Ten years of National Theatre Live has allowed more people outside of London to see theatrical shows and changed the landscape of theatre production worldwide, writes Ruthie Fierberg. She looks at how the model works.
'In 2008, Lisa Burger—then the finance director at London’s National Theatre—saw a live broadcast of a performance from New York’s Metropolitan Opera, and a light bulb went off. If the Met could live-broadcast massive productions half a world away, couldn’t the National do the same?
The following year, the London institution launched National Theatre Live, responsible for broadcasting select titles around the U.K. and the world. Now, it celebrates its 10th anniversary, a milestone that renders NT Live an institution in its own right.
In its pilot season, NT Live broadcast four productions in 270 cinemas across 19 countries. Today, it captures roughly 10 productions each season and reaches close to 3,000 movie theatres in approximately 50 countries all via distributor BY Experience.' ... Keep reading on Playbill
'In 2008, Lisa Burger—then the finance director at London’s National Theatre—saw a live broadcast of a performance from New York’s Metropolitan Opera, and a light bulb went off. If the Met could live-broadcast massive productions half a world away, couldn’t the National do the same?
The following year, the London institution launched National Theatre Live, responsible for broadcasting select titles around the U.K. and the world. Now, it celebrates its 10th anniversary, a milestone that renders NT Live an institution in its own right.
In its pilot season, NT Live broadcast four productions in 270 cinemas across 19 countries. Today, it captures roughly 10 productions each season and reaches close to 3,000 movie theatres in approximately 50 countries all via distributor BY Experience.' ... Keep reading on Playbill