- Published on
"And when our children tell our story..."
Today is Memorial Day, a day where we remember and honor the people who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. I don’t personally have loved ones who served for the United States, but my grandparents were liberated from Japanese occupation in the Philippines by American troops.
I think it is poignant that seventy years later, a Filipino actor, Lea Salonga, would depict a Japanese-American civilian interned on American soil in the Broadway musical Allegiance. Loosely based on actor George Takei’s experiences, Allegiance depicts the terrible treatment of Japanese-American citizens in the US, and the Japanese-American soldiers who fought for the US, during World War II. The musical opened on Broadway in 2015, and was later screened in cinemas around the US. It is now available on (a rather expensive) DVD, and from May 29 will stream for a limited time on Broadway on Demand.
Similarly set during the Second World War, Bandstand tells the story of Donny Novitsk, a musician who has returned from the war traumatized, but with the desire to re-build his life following the death of his best friend. Opening on Broadway in 2017, the musical was the first theatrical production to be certified by Got Your 6, a veteran’s advocacy organization whose work includes promoting the authentic portrayal of the military in entertainment. Bandstand was filmed live during its run and broadcast in cinemas across North America. To commemorate Memorial Day, the musical is available to stream for a small fee ($6.99 US) on Broadway on Demand from May 25th at 7.30pm, until June 2.
Also set on American soil, though two centuries earlier, the worldwide mega-hit and possibly the most-anticipated filmed live musical ever to be released, Hamilton, tells the story of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, and covers battles in the Revolutionary War. Hamilton, filmed live on Broadway in 2016, will be released on Disney+ on July 3.
Returning to World War II, and moving to the southern hemisphere, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 1949 musical South Pacific, was the first Broadway musical to explore stories of race and war. White characters Nellie Forbush, a nurse from Little Rock, Arkansas, and Lt Cable from Princeton, New Jersey, learn to overcome racial prejudice when they fall in love whilst stationed in Polynesia. The 2005 Carnegie Hall benefit production starring Reba McEntire, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Alec Baldwin is available on DVD. The 2008 Lincoln Center revival directed by Bartlett Sher, and starring Kelli O’Hara and Paulo Szot, was broadcast on American television on Live from Lincoln Center. It is not currently officially available to view.
Staying in the Asia-Pacific region, but moving to a later conflict, Miss Saigon tells of the ill-fated love between a young Vietnamese woman, Kim, and an American G.I., Chris. An adaptation of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, Miss Saigon first opened in London in 1989 (starring the aforementioned Lea Salonga), and ran for ten years, becoming a worldwide sensation. To celebrate the musical’s 25th anniversary, producer Cameron Mackintosh revived Miss Saigon in the West End in 2014. The production was filmed and broadcast in cinemas, and is now available on Amazon (UK) and BroadwayHD.
Again returning to World War II, but this time in Europe, An American in Paris tells the story of a young American soldier who falls in love in Paris at the end of the war. Based on a film, which was based on George Gershwin’s “tone poem,” the stage production premiered in Paris at the Théâtre du Châtelet in 2014, before transferring to Broadway in 2015 and the West End in 2017. The London production was filmed live and broadcast in cinemas around the world, and is now available on BroadwayHD.
The lesser-known musical YANK! also tells the story of soldiers falling in love, depicting the gay world that “thrived just beneath the surface of the US Army in the 1940s.” The musical was a hit of the NY Musical Theatre Festival in 2005, and had a successful off-Broadway run in 2010. Below 54th hosted a 10th anniversary concert earlier this year, and the video is currently available on YouTube.
Apart from war, one of the recurring themes across all of these musicals is love. We honor and remember with love, and that is the story that will continue to be told.
Today is Memorial Day, a day where we remember and honor the people who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. I don’t personally have loved ones who served for the United States, but my grandparents were liberated from Japanese occupation in the Philippines by American troops.
I think it is poignant that seventy years later, a Filipino actor, Lea Salonga, would depict a Japanese-American civilian interned on American soil in the Broadway musical Allegiance. Loosely based on actor George Takei’s experiences, Allegiance depicts the terrible treatment of Japanese-American citizens in the US, and the Japanese-American soldiers who fought for the US, during World War II. The musical opened on Broadway in 2015, and was later screened in cinemas around the US. It is now available on (a rather expensive) DVD, and from May 29 will stream for a limited time on Broadway on Demand.
Similarly set during the Second World War, Bandstand tells the story of Donny Novitsk, a musician who has returned from the war traumatized, but with the desire to re-build his life following the death of his best friend. Opening on Broadway in 2017, the musical was the first theatrical production to be certified by Got Your 6, a veteran’s advocacy organization whose work includes promoting the authentic portrayal of the military in entertainment. Bandstand was filmed live during its run and broadcast in cinemas across North America. To commemorate Memorial Day, the musical is available to stream for a small fee ($6.99 US) on Broadway on Demand from May 25th at 7.30pm, until June 2.
Also set on American soil, though two centuries earlier, the worldwide mega-hit and possibly the most-anticipated filmed live musical ever to be released, Hamilton, tells the story of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, and covers battles in the Revolutionary War. Hamilton, filmed live on Broadway in 2016, will be released on Disney+ on July 3.
Returning to World War II, and moving to the southern hemisphere, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 1949 musical South Pacific, was the first Broadway musical to explore stories of race and war. White characters Nellie Forbush, a nurse from Little Rock, Arkansas, and Lt Cable from Princeton, New Jersey, learn to overcome racial prejudice when they fall in love whilst stationed in Polynesia. The 2005 Carnegie Hall benefit production starring Reba McEntire, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Alec Baldwin is available on DVD. The 2008 Lincoln Center revival directed by Bartlett Sher, and starring Kelli O’Hara and Paulo Szot, was broadcast on American television on Live from Lincoln Center. It is not currently officially available to view.
Staying in the Asia-Pacific region, but moving to a later conflict, Miss Saigon tells of the ill-fated love between a young Vietnamese woman, Kim, and an American G.I., Chris. An adaptation of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, Miss Saigon first opened in London in 1989 (starring the aforementioned Lea Salonga), and ran for ten years, becoming a worldwide sensation. To celebrate the musical’s 25th anniversary, producer Cameron Mackintosh revived Miss Saigon in the West End in 2014. The production was filmed and broadcast in cinemas, and is now available on Amazon (UK) and BroadwayHD.
Again returning to World War II, but this time in Europe, An American in Paris tells the story of a young American soldier who falls in love in Paris at the end of the war. Based on a film, which was based on George Gershwin’s “tone poem,” the stage production premiered in Paris at the Théâtre du Châtelet in 2014, before transferring to Broadway in 2015 and the West End in 2017. The London production was filmed live and broadcast in cinemas around the world, and is now available on BroadwayHD.
The lesser-known musical YANK! also tells the story of soldiers falling in love, depicting the gay world that “thrived just beneath the surface of the US Army in the 1940s.” The musical was a hit of the NY Musical Theatre Festival in 2005, and had a successful off-Broadway run in 2010. Below 54th hosted a 10th anniversary concert earlier this year, and the video is currently available on YouTube.
Apart from war, one of the recurring themes across all of these musicals is love. We honor and remember with love, and that is the story that will continue to be told.
- Published on
Can’t wait for Hamilton on July 3? Catch Lin-Manuel’s one-act musical 21 Chump Street. Want a moving musical to commemorate Memorial Day? Try out the Millennium Wales Centre production of Only the Brave. Need something to occupy the kids? Try Chichester Theatre Festival’s production of The Midnight Gang. If you’re feeling literary, you can catch Wasted, a rock musical about the Brontë family, or Emma Rice’s joyous Wise Children. Science more your thing? You can watch Tangram Theatre’s The Element in the Room about Marie Curie. Or perhaps you'd like to celebrate some historic women? Take a look at the new song cycle Passion Project.
Here is a list of over 30 musicals you can currently watch online (legally!) for free! There truly is a musical for everyone!
Musicals are sorted below by Broadway & West End Composers, off-Broadway & off-West End Beyond London & New York, Musicals in Development/Concert Readings, & Family Friendly.
If you’re able, please consider making a donation to the theatre or company making their content available. As reported by producer Sonia Freedman this week, up to 70% of theatres in the UK risk permanent closure by the end of the year, and things are also looking grim in the US.
Here is a list of over 30 musicals you can currently watch online (legally!) for free! There truly is a musical for everyone!
Musicals are sorted below by Broadway & West End Composers, off-Broadway & off-West End Beyond London & New York, Musicals in Development/Concert Readings, & Family Friendly.
If you’re able, please consider making a donation to the theatre or company making their content available. As reported by producer Sonia Freedman this week, up to 70% of theatres in the UK risk permanent closure by the end of the year, and things are also looking grim in the US.
Broadway and West End Composers
21 Chump Street
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s 14 minute one-act musical based on This American Life episode “What I Did for Love” about a high school student who falls in love with an undercover police officer, and is arrested for selling drugs. Features Lindsay Mendez and Anthony Ramos. You can also purchase the full 2 hour concert, performed at Brooklyn Academy of Music, for $5 from This American Life.
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s 14 minute one-act musical based on This American Life episode “What I Did for Love” about a high school student who falls in love with an undercover police officer, and is arrested for selling drugs. Features Lindsay Mendez and Anthony Ramos. You can also purchase the full 2 hour concert, performed at Brooklyn Academy of Music, for $5 from This American Life.
Ghost Quartet at the McKittrick Hotel
The original production of Dave Malloy’s song cycle about love, death, and whiskey. A camera breaks and four friends drink in four interwoven narratives spanning seven centuries. Currently freely available on YouTube.
The original production of Dave Malloy’s song cycle about love, death, and whiskey. A camera breaks and four friends drink in four interwoven narratives spanning seven centuries. Currently freely available on YouTube.
From Here to Eternity
With music by Stuart Brayson, lyrics by Sir Tim Rice, and a book by Bill Oakes, the musical depicts the affairs of US soldiers stationed in Hawaii in the lead-up to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Available to stream for free during Memorial Day weekend on BroadwayHD.
With music by Stuart Brayson, lyrics by Sir Tim Rice, and a book by Bill Oakes, the musical depicts the affairs of US soldiers stationed in Hawaii in the lead-up to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Available to stream for free during Memorial Day weekend on BroadwayHD.
Off-Broadway and Off-West-End
The Dolly Mixtures
The incredible true story based on 8 South Shields womn who set up a variety act, The Dolly Mixtures when one of their husbands' Ken Graham, was diagnosed with cancer in 1972. For 15 years they performed in working men's clubs through-out the North East to raise laughs and money for Cancer Research. They raised £100,000 for Cancer Research in the male dominated clubs in the 70's and 80's. Available on YouTube.
The incredible true story based on 8 South Shields womn who set up a variety act, The Dolly Mixtures when one of their husbands' Ken Graham, was diagnosed with cancer in 1972. For 15 years they performed in working men's clubs through-out the North East to raise laughs and money for Cancer Research. They raised £100,000 for Cancer Research in the male dominated clubs in the 70's and 80's. Available on YouTube.
Molly Wobbly
The women of Little Happening are desperate - all three are trapped in loveless marriages and stuck with failing businesses. There is only one person who can help them - a woman they’ve never met. Her name is Molly Wobbly. Available via Paul Boyd Music.
The women of Little Happening are desperate - all three are trapped in loveless marriages and stuck with failing businesses. There is only one person who can help them - a woman they’ve never met. Her name is Molly Wobbly. Available via Paul Boyd Music.
Myth: The Rise and Fall of Orpheus
A modern retelling of Orpheus and the underworld, looking at mental illness and addiction in society through the rock music business. The storyline with echoes with the tragically short lives of some of music’s brightest stars, including Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse. Available on YouTube.
A modern retelling of Orpheus and the underworld, looking at mental illness and addiction in society through the rock music business. The storyline with echoes with the tragically short lives of some of music’s brightest stars, including Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse. Available on YouTube.
Sistas The Musical
The story of African-American women told through Top-40 music, from Bessie Smith to Beyonce. Available on TubiTv.
The story of African-American women told through Top-40 music, from Bessie Smith to Beyonce. Available on TubiTv.
The State of Things
A new British musical about a high school band, fighting to save their music course from being cut. Set against the backdrop of Austerity Britain, join this unlikely bunch of misfits as they stick two fingers up at the state of things! Available on YouTube
A new British musical about a high school band, fighting to save their music course from being cut. Set against the backdrop of Austerity Britain, join this unlikely bunch of misfits as they stick two fingers up at the state of things! Available on YouTube
Timpson the Musical
With a nod to Romeo and Juliet, Timpson: The Musical is a fictional origin story of how the British retailer came to provide both cobbling and key cutting services. Available on YouTube.
With a nod to Romeo and Juliet, Timpson: The Musical is a fictional origin story of how the British retailer came to provide both cobbling and key cutting services. Available on YouTube.
V for Victory
A British musical exploring the lives of a group of friends in the resistance against the German occupation of Jersey during World War II. Available on YouTube.
A British musical exploring the lives of a group of friends in the resistance against the German occupation of Jersey during World War II. Available on YouTube.
Waiting for the Ship to Sail
London-based theatre Chickenshed presents an artistic response to the urgent and pressing questions of global migration, and investigates the concepts of national and personal identity. Available on YouTube.
London-based theatre Chickenshed presents an artistic response to the urgent and pressing questions of global migration, and investigates the concepts of national and personal identity. Available on YouTube.
Wasted
A “rocumentary,” or documentary rock musical about the Brontë family. Available at Southwark Playhouse.
A “rocumentary,” or documentary rock musical about the Brontë family. Available at Southwark Playhouse.
Wise Children (UK only, until June 11)
A big, bawdy tangle of theatrical joy and heartbreak, Wise Children is a celebration of show business, family, forgiveness and hope. Expect show girls and Shakespeare, sex and scandal, music, mischief and mistaken identity. Emma Wise’s inaugural production with her new production, also called Wise Children. Only available in the UK until June 11. Available on BBC iPlayer.
A big, bawdy tangle of theatrical joy and heartbreak, Wise Children is a celebration of show business, family, forgiveness and hope. Expect show girls and Shakespeare, sex and scandal, music, mischief and mistaken identity. Emma Wise’s inaugural production with her new production, also called Wise Children. Only available in the UK until June 11. Available on BBC iPlayer.
Beyond London and New York
Friends: The One Where They Sing! (The UnAuthorized Musical Parody)
The title says it all. Available on YouTube
The title says it all. Available on YouTube
Mushy: Lyrically Speaking
Mushy, a young man with a debilitating stammer, finds himself at the centre of a television documentary. In a moment of inspiration from his teacher, Mr. Burton, he starts to find a rhythm in his voice through music. Social media erupts hailing it a miracle cure and both teacher and pupil become overnight celebrities. Available on Vimeo.
Mushy, a young man with a debilitating stammer, finds himself at the centre of a television documentary. In a moment of inspiration from his teacher, Mr. Burton, he starts to find a rhythm in his voice through music. Social media erupts hailing it a miracle cure and both teacher and pupil become overnight celebrities. Available on Vimeo.
Only the Brave
Wales Millennium Centre’s moving musical based on a true story. Only the Brave follows Captain John Howard and Lieutenant Denholm Brotheridge, and their wives Joy and Maggie, as the soldiers prepare for the D-Day landings. Available on Vimeo.
Wales Millennium Centre’s moving musical based on a true story. Only the Brave follows Captain John Howard and Lieutenant Denholm Brotheridge, and their wives Joy and Maggie, as the soldiers prepare for the D-Day landings. Available on Vimeo.
Three in the Bed
A new Australian musical comedic farce about the blunders of relationships and sexuality for twenty-somethings, written by songwriter & actor Jonathon Holmes. Jessica has always had a crush on Tim, who turns up to her party suddenly single. Unfortunately, Tim meets Zoe. But Zoe thinks she has a way to make all parties happy… what could possibly go wrong? Available on YouTube.
A new Australian musical comedic farce about the blunders of relationships and sexuality for twenty-somethings, written by songwriter & actor Jonathon Holmes. Jessica has always had a crush on Tim, who turns up to her party suddenly single. Unfortunately, Tim meets Zoe. But Zoe thinks she has a way to make all parties happy… what could possibly go wrong? Available on YouTube.
Tyneham: No Small Sacrifice
In 1942, more than 200 residents of Tyneham had to leave their homes when the area was needed as part of a tank firing range. The villagers were promised their homes would be returned, but this promise was never fulfilled. Tyneham remains military property to this very day. Available on YouTube
In 1942, more than 200 residents of Tyneham had to leave their homes when the area was needed as part of a tank firing range. The villagers were promised their homes would be returned, but this promise was never fulfilled. Tyneham remains military property to this very day. Available on YouTube
Albert Einstein: Relativitively Speaking
It’s 1933 and Einstein is giving his inaugural lecture on Special and General Relativity at Princeton University. But it's tough when your two wives and mother keep coming in, your equations are being used to make atomic bombs and there’s the small (rather large) matter of the Universe to explain. Available on SceneSaver.
It’s 1933 and Einstein is giving his inaugural lecture on Special and General Relativity at Princeton University. But it's tough when your two wives and mother keep coming in, your equations are being used to make atomic bombs and there’s the small (rather large) matter of the Universe to explain. Available on SceneSaver.
The Element in the Room
Marie Curie's story is a tale of of glowing powders with extraordinary powers, lives saved and destroyed, and unparalleled achievements in the face of unbelievable odds. Available on SceneSaver
Marie Curie's story is a tale of of glowing powders with extraordinary powers, lives saved and destroyed, and unparalleled achievements in the face of unbelievable odds. Available on SceneSaver
The Origin of Species
Charles Darwin is hard at work on his new book about barnacles. To boost sales, his publisher has invited you young and not so young naturalists to watch him at work. Easily distracted, Charles begins sharing his family history, songs he has written and some of his new discoveries about barnacles. However today is about to prove to be no ordinary day. Available on SceneSaver.
Charles Darwin is hard at work on his new book about barnacles. To boost sales, his publisher has invited you young and not so young naturalists to watch him at work. Easily distracted, Charles begins sharing his family history, songs he has written and some of his new discoveries about barnacles. However today is about to prove to be no ordinary day. Available on SceneSaver.
Musicals in Development/Concert Readings
Golden Bricks and Ruby Shoes
Inspired by a news article about the FBI assisting in the recovery a pair of stolen ruby slippers, Golden Bricks and Ruby Shoes is an in-development song cycle about the famed Wizard of Oz pumps, and the people who were obsessed with them. Available on YouTube.
Inspired by a news article about the FBI assisting in the recovery a pair of stolen ruby slippers, Golden Bricks and Ruby Shoes is an in-development song cycle about the famed Wizard of Oz pumps, and the people who were obsessed with them. Available on YouTube.
Passion Project in Concert
A song cycle about twelve unsung women from history who sing to their great loves: the object of their careers. An aviator sings to her airplane, an acrobat to her tightrope, an astronomer to her comet. Available on Facebook.
A song cycle about twelve unsung women from history who sing to their great loves: the object of their careers. An aviator sings to her airplane, an acrobat to her tightrope, an astronomer to her comet. Available on Facebook.
Family Friendly
The Hunting of the Snark
Inspired by the genius of Lewis Carroll and his much beloved classic poem, a sparkling new musical extravaganza for the whole family. Available for a limited time on YouTube.
Inspired by the genius of Lewis Carroll and his much beloved classic poem, a sparkling new musical extravaganza for the whole family. Available for a limited time on YouTube.
The Midnight Gang
Based on David Walliams book of the same name. Twelve-year-old Tom lands in the children’s ward of the spooky Lord Funt Hospital and meets a gang of fellow kids whose missions of wish fulfillment begin at midnight. Available until May 29 via Chichester Festival Theatre.
Based on David Walliams book of the same name. Twelve-year-old Tom lands in the children’s ward of the spooky Lord Funt Hospital and meets a gang of fellow kids whose missions of wish fulfillment begin at midnight. Available until May 29 via Chichester Festival Theatre.
Beauty and the Beast
Not the Disney musical, but a new version by Chichester Festival Theatre. Available until June 19. Available at Chichester Festival Theatre.
Not the Disney musical, but a new version by Chichester Festival Theatre. Available until June 19. Available at Chichester Festival Theatre.
Stellaluna The Musical
Stellaluna the bat, Verdi the snake, and Pinduli the hyena all seek refreshment at a watering hole one hot day, only to find themselves the subjects of a bullying lion's ridicule. But by sharing stories about building self-confidence, these three misfit animals find wisdom, peace, and friendship. Available at Broadway On Demand.
Stellaluna the bat, Verdi the snake, and Pinduli the hyena all seek refreshment at a watering hole one hot day, only to find themselves the subjects of a bullying lion's ridicule. But by sharing stories about building self-confidence, these three misfit animals find wisdom, peace, and friendship. Available at Broadway On Demand.
StarKid Musicals
A Very Potter Musical
StarKid’s first production and a viral sensation that launched Darren Criss’s career. The sequels, A Very Potter Sequel and A Very Potter Senior Musical are also freely available online. Available on YouTube.
StarKid’s first production and a viral sensation that launched Darren Criss’s career. The sequels, A Very Potter Sequel and A Very Potter Senior Musical are also freely available online. Available on YouTube.
Ani: A Parody Musical
A musical parody of Star Wars. Available on YouTube.
A musical parody of Star Wars. Available on YouTube.
Holy Musical, B@tman
It’s Batman, singing and dancing. Available on YouTube.
It’s Batman, singing and dancing. Available on YouTube.
Me and My Dick
Adults only. A coming of age story about Joey Richter whose best friend is...his dick. Available on YouTube.
Adults only. A coming of age story about Joey Richter whose best friend is...his dick. Available on YouTube.
Starship
Bug wants to be a Starship Ranger, but there's one thing they are he's not... human. Available on YouTube.
Bug wants to be a Starship Ranger, but there's one thing they are he's not... human. Available on YouTube.
The Trail to Oregon
Produced in Chicago in 2014. Claims to be the most historically accurate musical portraying the Oregon Trail. Available on YouTube.
Produced in Chicago in 2014. Claims to be the most historically accurate musical portraying the Oregon Trail. Available on YouTube.
Twisted
Hop on your flying carpet, because this musical parody retells the classic tale of Aladdin... from the villain's point of view! Available on YouTube.
Hop on your flying carpet, because this musical parody retells the classic tale of Aladdin... from the villain's point of view! Available on YouTube.
Still want MORE musicals?
Use the Filmed Live Musicals database to search for musicals to watch online!
Use the Filmed Live Musicals database to search for musicals to watch online!
Filmed Live Musicals is a labor of love
that takes many hours of research & hundreds of dollars to run.
Become a patron and support original research into filmed live musicals.
From June 2020, Patrons will receive a monthly newsletter with bonus content not available on the site, and Star Patrons also receive a filmed live musical review.
that takes many hours of research & hundreds of dollars to run.
Become a patron and support original research into filmed live musicals.
From June 2020, Patrons will receive a monthly newsletter with bonus content not available on the site, and Star Patrons also receive a filmed live musical review.
- Published on
There are so many musicals streaming online right now it's hard to keep up!
Today alone, the 8th of May, there are THREE filmed live musicals being made available for a limited time for free (not to mention all the musicals already available online)!
If you are so able, please consider making a donation to the institutions providing these streams, especially the independent theatres. Times are tough for everyone right now, and the theatre industry is facing an incredibly difficult time. Theatres rely on ticket sales to bring in income, and with the shutdown, many institutions are facing serious economic difficulty. If we can, let's give back to the places that give us so much joy.
Pieces of String
A new British musical set simultaneously in 1940 and the present day exploring LGBT themes, and the impact of secrets on generations. Free to watch from 10am - 11.59pm (GMT) on May 8 only at Mercury Theatre Colchester. If you miss the free screening, it's also available for a small fee from Digital Theatre.
The King and I
Bartlett Sher's gorgeous Lincoln Center revival starring Kelli O'Hara and Ken Watanabe filmed live during its West End run at the London Palladium. Free watch party on May 8 at 8pm (EST) hosted BroadwayHD and Playbill. Only available in North America. Also available through a BroadwayHD subscription.
By Jeeves
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Alan Ayckbourn's musical based on the book by P.G. Wodehouse. Will be available to stream for free from 2pm on May 8 for 48 hours on YouTube.
Royal Court Livestream
Missing being inside an actual theatre? This one is not a musical, but London's Royal Court theatre is live-streaming from within the empty auditorium on May 8th with Caretaker, a "durational installation" by Hester Chillingworth. 7.30pm GMT. Visit Royal Court for more info.
Still want MORE musicals?! You can visit the Filmed Live Musicals database and search for musicals to watch online! There are currently 75 musicals listed as available online, with more being added each week.
Happy viewing!
Today alone, the 8th of May, there are THREE filmed live musicals being made available for a limited time for free (not to mention all the musicals already available online)!
If you are so able, please consider making a donation to the institutions providing these streams, especially the independent theatres. Times are tough for everyone right now, and the theatre industry is facing an incredibly difficult time. Theatres rely on ticket sales to bring in income, and with the shutdown, many institutions are facing serious economic difficulty. If we can, let's give back to the places that give us so much joy.
Pieces of String
A new British musical set simultaneously in 1940 and the present day exploring LGBT themes, and the impact of secrets on generations. Free to watch from 10am - 11.59pm (GMT) on May 8 only at Mercury Theatre Colchester. If you miss the free screening, it's also available for a small fee from Digital Theatre.
The King and I
Bartlett Sher's gorgeous Lincoln Center revival starring Kelli O'Hara and Ken Watanabe filmed live during its West End run at the London Palladium. Free watch party on May 8 at 8pm (EST) hosted BroadwayHD and Playbill. Only available in North America. Also available through a BroadwayHD subscription.
By Jeeves
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Alan Ayckbourn's musical based on the book by P.G. Wodehouse. Will be available to stream for free from 2pm on May 8 for 48 hours on YouTube.
Royal Court Livestream
Missing being inside an actual theatre? This one is not a musical, but London's Royal Court theatre is live-streaming from within the empty auditorium on May 8th with Caretaker, a "durational installation" by Hester Chillingworth. 7.30pm GMT. Visit Royal Court for more info.
Still want MORE musicals?! You can visit the Filmed Live Musicals database and search for musicals to watch online! There are currently 75 musicals listed as available online, with more being added each week.
Happy viewing!
- Published on
Cities around the world are banning public gatherings of more than 1000 people. Some places are implementing city-wide lock downs. Broadway has shut down for at least a month. Productions, tours, concerts, and events are being cancelled at a rapid rate, and venues across the globe are closing their doors to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Can the show go on in the face of a worldwide pandemic?
It seems that with performers wanting to share their talents (check out the delightful thread started by Tony Award winner Laura Benanti encouraging school-age performers to share their songs, #SunshineSongs), and audiences with internet connections sitting at home seeking theatre in a time of crisis, the show indeed must go on, online.
The Met Opera, always a leader in making digital content available to audiences around the world, has already announced it will provide nightly screenings from its filmed live catalog beginning March 16.
BroadwayWorld have begun hosting #LivingRoomConcerts, featuring intimate performances by Broadway performers including Jagged Little Pill's Katherine Gallagher, Dear Evan Hansen's Andrew Barth Feldman, and Pretty Woman's Andy Karl and Orfeh.
As reported on BroadwayWorld, Broadway Licensing have announced that 400 plays from their Playscripts catalog have been specially approved for live-streaming, so watch this space for more new content to be made available in the coming weeks and months.
To help you find content in the meantime, I've added a new page to the site: Where to Stream Live Theatre Content. It's a wide-ranging list of legal, already existing, companies streaming theatre content to the world. A lot of it is viewable for free, or available at a discount during this unprecedented time.
And finally, below is a list of upcoming musical theatre livestreams. This post will be updated on a rolling basis as new online productions are announced.
Online with the show!
Can the show go on in the face of a worldwide pandemic?
It seems that with performers wanting to share their talents (check out the delightful thread started by Tony Award winner Laura Benanti encouraging school-age performers to share their songs, #SunshineSongs), and audiences with internet connections sitting at home seeking theatre in a time of crisis, the show indeed must go on, online.
The Met Opera, always a leader in making digital content available to audiences around the world, has already announced it will provide nightly screenings from its filmed live catalog beginning March 16.
BroadwayWorld have begun hosting #LivingRoomConcerts, featuring intimate performances by Broadway performers including Jagged Little Pill's Katherine Gallagher, Dear Evan Hansen's Andrew Barth Feldman, and Pretty Woman's Andy Karl and Orfeh.
As reported on BroadwayWorld, Broadway Licensing have announced that 400 plays from their Playscripts catalog have been specially approved for live-streaming, so watch this space for more new content to be made available in the coming weeks and months.
To help you find content in the meantime, I've added a new page to the site: Where to Stream Live Theatre Content. It's a wide-ranging list of legal, already existing, companies streaming theatre content to the world. A lot of it is viewable for free, or available at a discount during this unprecedented time.
And finally, below is a list of upcoming musical theatre livestreams. This post will be updated on a rolling basis as new online productions are announced.
Online with the show!
Calendar of Livestreams
March 13, 2020
Broadway Jackbox
Broadway folks playing Jackbox games
March 13 @ 2.30pm (available online after event)
Access via YouTube
Cost: Free
Running time: 180min
Broadway folks playing Jackbox games
March 13 @ 2.30pm (available online after event)
Access via YouTube
Cost: Free
Running time: 180min
March 16, 2020
Telly Leung Live from Gary's with Alice Ripley
March 16 @ 1pm EST
Access via StageIt (not viewable after the event)
Cost: 50 tickets ($5)
Running time: 30min
March 16 @ 1pm EST
Access via StageIt (not viewable after the event)
Cost: 50 tickets ($5)
Running time: 30min
March 17, 2020
Shoshana Bean: Virtual Standards at the Standard (but not at the Standard)
March 17 @ 10pm EST
Access via: StageIt (not viewable after the event)
Cost: 150 tickets ($15)
Running time: 120min
March 17 @ 10pm EST
Access via: StageIt (not viewable after the event)
Cost: 150 tickets ($15)
Running time: 120min
March 20, 2020
Telly Leung Live from Gary's with Ann Harada
March 20 @ 1pm EST
Access via StageIt (not viewable after the event)
Cost: 50 tickets ($5)
Running time: 30min
March 20 @ 1pm EST
Access via StageIt (not viewable after the event)
Cost: 50 tickets ($5)
Running time: 30min
ACT of Connecticut
In conjunction with the Ridgefield Playhouse, ACT of Connecticut will livestream a concert featuring Broadway stars, including composer Stephen Schwartz, for free.
Access via: FacebookLive
March 20 @ 8pm
Cost: Free
In conjunction with the Ridgefield Playhouse, ACT of Connecticut will livestream a concert featuring Broadway stars, including composer Stephen Schwartz, for free.
Access via: FacebookLive
March 20 @ 8pm
Cost: Free
Ongoing Streams
(follow the artist/channel for regular content!)
(follow the artist/channel for regular content!)
Living Room Concerts (BroadwayWorld)
Hosted by BroadwayWorld in response to the COVID-19 shutdown, Living Room Concerts feature Broadway actors performing songs from their living rooms.
Watch at BroadwayWorld.
Hosted by BroadwayWorld in response to the COVID-19 shutdown, Living Room Concerts feature Broadway actors performing songs from their living rooms.
Watch at BroadwayWorld.
Stars in the House for The Actors Fund
Hosted by Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley, an intimate "concert" of songs and interviews with a different Broadway star each day. Slated guests include Kelli O'Hara, Judy Kuhn, Shoshana Bean and MANY others! The livestreams will raise funds for The Actors Fund.
Daily, 2pm and 8pm.
Watch on YouTube.
Hosted by Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley, an intimate "concert" of songs and interviews with a different Broadway star each day. Slated guests include Kelli O'Hara, Judy Kuhn, Shoshana Bean and MANY others! The livestreams will raise funds for The Actors Fund.
Daily, 2pm and 8pm.
Watch on YouTube.
Don't forget, if you're fixing for a full-length musical, you can always search the filmed live musicals database for some inspiration!
Know of other musical theatre events live-streaming during the pandemic?
Let me know!
Let me know!
Written by Luisa Lyons
follow me @filmedliveMT and @luisalyons
Filmed Live Musicals is a labor of love that takes many hours of research and hundreds of dollars to run. Please consider supporting the site by becoming a patron today!
With thanks to Star patrons Mercedes Esteban-Lyons, Jesse Rabinowitz and Brenda Goodman, and David and Katherine Rabinowitz for their ongoing support.
follow me @filmedliveMT and @luisalyons
Filmed Live Musicals is a labor of love that takes many hours of research and hundreds of dollars to run. Please consider supporting the site by becoming a patron today!
With thanks to Star patrons Mercedes Esteban-Lyons, Jesse Rabinowitz and Brenda Goodman, and David and Katherine Rabinowitz for their ongoing support.
- Published on
My dance card is getting full! The end of 2018 is shaping up to be something wonderful for Filmed Live Musicals with several new filmed live releases on the horizon. Find out what's coming to a cinema near you!
October
Emma, a new “soundstage musical” created by Paul Gordon (co-creator of Daddy Long Legs, the first off-Broadway musical to be livestreamed), was released on the newly launched Streaming Musicals on October 3.
Funny Girl starring Sheridan Smith and filmed live on the West End by Digital Theatre will screen globally in select cinemas on October 24. Go to https://www.funnygirlincinemas.com/ for local listings.
To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the hit Broadway musical Wicked, NBC will present "A Very Wicked Halloween” on October 29th. The concert will be performed at the Marquis Theatre, with original leading ladies Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel hosting.
November
Filmed live in London, An American in Paris will air on PBS on November 2. It will also be available to stream through the PBS website on November 3, and is already available to stream on BroadwayHD.
The West End musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie will be screened in select cinemas across the United States on November 7, with encore screenings on November 11 and 14. To find local listings visit https://www.jamieincinemas.com/.
The acclaimed Lincoln Center revival of The King and I transferred to the West End this year, opening at the Palladium. The production was filmed live and will be released in the United States on November 29 and December 4 under the title The King And I: From The Palladium. Find local listings at https://www.kingandimusicalcinema.com.
October
Emma, a new “soundstage musical” created by Paul Gordon (co-creator of Daddy Long Legs, the first off-Broadway musical to be livestreamed), was released on the newly launched Streaming Musicals on October 3.
Funny Girl starring Sheridan Smith and filmed live on the West End by Digital Theatre will screen globally in select cinemas on October 24. Go to https://www.funnygirlincinemas.com/ for local listings.
To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the hit Broadway musical Wicked, NBC will present "A Very Wicked Halloween” on October 29th. The concert will be performed at the Marquis Theatre, with original leading ladies Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel hosting.
November
Filmed live in London, An American in Paris will air on PBS on November 2. It will also be available to stream through the PBS website on November 3, and is already available to stream on BroadwayHD.
The West End musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie will be screened in select cinemas across the United States on November 7, with encore screenings on November 11 and 14. To find local listings visit https://www.jamieincinemas.com/.
The acclaimed Lincoln Center revival of The King and I transferred to the West End this year, opening at the Palladium. The production was filmed live and will be released in the United States on November 29 and December 4 under the title The King And I: From The Palladium. Find local listings at https://www.kingandimusicalcinema.com.
- Published on
“I'm sorry theater only exists in one place at a time but that is also its magic.”
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Lin-Manuel Miranda
There is a widespread belief that watching theatre on screen means you’re no longer experiencing “theatre.” While I would agree that the phenomenon of theatre on screen needs a new name, there is a small but growing body of research to show that watching filmed live theatre is just as exciting a way of experiencing theatre as being in the room where it happens.
Given that the vast majority of filmed live theatre is coming from the United Kingdom, it should come as no surprise that the research is also being conducted there. Arts Council England, the Society of London Theatres (SOLT), UK Theatre, and, the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA), have all released reports investigating audiences’ responses to watching live theatre on screen.
A finding across across all the reports is that watching theatre on screen is not a replacement for live theatre, but an alternative way to consume it. In writing about enjoying opera on the cinema screen, British commentator Clemency Burton-Hill wrote
Given that the vast majority of filmed live theatre is coming from the United Kingdom, it should come as no surprise that the research is also being conducted there. Arts Council England, the Society of London Theatres (SOLT), UK Theatre, and, the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA), have all released reports investigating audiences’ responses to watching live theatre on screen.
A finding across across all the reports is that watching theatre on screen is not a replacement for live theatre, but an alternative way to consume it. In writing about enjoying opera on the cinema screen, British commentator Clemency Burton-Hill wrote
while there is nothing like sitting in the plush red velvet of the Royal Opera House stalls, waiting in anticipation for that legendary red-and-gilt curtain to rise, watching it in the cinema is an exhilarating alternative when I can’t be there in person."
The research also shows that audiences can have strong emotional reactions to live theatre on screen. During real-time live broadcasts, audiences have reported feeling a part of the live experience, despite not being physically in the theatre.
Shakespeare scholar Erin Sullivan reiterates this in the newly published Shakespeare and the ‘Live’ Theatre Broadcast Experience, adding that audiences do not even need to be viewing a broadcast in real time in order to be moved by theatre on screen. Watching a live performance on screen, even years after the performance has taken place can still generate an emotional response. Sullivan also discusses how social media has allowed audiences to engage with content in a new way, making “spectatorship visible in a way that has not been previously possible.”
The internet is not only creating new ways of interacting with theatre, recent reports suggest that streamed theatre attracts a younger, and a more culturally, and economically, diverse audience. As columnist Christopher Zara has noted, “streaming media [makes] Broadway more accessible,… ultimately preserving it for the next generation.”
And what about the room where it happens? Is theatre on screen negatively affecting ticket sales in the theatre? The Audience Agency, a British charity aiming to help arts organizations use national data to understand audiences, recently found that there was “a small net increase in arts attendance in areas where there had been a screening.” In an earlier blog post, I took a look at how Broadway ticket sales are affected by filmed live theatre and found that ticket sales were not negatively affected.
In an article comparing the experience of watching Kenneth Brannaugh’s Romeo and Juliet on stage and screen, British theatre critic Peter Bradshaw noted “People watching a football match on TV as opposed to in the stadium can still have a great time – without worrying that it’s inauthentic, or that they have somehow made a wrong or disloyal choice.” While academics Bernadette Cochrane and Francer Bonner believe comparing live theatre to live sport on screen will reduce the “cultural capital” of theatre, the research is showing that live theatre on screen is a viable alternative to being in the room where it happens.
The magic of technology means we can experience theatre magic in a room thousands of miles from where the action is taking place. Will you be in the next room?
Shakespeare scholar Erin Sullivan reiterates this in the newly published Shakespeare and the ‘Live’ Theatre Broadcast Experience, adding that audiences do not even need to be viewing a broadcast in real time in order to be moved by theatre on screen. Watching a live performance on screen, even years after the performance has taken place can still generate an emotional response. Sullivan also discusses how social media has allowed audiences to engage with content in a new way, making “spectatorship visible in a way that has not been previously possible.”
The internet is not only creating new ways of interacting with theatre, recent reports suggest that streamed theatre attracts a younger, and a more culturally, and economically, diverse audience. As columnist Christopher Zara has noted, “streaming media [makes] Broadway more accessible,… ultimately preserving it for the next generation.”
And what about the room where it happens? Is theatre on screen negatively affecting ticket sales in the theatre? The Audience Agency, a British charity aiming to help arts organizations use national data to understand audiences, recently found that there was “a small net increase in arts attendance in areas where there had been a screening.” In an earlier blog post, I took a look at how Broadway ticket sales are affected by filmed live theatre and found that ticket sales were not negatively affected.
In an article comparing the experience of watching Kenneth Brannaugh’s Romeo and Juliet on stage and screen, British theatre critic Peter Bradshaw noted “People watching a football match on TV as opposed to in the stadium can still have a great time – without worrying that it’s inauthentic, or that they have somehow made a wrong or disloyal choice.” While academics Bernadette Cochrane and Francer Bonner believe comparing live theatre to live sport on screen will reduce the “cultural capital” of theatre, the research is showing that live theatre on screen is a viable alternative to being in the room where it happens.
The magic of technology means we can experience theatre magic in a room thousands of miles from where the action is taking place. Will you be in the next room?
Sources
Articles
Articles
- Isabel Berwick, “All the world's a stream,” Financial Times (Aug 30, 2014) p.12
- Peter Bradshaw, “Stage v screen: is theatre better in the cinema?” The Guardian (July 27, 2016)
- Clemency Burton-Hill, “Is watching opera in the cinema just as good?” BBC (Jan 14, 2015)
- Cat Leaver, “All the World’s A Stage: Live Streaming and the Arts,” After Digital (Nov 21, 2016)
- Jack Rear, “Inside the phenomenon of event cinema — and how it’s changing the movie industry,” Verdict (Feb 8, 2018)
- Matthew Reason, “Theatre Audiences and Perceptions of ‘Liveness’ in Performance,” Particip@tions, Volume 1, Issue 2 (May 2004)
- Laura Scarrott, “National Theatre Live has no negative impact on regional theatre-going,” NESTA (June 24, 2014)
- Mark Shenton and Hermione Hoby, “Can a filmed stage show be as good as the real thing?” The Guardian (March 5, 2011)
- Anne Torreggiani, “Feautre: The Screening Effect,” The Audience Agency (May 18, 2017)
- Christopher Zara, “Live-Streamed Broadway Shows? The Tech Was Easy, But Oh The Drama!” Fast Company (Jan 1, 2018)
- Arts Council England, “From Live-to-Digital,” Accessed via:
https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/sites/default/files/download-file/From_Live_to_Digital_OCT2016.pdf - NESTA, “Beyond Live,” Accessed via:
https://media.nesta.org.uk/documents/beyond_live.pdf - NESTA, “NT Live,” Accessed via: https://media.nesta.org.uk/documents/nt_live.pdf
- The Space, “The Encounter- a case study in live streaming theatre” Accessed via: https://www.thespace.org/resource/encounter-case-study-live-streaming-theatre
Filmed Live Musicals is a labor of love that takes many hours of research and hundreds of dollars to run.
Thank you to Star patrons Mercedes Esteban-Lyons, Jesse Rabinowitz and Brenda Goodman, and David and Katherine Rabinowitz for financially supporting the site.
Become a patron today and support original research into filmed live musicals.
For just $1 a month, you will receive a monthly newsletter with bonus content not available on the site.
$5+ patrons also receive filmed live musical reviews.
Thank you to Star patrons Mercedes Esteban-Lyons, Jesse Rabinowitz and Brenda Goodman, and David and Katherine Rabinowitz for financially supporting the site.
Become a patron today and support original research into filmed live musicals.
For just $1 a month, you will receive a monthly newsletter with bonus content not available on the site.
$5+ patrons also receive filmed live musical reviews.
- Published on
Musical lovers, we live in a whole new world. Not only can we stream filmed live musicals on demand, we can experience them in 360º.
Well, stand alone numbers, at least for now.
In the past few years, musical theatre producers have started filming production numbers in 360º and releasing them for free on YouTube. Although perhaps best experienced in VR, 360º captures are available to anyone through a regular screen or mobile device.
Let’s take a brief chronological tour of 360º musical theatre captures!
In October 2015, School of Rock released a first-of-its-kind promotional 360º video which attracted over 1 million views within 3 days. A month later, Disney released its own 360º video of the opening number from The Lion King, which was filmed in front of a live audience.
In the lead up to the 2016 Tony Awards, CBS released a 360º video of the Hamilton cast preparing for the ceremony.
In November 2016, The New York Times launched “The Daily 360,” a daily series of 360º videos as a way of providing readers with a “new way to experience” journalism. The series capitalized on the success of the newspaper’s 2015 launch of NYT VR, an app for viewing specially created VR content. Broadway themed videos have included rehearsal footage from Cirque du Soleil’s Broadway show Paramour, the chance to descend in Glinda’s bubble from Wicked, and “last looks” at Amelie and Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812.
Never afraid to use new technology to promote his shows, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera released a video of the Broadway cast experiencing scenes from the show in VR in August 2017.
In September 2017, Dear Evan Hansen released a 360º video celebrating fans of the show, though the video did not include footage from the musical. Carnegie Hall also jumped in on the 360º action with the release of “Cool” from a new production of West Side Story directed by Marin Alsop.
Since September 2017, NBC Nightly News has been releasing 360º clips from Broadway musicals including Come From Away, Anastasia, The Band’s Visit, School of Rock, Once on This Island, and Waitress.
To celebrate Wicked’s 10th anniversary in London in December 2017, TimeOut London released a 360º video featuring backstage footage from the Apollo Theatre.
In June 2018, Disney released another 360º video, this time featuring “Friend Like Me” from Aladdin. The video features bonus content activated by turning “over, sideways, and under” as you scroll around.
It might be a little while until we can experience 360º captures of full-length musicals, but in the meantime, let’s hope more more producers allow us to take virtual spins through musical worlds.
Well, stand alone numbers, at least for now.
In the past few years, musical theatre producers have started filming production numbers in 360º and releasing them for free on YouTube. Although perhaps best experienced in VR, 360º captures are available to anyone through a regular screen or mobile device.
Let’s take a brief chronological tour of 360º musical theatre captures!
In October 2015, School of Rock released a first-of-its-kind promotional 360º video which attracted over 1 million views within 3 days. A month later, Disney released its own 360º video of the opening number from The Lion King, which was filmed in front of a live audience.
In the lead up to the 2016 Tony Awards, CBS released a 360º video of the Hamilton cast preparing for the ceremony.
In November 2016, The New York Times launched “The Daily 360,” a daily series of 360º videos as a way of providing readers with a “new way to experience” journalism. The series capitalized on the success of the newspaper’s 2015 launch of NYT VR, an app for viewing specially created VR content. Broadway themed videos have included rehearsal footage from Cirque du Soleil’s Broadway show Paramour, the chance to descend in Glinda’s bubble from Wicked, and “last looks” at Amelie and Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812.
Never afraid to use new technology to promote his shows, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera released a video of the Broadway cast experiencing scenes from the show in VR in August 2017.
In September 2017, Dear Evan Hansen released a 360º video celebrating fans of the show, though the video did not include footage from the musical. Carnegie Hall also jumped in on the 360º action with the release of “Cool” from a new production of West Side Story directed by Marin Alsop.
Since September 2017, NBC Nightly News has been releasing 360º clips from Broadway musicals including Come From Away, Anastasia, The Band’s Visit, School of Rock, Once on This Island, and Waitress.
To celebrate Wicked’s 10th anniversary in London in December 2017, TimeOut London released a 360º video featuring backstage footage from the Apollo Theatre.
In June 2018, Disney released another 360º video, this time featuring “Friend Like Me” from Aladdin. The video features bonus content activated by turning “over, sideways, and under” as you scroll around.
It might be a little while until we can experience 360º captures of full-length musicals, but in the meantime, let’s hope more more producers allow us to take virtual spins through musical worlds.
Filmed Live Musicals is a labor of love that takes many hours of research and hundreds of dollars to run.
Thank you to Star patrons Mercedes Esteban-Lyons, Jesse Rabinowitz and Brenda Goodman, and David and Katherine Rabinowitz for financially supporting the site.
Become a patron today.
For as little as $1 a month you can support original research and gain access to bonus content not available on the site.
Thank you to Star patrons Mercedes Esteban-Lyons, Jesse Rabinowitz and Brenda Goodman, and David and Katherine Rabinowitz for financially supporting the site.
Become a patron today.
For as little as $1 a month you can support original research and gain access to bonus content not available on the site.
- Published on
We live in exciting times. There are now multiple companies offering what is essentially Netflix for theatre. While we still can’t stream currently-running Broadway or West End shows, there is plenty of filmed live content out there for us to (legally) get our theatre fix!
Here, in alphabetical order, are companies providing online streaming of filmed live musicals content. All subscription prices are in America dollars, except for Digital Theatre which is listed in British pounds.
Here, in alphabetical order, are companies providing online streaming of filmed live musicals content. All subscription prices are in America dollars, except for Digital Theatre which is listed in British pounds.
Amazon
Search "live musicals" on AmazonPrime, and you can find many filmed live musical titles including Spongebob, Newsies, and RENT: Filmed Live on Broadway.
Subscription Cost: Varies - some are included with an AmazonPrime subscription, some are available to rent or buy
Where to Watch: www.amazon.com
Search "live musicals" on AmazonPrime, and you can find many filmed live musical titles including Spongebob, Newsies, and RENT: Filmed Live on Broadway.
Subscription Cost: Varies - some are included with an AmazonPrime subscription, some are available to rent or buy
Where to Watch: www.amazon.com
BroadwayHD
Founded in 2015 by Broadway producers Stewart F. Lane and Bonnie Comley, BroadwayHD aims to provide “the best of Broadway and beyond!” The service currently has over 50 filmed live musicals in the catalogue, with content from Broadway, off-Broadway, the West End, and regional American performances. Other content includes documentaries, plays, Cirque du Soleil, theatre in languages other than English, and concerts. Some titles can also be accessed through an Amazon Prime subscription.
Subscription Cost: $8.99 per month or $99.99 for 1 year
Free Trial: 7 days
Where to Watch: www.broadwayhd.com
Founded in 2015 by Broadway producers Stewart F. Lane and Bonnie Comley, BroadwayHD aims to provide “the best of Broadway and beyond!” The service currently has over 50 filmed live musicals in the catalogue, with content from Broadway, off-Broadway, the West End, and regional American performances. Other content includes documentaries, plays, Cirque du Soleil, theatre in languages other than English, and concerts. Some titles can also be accessed through an Amazon Prime subscription.
Subscription Cost: $8.99 per month or $99.99 for 1 year
Free Trial: 7 days
Where to Watch: www.broadwayhd.com
Cennariam
Founded in 2014 by Brazilian producer Harry Fernandes, Cennariam offers “Performing arts from around the world in high definition for you to watch anytime, from anywhere.” The site currently has 10 musicals on offer, and claims to be adding new content every week. Titles include Dangerous Liasions, Debussy Alone on Stage, and Tanguera, the Argentine Musical. Most musicals are in languages other than English with subtitles. In addition to musical theatre, Cennariam offers circus, comedy, concerts, dance, documentary, drama, interviews, and opera.
Subscription Cost: US$9.97 per month or $95.64 for 1 year
Free Trial: 10 days
Where to Watch: www.cennarium.com. Some productions are also available on Amazon Prime in the US.
Founded in 2014 by Brazilian producer Harry Fernandes, Cennariam offers “Performing arts from around the world in high definition for you to watch anytime, from anywhere.” The site currently has 10 musicals on offer, and claims to be adding new content every week. Titles include Dangerous Liasions, Debussy Alone on Stage, and Tanguera, the Argentine Musical. Most musicals are in languages other than English with subtitles. In addition to musical theatre, Cennariam offers circus, comedy, concerts, dance, documentary, drama, interviews, and opera.
Subscription Cost: US$9.97 per month or $95.64 for 1 year
Free Trial: 10 days
Where to Watch: www.cennarium.com. Some productions are also available on Amazon Prime in the US.
Digital Theatre
Founded in 2009 by British entrepreneurs Robert Delamere and Tom Shaw, Digital Theatre is a leader in providing on-demand theatre content. The site currently has 5 filmed live musicals, including the Regent’s Park Open Air production of Into the Wood, two in-development Perfect Pitch productions, and a new musical, Pieces of String. Other theatre content includes productions from the RSC, and Stage Russia, and content from the West End and across the United Kingdom.
Subscription Cost: £9.99 a month, or rent individual productions for £7.99
Free Trial Offer: not available
Where to Watch: www.digitaltheatre.com
Founded in 2009 by British entrepreneurs Robert Delamere and Tom Shaw, Digital Theatre is a leader in providing on-demand theatre content. The site currently has 5 filmed live musicals, including the Regent’s Park Open Air production of Into the Wood, two in-development Perfect Pitch productions, and a new musical, Pieces of String. Other theatre content includes productions from the RSC, and Stage Russia, and content from the West End and across the United Kingdom.
Subscription Cost: £9.99 a month, or rent individual productions for £7.99
Free Trial Offer: not available
Where to Watch: www.digitaltheatre.com
Great Performances on PBS
The multi-award winning PBS television program Great Performances specializes in showcasing performing arts from around the world. Current musicals include the Broadway production of Holiday Inn, and the West End productions of 42nd Street, Kinky Boots, The King and I, and An American in Paris. Other content includes concerts, plays, and documentaries.
Subscription Cost: $5 per month or $60 for 1 year
Free Trial: n/a
Where to Watch: www.pbs.org/show/great-performances/
The multi-award winning PBS television program Great Performances specializes in showcasing performing arts from around the world. Current musicals include the Broadway production of Holiday Inn, and the West End productions of 42nd Street, Kinky Boots, The King and I, and An American in Paris. Other content includes concerts, plays, and documentaries.
Subscription Cost: $5 per month or $60 for 1 year
Free Trial: n/a
Where to Watch: www.pbs.org/show/great-performances/
Kanopy
Founded in 2007 by Australian entrepreneur Olivia Humphrey, Kanopy partners with universities and public libraries to provide free movie streaming. There are over 30 movie musicals currently available through the site, though no filmed live musicals. In addition to a wide range of cinema titles (including 400 titles from the Criterion Collection), there is plenty of theatre content, including Shakespeare, Chekhov, and productions from Stage Russia.
Subscription Cost: free with a library card
Free Trial: n/a
Where to Watch: www.kanopy.com (To find theatre content, go to Browse: The Arts: Performing Arts: Theatre Performance)
Founded in 2007 by Australian entrepreneur Olivia Humphrey, Kanopy partners with universities and public libraries to provide free movie streaming. There are over 30 movie musicals currently available through the site, though no filmed live musicals. In addition to a wide range of cinema titles (including 400 titles from the Criterion Collection), there is plenty of theatre content, including Shakespeare, Chekhov, and productions from Stage Russia.
Subscription Cost: free with a library card
Free Trial: n/a
Where to Watch: www.kanopy.com (To find theatre content, go to Browse: The Arts: Performing Arts: Theatre Performance)
Stage
Founded by Rich Affannato, Stage offers a range of theatrical content in the form of original series, interviews, and documentaries.
Subscription Cost: $47.88 annual subscription, or $4.99 per month. Use code GETWELLSOON for 50% off (valid until Broadway re-opens!).
Free Trial: 7 day trial
Where to Watch: www.watchstage.com/
Founded by Rich Affannato, Stage offers a range of theatrical content in the form of original series, interviews, and documentaries.
Subscription Cost: $47.88 annual subscription, or $4.99 per month. Use code GETWELLSOON for 50% off (valid until Broadway re-opens!).
Free Trial: 7 day trial
Where to Watch: www.watchstage.com/
If you’re a student, check if your institution has access to the platforms below to gain access to more streamable theatre content!
Alexander Street
A plethora of resources from around the world including scripts, performance videos, and design archives. The site also provides access to some BroadwayHD content.
Digital Theatre +
Digital Theatre for educational institutions includes lesson planning and behind-the-scenes content and interviews.
Know of other (legal) streaming sites? Let me know in the comments, on Twitter, or on Facebook!
Alexander Street
A plethora of resources from around the world including scripts, performance videos, and design archives. The site also provides access to some BroadwayHD content.
Digital Theatre +
Digital Theatre for educational institutions includes lesson planning and behind-the-scenes content and interviews.
Know of other (legal) streaming sites? Let me know in the comments, on Twitter, or on Facebook!
(This post was originally published in May, 2018. Updated March, 2020).
- Published on
The recent cinema livestreams and releases of filmed live musicals An American in Paris and Everybody's Talking About Jamie show how live musicals are increasingly going to the movies. This week, we're taking a look at some of the new technology being rolled out in cinemas around the world that provide exciting possibilities for the future of filmed live musicals and the cinema-going experience.
4D
4D cinema, also known as immersive cinema, is considered by some as the new frontier of the cinema going experience. With its motion-enabled seats, water spray, lighting effects, scented air, wind machines, and even bubbles and snow, 4D is no longer just for theme parks, it’s coming to a local cinema near you!
First commercially developed in the 1980s, 4D cinemas are now in operation around the world. At the time of writing, there are approximately 40 4D theatres in operation in the United States. Tickets cost around $30, and the admissions guidelines read like an amusement park ride warning — “If you are pregnant, elderly, physically or mentally sensitive or have any of the following health conditions, you should not use a 4DX auditorium: high blood pressure, heart conditions, allergies, neck or back conditions or epilepsy.”
Over 100 films have been viewable in 4D, with the vast majority of films falling into the blockbuster, action movie, and animation categories. Titles have included Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Jurassic World, Avengers, How to Train Your Dragon 2, and, most recently, The Incredibles 2.
Can 4D be effective for other film genres? More importantly for Filmed Live Musicals, could this technology be applied to the filmed live theatre experience? Could we somehow re-create the smell of theatre in which a musical was filmed, or the strong perfume worn by an audience member? Would bursts of air be felt when an actor walks past us on the screen? Would we feel a spray of water to mimic the sweat of a dancer during a tap routine? `
North American theatre chain Regal Movies describes their 4DX theatres as the “Absolute Cinema Experience” that makes you feel like you’re “in the movie” (my emphasis), but reviews suggest 4D cinema is not all it’s cracked up to be. Several critics have described attending 4D cinema as akin to riding a bad rollercoaster, and that the attempts to make the experience “immersive” only serve to bring the viewer out of the film.
Do you think 4D cinema will catch on?
Moviebills
An exciting new technology that is more likely to be compatible with filmed live musicals are Moviebills. Developed by US cinema compamyRegal Entertainment Group, and launched in April 2018, Moviebills comprise of a 28-page print magazine, phone app, and website, which provide users with print and augmented reality (AR) content including interviews, bonus footage, behind-the-scenes info, and more.
4D
4D cinema, also known as immersive cinema, is considered by some as the new frontier of the cinema going experience. With its motion-enabled seats, water spray, lighting effects, scented air, wind machines, and even bubbles and snow, 4D is no longer just for theme parks, it’s coming to a local cinema near you!
First commercially developed in the 1980s, 4D cinemas are now in operation around the world. At the time of writing, there are approximately 40 4D theatres in operation in the United States. Tickets cost around $30, and the admissions guidelines read like an amusement park ride warning — “If you are pregnant, elderly, physically or mentally sensitive or have any of the following health conditions, you should not use a 4DX auditorium: high blood pressure, heart conditions, allergies, neck or back conditions or epilepsy.”
Over 100 films have been viewable in 4D, with the vast majority of films falling into the blockbuster, action movie, and animation categories. Titles have included Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Jurassic World, Avengers, How to Train Your Dragon 2, and, most recently, The Incredibles 2.
Can 4D be effective for other film genres? More importantly for Filmed Live Musicals, could this technology be applied to the filmed live theatre experience? Could we somehow re-create the smell of theatre in which a musical was filmed, or the strong perfume worn by an audience member? Would bursts of air be felt when an actor walks past us on the screen? Would we feel a spray of water to mimic the sweat of a dancer during a tap routine? `
North American theatre chain Regal Movies describes their 4DX theatres as the “Absolute Cinema Experience” that makes you feel like you’re “in the movie” (my emphasis), but reviews suggest 4D cinema is not all it’s cracked up to be. Several critics have described attending 4D cinema as akin to riding a bad rollercoaster, and that the attempts to make the experience “immersive” only serve to bring the viewer out of the film.
Do you think 4D cinema will catch on?
Moviebills
An exciting new technology that is more likely to be compatible with filmed live musicals are Moviebills. Developed by US cinema compamyRegal Entertainment Group, and launched in April 2018, Moviebills comprise of a 28-page print magazine, phone app, and website, which provide users with print and augmented reality (AR) content including interviews, bonus footage, behind-the-scenes info, and more.
Looks super cool right? Moviebills are only available for select blockbuster movies, and only in Regal Cinemas.
I’m hoping other companies, and perhaps even live theatres, will want to jump in on this fun innovation. New York City's Classic Stage Company only offered digital programs for their recent production of Carmen Jones, and the UK's National Theatre provides digital programs through their Backstage app for a small fee (only available in the UK).
On Demand Cinema
With so many entertainment options available to audiences at home, the cinema industry has been working hard to lure customers back into the theatres. An interesting new development in this endeavor is on-demand movie theaters.
In 2013, Australian distributor Leap Frog Films launched Demand Film, a service that books film screenings of niche films in cinemas based on audience demand. Users request a movie, and Demand Film organizes a screening. The user must sell a minimum number of tickets for the screening to go ahead, and once the minimum is met, the user can make money from the ticket sales. Demand Film is currently available in Australia, New Zealand, UK, Ireland, Germany, Canada, and the United States.
Chinese online entertainment service iQiyi announced in May the launch of Yuke movie theatres. The cinemas are like mini movie theatres, with 2-10 comfy seats and a large screen. Users select content from the extensive iQiyi library and watch it in a Yuke cinema, at the time and location of their choosing.
Could we one day get a group of friends together at our local cinema and watch a Broadway or West End show?
Whether or not these technologies take off, one thing is clear: these new innovations are making more and more content available to us in ever more exciting ways. I'll be checking out the filmed live London production of An American in Paris at the cinema in a few weeks. Follow on Twitter for updates!
I’m hoping other companies, and perhaps even live theatres, will want to jump in on this fun innovation. New York City's Classic Stage Company only offered digital programs for their recent production of Carmen Jones, and the UK's National Theatre provides digital programs through their Backstage app for a small fee (only available in the UK).
On Demand Cinema
With so many entertainment options available to audiences at home, the cinema industry has been working hard to lure customers back into the theatres. An interesting new development in this endeavor is on-demand movie theaters.
In 2013, Australian distributor Leap Frog Films launched Demand Film, a service that books film screenings of niche films in cinemas based on audience demand. Users request a movie, and Demand Film organizes a screening. The user must sell a minimum number of tickets for the screening to go ahead, and once the minimum is met, the user can make money from the ticket sales. Demand Film is currently available in Australia, New Zealand, UK, Ireland, Germany, Canada, and the United States.
Chinese online entertainment service iQiyi announced in May the launch of Yuke movie theatres. The cinemas are like mini movie theatres, with 2-10 comfy seats and a large screen. Users select content from the extensive iQiyi library and watch it in a Yuke cinema, at the time and location of their choosing.
Could we one day get a group of friends together at our local cinema and watch a Broadway or West End show?
Whether or not these technologies take off, one thing is clear: these new innovations are making more and more content available to us in ever more exciting ways. I'll be checking out the filmed live London production of An American in Paris at the cinema in a few weeks. Follow on Twitter for updates!
This content originally appeared in the July edition of the Patron-only newsletter. If you would like first access to bonus content, join the Filmed Live Musicals Patron today!
Filmed Live Musicals is a labor of love that takes many hours of research and hundreds of dollars to run.
Many thank you's to Star patrons Mercedes Esteban-Lyons, Jesse Rabinowitz and Brenda Goodman, and David and Katherine Rabinowitz for financially supporting the site.
Many thank you's to Star patrons Mercedes Esteban-Lyons, Jesse Rabinowitz and Brenda Goodman, and David and Katherine Rabinowitz for financially supporting the site.
- Published on
British actress and writer Carrie Sutton. Photo by Samuel Black.
The following interview was originally published in the July edition of the Filmed Live Musicals Patron newsletter. When you become a patron, you will be supporting the running of this site, and original research into the ever growing field of filmed live musicals. Previous newsletters include content on upcoming screenings, new movie technology, and 360º captures. Star Patrons also gain access to filmed live musical reviews. To gain access to Patreon-only content, become a Patron today!
British actor and writer Carrie Sutton has performed in many West End musicals including Sister Act: The Musical, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Little Women, Cabaret, Imagine This, and Kiss Me, Kate. She also worked as a dresser on the recent West End musical The Wind in the Willows. You can catch Carrie performing as Laurey in Oklahoma! later this month at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage.
Imagine This, Kiss Me, Kate, and The Wind in the Willows were all filmed live. I recently chatted with Carrie about her experiences working on these filmed live musicals.
What difference is there between acting for camera and acting on stage? How does that translate when you’re filming a live stage show?
You’re still giving a theatrical performance, but there is an awareness of the camera. It’s a different scale. I aimed for the middle of the audience rather than the back, and in close-up moments, I tried to be still. The audience is recorded too, and that energy translates on camera.
For “Kiss Me, Kate” and “The Wind in the Willows,” we did pick-ups after the performance. For example, a mic went down during the show, so afterwards we re-recorded some scenes out of sequence.
You knew Kiss Me, Kate was going to be filmed from the outset. Did you rehearse for the stage or for the camera?
We rehearsed it as a piece of theatre, and it was filmed as a piece of theatre. In fact, John Wilson [the conductor], told us to “chip your teeth on the words” because Royal Albert Hall is so big. You really have to work hard to make yourself understood in that space. So we definitely worked for the live performance of it.
We had rehearsals at the Town Hall in Belsize Park, and then the camera guys would come in and see the work. They would check angles and close-ups, and compare it to marked-up scripts. There is a lot of back and forth between the director, the DP [director pf photography], and the choreographer. It’s very much a group effort.
"Kiss Me, Kate" aired during prime time on Christmas Day. That was so exciting for me. A real bucket list item.
Stage musicals are sometimes altered when the cameras come in. What aspects of Imagine This were changed for the filming?
Some slight blocking changes were made to accommodate the cameras, but from the actors’ perspective very little was changed.
What was it like working as a dresser on “Wind in the Willows”?
It was filmed over three days. We had a dress rehearsal for close-ups, and where they got pick-up footage for when things go wrong in live filming, like a child screaming in the audience, or costume failure. The costumes had to be immaculate — it has to be perfect for film. What passes on a regular show won’t pass on a recording. Socks have to be level, ties have to be straight. There is extra attention to detail on quick changes because all the clothes use velcro, ties are stuck on with velcro, shirts do up with velcro, it has to be exact or it doesn’t look right.
How do contract negotiations work for filmed live musicals?
All the negotiations are done through the producer. For “Imagine This” we were given a fee for filming, or perhaps we waived it, and were bought out for the broadcasts. “Kiss Me, Kate” was all done prior and we just signed a standard BBC contract. If you had a step out, you received extra.
You get reimbursed for royalties. It’s all worked out with the cast and crew and everyone is allocated points based on how much you work during the rehearsals and during the show. Like in “The Wizard of Oz,” we ended up distributing points based on word count. The female ensemble had a lot more to do in that show, so we were given more points.
EPKs [Electronic Press Kit] are included in new contracts. We spend around a day in the theatre shooting scenes for promotional copy. The scenes are different from what’s in the show, we learn new blocking that works better for the camera, like a dance will be more spaced out, or the angles will be slightly different. “The Wizard of Oz” were on Children in Need. We did a montage specifically for that show. It was covered in the EPK as “reasonable promotion.”
What do you think of filmed live musicals or filmed live theatre in general?
It’s both theatre and film. It’s a record. It is important to have records of shows. People who would otherwise never be recorded are able to have a record of their work, especially ensemble members. It creates revenue for the production. It brings art back to the people. It makes the West End accessible to people who are far away.
Do you have a favorite filmed live theatre event?
The entire Kenneth Branagh season. I saw it filmed live, and I watched the films. I loved the Royal Ballet’s “Alice in Wonderland.” I felt really involved in the production, even though I was watching it in the cinema. Also the RSC’s “Henry” plays.
Why are filmed live musicals important?
The “Imagine This” DVD potentially gives that show a future life. It honors the work of the all the people that create the show, all the creatives, and the cast. The level of work that went into the show is incredible. Everything was handmade for the production, and every moment of work is captured. It was just a flash in the pan, but all the work, and commitment, and artistry, it isn’t lost.
Learn more about Carrie at www.carriesutton.com and http://www.londonvoiceover.com/carrie-sutton/.
Imagine This, Kiss Me, Kate, and The Wind in the Willows were all filmed live. I recently chatted with Carrie about her experiences working on these filmed live musicals.
What difference is there between acting for camera and acting on stage? How does that translate when you’re filming a live stage show?
You’re still giving a theatrical performance, but there is an awareness of the camera. It’s a different scale. I aimed for the middle of the audience rather than the back, and in close-up moments, I tried to be still. The audience is recorded too, and that energy translates on camera.
For “Kiss Me, Kate” and “The Wind in the Willows,” we did pick-ups after the performance. For example, a mic went down during the show, so afterwards we re-recorded some scenes out of sequence.
You knew Kiss Me, Kate was going to be filmed from the outset. Did you rehearse for the stage or for the camera?
We rehearsed it as a piece of theatre, and it was filmed as a piece of theatre. In fact, John Wilson [the conductor], told us to “chip your teeth on the words” because Royal Albert Hall is so big. You really have to work hard to make yourself understood in that space. So we definitely worked for the live performance of it.
We had rehearsals at the Town Hall in Belsize Park, and then the camera guys would come in and see the work. They would check angles and close-ups, and compare it to marked-up scripts. There is a lot of back and forth between the director, the DP [director pf photography], and the choreographer. It’s very much a group effort.
"Kiss Me, Kate" aired during prime time on Christmas Day. That was so exciting for me. A real bucket list item.
Stage musicals are sometimes altered when the cameras come in. What aspects of Imagine This were changed for the filming?
Some slight blocking changes were made to accommodate the cameras, but from the actors’ perspective very little was changed.
What was it like working as a dresser on “Wind in the Willows”?
It was filmed over three days. We had a dress rehearsal for close-ups, and where they got pick-up footage for when things go wrong in live filming, like a child screaming in the audience, or costume failure. The costumes had to be immaculate — it has to be perfect for film. What passes on a regular show won’t pass on a recording. Socks have to be level, ties have to be straight. There is extra attention to detail on quick changes because all the clothes use velcro, ties are stuck on with velcro, shirts do up with velcro, it has to be exact or it doesn’t look right.
How do contract negotiations work for filmed live musicals?
All the negotiations are done through the producer. For “Imagine This” we were given a fee for filming, or perhaps we waived it, and were bought out for the broadcasts. “Kiss Me, Kate” was all done prior and we just signed a standard BBC contract. If you had a step out, you received extra.
You get reimbursed for royalties. It’s all worked out with the cast and crew and everyone is allocated points based on how much you work during the rehearsals and during the show. Like in “The Wizard of Oz,” we ended up distributing points based on word count. The female ensemble had a lot more to do in that show, so we were given more points.
EPKs [Electronic Press Kit] are included in new contracts. We spend around a day in the theatre shooting scenes for promotional copy. The scenes are different from what’s in the show, we learn new blocking that works better for the camera, like a dance will be more spaced out, or the angles will be slightly different. “The Wizard of Oz” were on Children in Need. We did a montage specifically for that show. It was covered in the EPK as “reasonable promotion.”
What do you think of filmed live musicals or filmed live theatre in general?
It’s both theatre and film. It’s a record. It is important to have records of shows. People who would otherwise never be recorded are able to have a record of their work, especially ensemble members. It creates revenue for the production. It brings art back to the people. It makes the West End accessible to people who are far away.
Do you have a favorite filmed live theatre event?
The entire Kenneth Branagh season. I saw it filmed live, and I watched the films. I loved the Royal Ballet’s “Alice in Wonderland.” I felt really involved in the production, even though I was watching it in the cinema. Also the RSC’s “Henry” plays.
Why are filmed live musicals important?
The “Imagine This” DVD potentially gives that show a future life. It honors the work of the all the people that create the show, all the creatives, and the cast. The level of work that went into the show is incredible. Everything was handmade for the production, and every moment of work is captured. It was just a flash in the pan, but all the work, and commitment, and artistry, it isn’t lost.
Learn more about Carrie at www.carriesutton.com and http://www.londonvoiceover.com/carrie-sutton/.
This site is financially supported by the generosity of patrons
Mercedes Esteban-Lyons, Jesse Rabinowitz and Brenda Goodman, and David and Katherine Rabinowitz.
Become a patron today and support original research into filmed live musicals.
Mercedes Esteban-Lyons, Jesse Rabinowitz and Brenda Goodman, and David and Katherine Rabinowitz.
Become a patron today and support original research into filmed live musicals.