on the book “The Warriors” about gangs in New York. This has set the community abuzz with hope for the future of theater, though the fates of theaters such as Lookingglass and Stage Door are echoing throughout the country and have cast a dark shadow over this optimism. After all, “Hamilton” belonged to the regional theater scene before it premiered on Broadway.
How will Broadway go on as all other theaters crumble under the weight of closures? If there is no regional theater to experiment in, who knows how many “Hamilton”s will never get their chance in the spotlight. And with the closures of local theaters, it is possible that the next Jonathon Groff will never learn about the art of a one-thousand year industry. But so many around the nation are still passionate about theater, and if we continue to support and participate in our local theaters, perhaps we can preserve it another thousand years.
