Buoyant Broadway

Despite the recent onslaught of closures on Broadway, things, both here in Toronto, and south of the border appear to be stable, if not going strong. Yes, there have been setbacks, Rob Roy being the saddest in my opinion. But if one takes a look at the theatre call sheets there are still plenty of shows to go see. And prices have dropped to the point that we all might be able to go back to the theatre. Of course there are still signs of weakness. There are a lot more revivals planned for 2009, and a lot of new stuff that isn't actually new. And runs of new productions are being scheduled for conservatively short runs. But in my opinion even those negatives are positives, because it means that the theatre world has adapted to the current marketplace, rather than trying to defy it. Investors are being smart right now in recognizing that good quality standards are going to keep the industry afloat until capital returns for risky investments. It also means that new projects that get the green light are going to have to be worth it, and well done. That in turn means that we wont be seeing over-the-top junk, (ehm Tale of Two Cities.) Theatre might be able, in these lean times, to be more creative. Limitations often provide the best opportunity for creativity, so I for one am excited about this season of theatre.