Stop looking at NYC as the only place where theatre is important

Okay. I’ll say it. I don’t want to live in New York City. Ever. I do not feel the magical pull that so many theatre people say they feel. And trust me, I’ve tried! Is it super fun to visit? Absolutely. Do I love (and deeply miss) seeing Broadway shows on the rare occasions when I can afford to go into the city? Definitely. But I truly can’t imagine myself being happy in NYC. And luckily for me, that’s okay!

When the pandemic forced theaters across the country to shut down and we were faced with the news that Broadway would remain closed for quite some time, the boundaries on where theatre can happen and how accessible it is changed. And I truly believe that some of these changes are for the better.

We now have the option to collaborate virtually with artists across the country (and around the world). Theatre fans now have access to virtual productions originally created in places they couldn’t realistically travel to before. We were faced with brand new limits, but we also discovered brand new opportunities. And we learned that we don’t necessarily need Broadway to keep theatre alive.

I propose that we take a look at how we approached theatre before the pandemic and alter our perspective as an industry once it’s safe to reopen. New York City is an amazing place, but it doesn’t have to be the be-all and end-all of the theatre world. Great work is happening everywhere and it’s time we really appreciate it.

Why does the obsession with NYC bother me so much? This may be a silly reason, but it gets pretty old when you’re constantly asked when you’re going to move to the city. And when you tell people that you work in theatre, their response is almost always, “Oh, so you want to work on Broadway?”

There is also a certain kind of snobbery in the way that the theatre world talks about theatre in NYC versus theatre everywhere else. And don’t get me wrong, there is incredible, groundbreaking theatre in New York. But just because something is produced there, doesn’t mean it's the greatest thing in the world. And just because many of us choose to work on and enjoy theatre in other regions, does not make the productions we work on any less important or less professional.

The same can be said of theatre professionals. An actor from Chicago or LA or Philadelphia or Seattle is no less than an actor from New York. Coming from the DC area, some of my favorite theatre performers have been local, and they have consistently astonished audiences with their performances time and time again. Yet we still see companies throughout the country hiring their leads from New York instead of investing in their local talent pool.

And then there are the people who have the luxury of living in or near the city who can afford to see different Broadway shows every week. Acknowledge that what you are able to do is a privilege that so many people don’t have. Broadway just isn’t that accessible to a huge portion of theatre fans. And remember that seeing the most shows in NYC is not the mark of someone who is better than anyone else.

Some of the most moving and life-changing productions I’ve ever seen were produced in other states, and some of the plays I’ve enjoyed the most have never had their day on a Broadway stage. People in other parts of the country who want to enjoy professional theatre should matter to those who create theatre just as much as the crowds of New York.

Let’s stop looking at NYC as the only place where theatre is important. Let’s appreciate the artists who make the city a wonderful and exciting place, but also appreciate the artists who live in other parts of the country.  And take a look around your own community. Attend shows at the theaters near you (once it’s safe, of course). Appreciate the theatre that’s being created in your own backyard. It might end up being the life-changing experience that you’re looking for.