There has always been a tenuous relationship between live theatre and streaming. Some old-school voices in the theatre believe that allowing people to watch stage shows from the comfort of their own homes would disincentivize them from showing up to see shows in person. More progressive voices in the community argue that by giving audiences opportunities to stay excited about theatre in between trips to see shows only makes them more and more excited to see the real thing live and in person.
One company that is looking to bridge that gap is BroadwayHD, which launched in 2015 and has been a platform for filmed theatrical productions and stage-to-screen adaptations ever since. On Thursday, the company announced that it had reached a deal with NBCUniversal to stream a collection of NBC’s live musicals, including “Hairspray Live!”, “The Sound of Music Live!”, and “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert.” These titles will debut on BroadwayHD throughout the fall, with “The Wiz Live!” and “Hairspray Live!” already available.
“We developed BroadwayHD to bring the magic of theatre into the homes of fellow theatre lovers,” BroadwayHD president and co-founder Stewart F. Lane said. “I couldn’t be more excited about the continued growth of BroadwayHD and for NBCUniversal’s faith in us to bring their broadcast musical productions to a wider audience.”
In addition, BroadwayHD will exclusively premiere the filmed capture of last year’s United Kingdom production of “The Prince of Egypt: The Musical” in the United States on Nov. 15. “Shrek the Musical” will also be coming to the service on Sunday, Oct. 15. In the coming weeks, BroadwayHD will also be releasing upgraded versions of its streaming apps, which will feature an improved user interface, navigation, and a more robust categorization of its content and related information.
With the addition of these titles, BroadwayHD will welcome such stars of stage and screen to their platform as Sara Bareilles, Dove Cameron, Brian d’Arcy James, Harvey Fierstein, Sutton Foster, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Norm Lewis, Martin Short, and more.
“Audiences are really embracing the idea of watching theatrical productions from past and present in the comfort of their own homes,” BroadwayHD co-president and co-founder Bonnie Comley said. “Maybe they want to watch a different cast interpret a favorite show, or share a classic stage moment with their family, NBCUniversal’s brilliant and beautiful live productions are an exciting addition to the BroadwayHD library.”
When Will NBC Live Musicals Arrive on BroadwayHD?
- Sept. 1: “The Wiz Live!” (2015)
- Oct. 1: “Hairspray Live!” (2016)
- Oct. 15: “Shrek the Musical” (2013)
- Nov. 1: “The Sound of Music Live!” (2013)
- Nov. 15: “The Prince of Egypt: The Musical” (2023)
- Dec. 1: “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert” (2018)
How Much Does BroadwayHD Cost?
BroadwayHD offers two different subscription options. If you prefer to pay monthly, you can sign up for $11.99. However, due to the interface upgrades and content additions, prices are expected to go up this year. So, if you would like to lock in the current rates for as long as possible, you can sign up for an annual subscription for $129.99.
BroadwayHD
BroadwayHD is a convenient live theater streaming service with a catalog of over 300 productions ranging from classic plays, Shakespeare, musicals, Hollywood movie adaptations, concerts, ballets, and more.