Welcome to End Tag, a platform inspired by the concept of post-credit scenes in movies and television. The name itself encapsulates my two passions: stage and screen, which will be the primary focus here. Ever since my mother introduced me to Bob Fosse’s “Cabaret” as a dance-loving fourth-grader with a taste for drama, the intertwining of these two art forms has shaped my life.
Loving both stage and screen can be challenging, especially with the rise of streaming and its potential threat to traditional theater. The ongoing SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild strikes only highlight this complex relationship, but that’s a discussion for another time.
If you haven’t been following, the state of American theater is currently struggling. Major regional theaters across the country have either permanently closed, drastically reduced staff, initiated emergency fundraising, halted productions, or scaled back programming. The impact of the pandemic, along with declining subscriber and donor pools, rising production costs, and diminishing government relief funding, has dealt a severe blow to the predominantly non-profit theater industry. The recent investigation by the LA Times into Williamstown Theatre Festival’s workplace culture further reflects the industry-wide reckoning in how theater is produced.
However, it’s not just external factors that have affected theater. Hollywood and streaming platforms have also transformed audience preferences. Many people now prefer staying in to watch shows on Netflix or Hulu rather than going out. As a response, commercial theater has adopted a cinematic approach, enticing audiences and investors with screen-to-stage adaptations. This season alone, a third of the tours at Proctors consist of such adaptations, and numerous Broadway shows in development are based on familiar film and television titles. However, bringing iconic elements like sandworms and DeLoreans to the stage comes at a significant cost.
During a recent interview with Dan Lauria and Jodi Long, we delved into their work in Lauria’s new play, “Just Another Day.” Our conversation occurred amidst Peter Marks’ article revealing the crisis in the theater industry and Michael Paulson’s similar piece in the New York Times. We discussed ways to support theater, and Long suggested surrounding new works with subscriber-friendly titles, citing the success of Pasadena Playhouse’s Stephen Sondheim season. Lauria expressed the need for smaller theaters, devoid of the luxuries of being for-profit or having substantial budgets, to celebrate and embrace the unique essence of theater.
“Something I think we gotta get back to, especially for smaller theaters, is where we present something that can only be a play,” Lauria emphasized.
This fall, there are several exciting theater productions that showcase the diverse forms the art can take. Proctors will feature a heavily praised, genderbent revival of Sondheim’s “Company,” Troy Foundry Theatre will present its adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Henry IV,” Capital Repertory will kick off its season with the one-woman show “What the Constitution Means to Me,” and Creative Action Unlimited will continue its fusion of social justice and devised work with “Michael and Steve Talk About the End of Life As They Knew.” And if screen-to-stage shows pique your interest, go ahead and enjoy them. I personally found “Beetlejuice” on Broadway to be a delightful, irreverent treat, and I’m eagerly anticipating the chance to see Doc Brown and Marty McFly sing and dance.
Admittedly, attending the theater requires some effort, such as dressing up and finding parking, plus you can’t pause for bathroom breaks. However, I assure you that the rewards of a communal human experience, unique to theater, are well worth it.
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