THE BROADWAY LEAGUE ANNUAL REPORT 2015–2016 Welcome 2 Audience Development and Engagement 4 Broadway Community 6 Communications 7 Conferences and Forums 8 Digital 9 Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives 10 Employee Benefits 11 Government Relations 12 Labor Relations 13 League Awards 14 Marketing and Business Development 15 Membership and Professional Development 17 National High School Musical Theatre Awards™ 19 Research 20 ® Tony Awards 21 Leadership 23 Staff 24 The Broadway League Charlotte St. Martin THIS ANNUAL REPORT highlights the events and 729 Seventh Avenue, 5th Floor PRESIDENT activities of the League that took place between New York, NY 10019 Elisa Shevitz September 1, 2015 and August 31, 2016, which (212) 764–1122 DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS coincides with the League’s fiscal year. It also includes Ben Pesner programs that were developed during this period and BroadwayLeague.com EDITOR/PRODUCTION implemented in the autumn of 2016. ANNUAL REPORT 2015–2016 1 FROM THE CHAIRMAN INSPIRING STORIES AND AN ENGAGED MEMBERSHIP My second year as Chairman has been a busy and exciting one. We’re addressing many governmental issues on behalf of our members at the local, state and federal levels. From state and federal tax incentives, working on the anti-”bot” issue with Senator Schumer, trips to Albany and Washington for Advocacy Days, and efforts to solve congestion in Times Square, we are working together to make the industry better. In conjunction with the Empire State Development Fund and NYC & Company, we are bringing more audiences to our theatres in New York City! Attendance is holding strong after our best- attended year in history. Broadway is still one of the most important reasons people come to NYC KEN RICHARDSON and our industry continues to make a significant cultural and economic impact in this country. Robert E. (Bob) Wankel We’re here to encourage everyone to see a Broadway show, as it is our role to continue making Broadway more accessible to everyone. Broadway’s stories are inspiring larger and larger audiences, and Broadway is once again part of the national conversation. In addition to sitting in our beautiful theatres to enjoy the experience, audiences are celebrating live Broadway entertainment on television with the recent Grease Live, The Wiz, Hairspray and the upcoming Bye Bye Birdie. A documentary about Stephen Sondheim opened at the New York Film Festival and “Hamilton’s America” was broadcast on PBS. Superfans from the around the world descended on BroadwayCon last winter during a major snowstorm! The intersection of Hollywood and Broadway has been growing for years. Many of our members, in addition to being theatre impresarios, are also prolific in the film and television industries. Collaborations make Broadway truly more accessible to the world and bring new story adaptations to our stages. From left: Al Nocciolino, Sen. Charles With James Corden as host, the 2016 Tony Awards® achieved a 15-year high with 9.3 million Schumer (D-NY), John Parkhurst viewers. In the aftermath of the mass shooting in Orlando, our host and our show received rave reviews for handling a tough assignment with heart and humor. “The show must go on” has never felt more important, and I’m proud of how our team handled the tragic news with sensitivity. I am committed to working with our actively engaged members, Charlotte and the extraordinary staff at the League to help Broadway grow and evolve to stay healthy and relevant around the world. Robert E. Wankel Chairman of the Board GETTY IMAGES SHEVETT STUDIOS Bob Wankel Host James Corden performing at the Tony Awards ANNUAL REPORT 2015–2016 2 FROM THE PRESIDENT A WONDERFULLY BUSY AND PRODUCTIVE YEAR Thanks to the tireless work of our Chairman, Bob Wankel, and our Board of Governors, we are ready to build on our momentum moving forward. It has been a productive year collaborating with colleagues as we continue to pursue the long-term objectives of the League. Whether it’s increasing Broadway audiences, expanding educational programs, adding important professional development opportunities, we are committed to focusing on the growing needs of our members. Audience Development/Engagement/Education has always been important to me personally, as it is to all of us professionally. We celebrated Kids’ Night on Broadway® 20th anniversary and received a Mayoral Proclamation, plus launched the interactive BwayZone.com. The League is gearing up for a significant number of new programs involving engagement with youthful audiences, including Broadway Bridges. th SHEVETT STUDIOS This new initiative has the long term goal of bringing every 10 grader in a New York City public school to Charlotte St. Martin a Broadway show before they graduate. In making an annual field trip to Broadway affordable, Broadway Bridges enriches arts education, fosters cultural equity, and builds a more diverse audience and workforce for live theatre. Our education and professional development programs are growing and progressing. The League/ ATPAM Diversity Initiative was created to bring more diverse managers into our industry, and this season 15 students finished the program. Overall, 12 of 65 past participants are currently working in the theatre industry specifically on the company management track. We now have the Rising Star program, which identifies and mentors current middle-level managers to help create the next generation of industry leaders in order to ensure the longevity and vitality of commercial theatre by offering access and opportunity. The Broadway League Fellowship Program gives the next generation of theatre professionals hands-on experience working on a Touring Broadway production, with particular emphasis on providing opportunities SHEVETT STUDIOS to those with backgrounds that are underrepresented in our industry. Theatre management graduates, and Charlotte St. Martin and SOLT head Julian Bird at the those with equivalent experience who demonstrate a strong interest in a specific non-performance related NY Public Library’s Curtain Up Exhibition careers in commercial theatre are considered. For this inaugural year, four fellows participated in League- member offices. Viva Broadway continues its efforts to diversify our audiences through numerous activities. We were able, with the support of a generous member donor, to host local families through our Family First Nights program at a performance of On Your Feet! Gloria and Emilio Estefan were on hand to meet the families at a pre-show reception. The strong support from our Viva Broadway Advisory Board’s collaboration with Family First Nights® has been instrumental in funding larger numbers of Latino families for the program, And, thanks to Viva Broadway’s Chair, Luis Miranda, Family First Nights has received a total grant of $200,000, which includes a City Council grant matched by the Rockefeller Foundation. The 2016 National High School Musical Theatre Awards (The Jimmys) debuted a new format to accommodate more regional awards programs and provide opportunities for more students to experience HENRY MCGEE HENRY Broadway and New York City. This year there were a record 62 students representing 31 programs! The 2016 Jimmy Awards participants in Times Square Along with Victoria Bailey at TDF and Commissioner for New York City Mayor’s Office of People with Disabilities, Victor Calise, we’ve developed and launched TheatreAccess.NYC. The one-stop website of accessible Broadway performances for theatregoers with disabilities, it is an intuitive show finder that allows users to filter and sort through dozens of Broadway shows based on accessibility, and provides details including dates, times and ticket availability for accessible performances. These are some of the highlights of a wonderfully busy year! Charlotte St. Martin President ANNUAL REPORT 2015–2016 3 AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT AND ENGAGEMENT BROADWAY BRIDGES™ We are committed to building audiences In December 2015 the League approved Broadway Bridges, a major new initiative designed to for the future, bolstering arts education, create an opportunity for every 10th grader in a New York City public school to see a Broadway show. By partnering with League members and the Department of Education’s Office of the Arts and increasing engagement with Broadway and Special Projects, the program will complement the excellent theatre education work they are nationally. already doing. Schools will be able to purchase $10 tickets to one of a selected roster of shows over two six-week periods in the winter and the fall. In making an annual field trip to Broadway affordable, Broadway Bridges enriches students’ arts education, fosters cultural equity, and builds a more diverse audience and workforce for live theatre. The program will kick-off with a pilot in January–March 2017. BWAYZONE™ In October 2015 we launched BwayZone.com, a major new audience engagement platform. The website originally targeted family audiences, but based on new marketing research we pivoted towards a more general focus over the summer of 2016. BwayZone is now the only place where fans can get connected with all Broadway shows and theatres through their social media. In addition to curated social media offerings, our robust menu of original video content covers SHEVETT STUDIOS Mike Brand Sue Frost and Randy Adams opening nights, Broadway events, theatrical careers, and more. In its first year, BwayZone.com included 1,200 posts, 87 original videos, and three sweepstakes. Our videos amassed more than 200,000 views on the site and on YouTube. With the expansion of our target audience to include fans of all ages and especially “avid” fans, we expect BwayZone to thrive as an online/social media conversation encompassing Broadway in NYC and on national tour, including shows, theatres, cast members, behind-the-scenes artists, and Broadway fans of all ages and backgrounds. BwayZone.com was named “Best in Class” at the 2016 Interactive Media Awards in the category of Arts/Culture. FAMILY FIRST NIGHTS® This League program encourages economically at-risk families to attend theatre together on a Gloria and Emilio Estefan at a Family First Nights particiants at a regular basis.