Pro-shot filmed versions of Broadway musicals are drawing surprisingly large crowds in movie theaters: a filmed version of Hadestown made over $10 million in its opening wide release last month and has collected over $20 million so far, edging past the theatrical re-release of Hamilton, which itself had already streamed on Disney+ for five years before hitting cinemas. SIX The Musical Live! followed into US theaters this week, distributed not by theater companies but by indie and studio distributors like Bleecker Street and Focus/Universal.
The trend reflects rising Broadway ticket prices pricing out audiences who once relied on touring productions or PBS broadcasts, combined with movie theaters becoming more flexible about booking limited-run, non-traditional content. Other stage productions, like George Clooney's Broadway debut, have skipped theaters entirely for live TV broadcast and streaming instead.
A filmed Rose Byrne stage performance is set for direct theatrical release in October, suggesting more producers see cinema distribution as a viable alternative to a traditional Broadway or streaming run.
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