One unique aspect of live theater is its ephemeral quality—no two shows are alike, even between a matinee and an evening performance of the same show on the same day with the same cast. Everyone could reunite—the cast and the audience—twenty years later to perform and enjoy the same show, but it would not by any stretch of the mind be the same show anymore. So why stream live theater performances? Why reduce something electric and ever-changing to something contained and static?
One reason you might want to watch a recorded theatrical performance is to help the words on the page – whether Shakespeare’s or Arthur Miller’s – come alive for students without breaking the bank with a field trip to a coincidentally concurrent (what are the odds?) theatrical production. Playwrights write their words to be spoken, and the average English student doesn’t moonlight as a trained actor, so an accessible, professional performance onscreen can help students and enthusiasts alike experience the show as intended by its creators.
Another reason to explore theatrical streaming services is a matter of accessibility – not everyone has access to quality theater, whether because of location or finances or both. Streaming services bring the stages of Broadway, the National Theatre, and more to your living room or classroom! Audiences long underserved now have access to professional productions, whether previously unavailable due to geographical or financial concerns, thanks to services such as:
1. National Theatre at Home
Bringing British theatre to you, anytime and anywhere, National Theatre at Home streams productions as varied as classics from Shakespeare and Chekhov to modern productions, like Michaela Coel’s original play, Chewing Gum Dreams (later adapted as the sitcom Chewing Gum), or the recent revival of Tony Kushner’s Angels in America. Also of interest are adaptations like All About Eve (starring X-Files alum Gillian Anderson as the iconic Margot Channing) and Frankenstein (starring Academy Award-nominee Benedict Cumberbatch). These recorded productions, previously only available on select dates in select theatres for a premium cost, are now available for $12.99 per month or $129.99 per year. Individual productions can also be rented, starting at $7.99. National Theatre at Home also provides audio description and subtitle options.
2. BroadwayHD
An eclectic mix of live musicals, ballets, documentaries, concert films, plays, and film adaptations, from Broadway and Off and even Hollywood, BroadwayHD caters to generations of theatre kids. (Especially those who grew up watching VHS tapes of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Cats, the list goes on…) Classic performances, such as Angela Lansbury as Sweeney Todd’s Mrs. Lovett and Bette Midler as Mama Rose in Gypsy, stream on BroadwayHD, for students to study and enthusiasts to appreciate. BroadwayHD features unique collections such as the Nunsense series of musical comedies and many of Matthew Bourne’s ballets, like reimaginings of The Red Shoes and Cinderella. While this streaming service offers a bit of a hodgepodge of all things theatre, this fun mix manages to delight the most hardened cynic. Subscriptions for BroadwayHD start at $11.99 per month or $129.99 annually. Select titles offer closed captioning.
3. Disney+, Netflix, and more…
While some services – like National Theatre at Home and BroadwayHD - dedicate themselves solely to streaming theatrical productions, the occasional live performance shows up on more general streamers, like Disney+’s presentation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton and Apple TV+’s recording of the Tony Award-winning production, Come From Away. Bruce Springsteen found a home for Springsteen on Broadway on Netflix, as did the family-friendly Shrek the Musical. Much like with movies and television, if viewers want a comprehensive streaming library of theatrical productions, they might need to invest in multiple streaming subscriptions.
With better access to live theatre productions than in the history of the art form, anyone with an internet connection (whether at home or their local library) and a functioning screen can pay a relatively low sum (have you seen the price of a ticket to a touring production lately?) to experience live theatre on their own terms. Whether on specialized services like National Theatre at Home and BroadwayHD, or mainstream streamers’ one-off recordings of hits like Shrek, Hamilton, or Come From Away, viewers can enjoy theatrical treasures at the click of a button, no ticket necessary.