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Most of us have heard the saying "it takes a village to raise a child" and that includes the village of Shubert Organization. VP of Real Estate Julio Peterson bought to my attention the SEO Scholars Organization. This program is a free eight-year program that offers mentoring services to underrepresented students to and through college. As part of our DEI initiative and diversifying our audience the company managers for Bad Cinderella gifted the students tickets to the show. Flip through some of the pictures, and see Mo, Administrative Coordinator for SEO, and some of the students that were able to attend the show. For some of the students, this was their first Broadway show. From the smiles, I think it's safe to say, Bad Cinderella won't be the last show they attend. Charlie Flateman The Broadway League Biennial Leadership Conference was held at the end of February with a packed attendance and an equally packed agenda of speakers covering broad topics affecting our industry.
Almost every presenter spoke of the changes were seeing around us, shifts in the US economy and those of other nations; changes in the way companies and employees view the workplace and work itself; how people become aware of, and consume arts and culture; and of course, the enormous demographic and social shift after the pandemic. One new concept affecting Broadway and theatre-going that got a lot of attention at the conference, and has continued in many conversations, thereafter, is the idea of “Threshold Fear.” It’s a simple notion, everyone has felt it, but we didn’t have an easy-to-understand name to describe it. Simply put, Threshold Fear is when someone is worried that they won’t fit it or won’t know the “rules” when they do a new thing like going to a Broadway show for the first time. An easy example of Threshold Fear that’s not in our theatre world is joining a gym: Lots of people are nervous about starting a gym membership, thinking, “everyone will be super-fit there except for me” or “when I sign up, I’ll never be able to cancel my membership” or “I don’t know how to use the equipment and I’m afraid I’ll look silly.” All these notions rattling around people’s heads are what prevents them from doing the thing they know they really want to do. Lots of people feel Threshold Fear about going to a Broadway show – “how early do I need to get there, how am I supposed to dress, what if my child can’t sit still, what if we can’t find a place to eat nearby” … and on and on and on. We’re attracting plenty of new audiences to Broadway – and it’s critical that we continue to do so. As we’re bringing those new audiences to our theatres, it’s important to think of just how welcoming we can for all the Broadway newbies and remember that once we get them past the Threshold, they’re probably going to have the time of their lives.  The Shubert Archive would like to announce the start of ongoing bi-annual Archive Open Houses. All Shubert employees are invited to visit us for a tour of our space, an introduction to Shubert history, and a show & tell featuring significant items from our collection.
One Open House will be held each Spring and another each Fall and will be open to 15 participants at a time. Sign-up will be on a first come-first served basis. Each Open House will last about an hour. If you are interested in attending our first Open House on April 13th at 1pm, please email Arielle Dorlester ([email protected]) to be added to the list. If we are unable to accommodate you this time, your name and contact information will be saved so that you can be notified of future Open House dates as they become available. Unfortunately, we are unable to host employees on an on-demand basis. The Shubert Archive, located in the penthouse of the Lyceum Theatre, documents every aspect of Shubert company history. The earliest records date from the 1890s when the brothers leased their first theatre, the Bastable, in Syracuse, NY; the latest documents cover contemporary productions, venues, people, and events. The collection includes scripts, musical scores, set and costume designs, photographs, programs, press materials, architectural plans, and window cards. In addition, the Archive houses millions of pages of business records including correspondence, contracts, and financial ledgers. For more information on the Archive please visit our website: www.shubertarchive.org or Instagram: @theshubertarchive. You will also find the current, and past, issues of the Archive newsletter “The Passing Show” on our website. A Shubert University session devoted to the Archive is accessible via Vimeo.
 Last week, March 7th, Theatre Ops and HR had the pleasure of hosting over a dozen sophomores from High School for Youth and Community Development at Erasmus. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because it is the alma mater of such famous names like music exec Clive Davis, actresses Mae West and Barbara Stanwyck, and singer Stephanie Mills. The day started with a Broadway themed icebreaker, asking the students and teachers their first show. The answers ranged from Starlight Express to Hamilton, covering generations of shows. The students were taken on a tour of three of our theatres: the Majestic, the Booth, and our flagship theatre, The Shubert. They were able to walk the stage the actors walk on night after night, some of them even started performing to the empty seats. We followed our tour with a panel discussion with Chanelle Cotton, Marketing Communications Manager, Julie Lui, Box Office Treasurer Kenny Nunez, Shubert Theatre Manager and Bonnie Panson, Production Supervisor, A Beautiful Noise. The students had an opportunity to hear from the Broadway insiders and get the inside scoop. They learned how we promote shows using social media, how to interact with patrons through emergencies and misunderstandings, and just how many duties a production supervisor is responsible for. It's hard to say who had more fun, the students or the Shubert staff, but it’s safe to say a good time was had by all. |
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