ALL NEW YORK’S A STAGE New York City Small Theater Industry Cultural and Economic Impact Study 3x3 Commissioned by Anne del Castillo, Commissioner New York City Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment About the Mayor’s Office of Media and About the Consultants Cover Photo Entertainment BuroHappold Cities is an international, New York Theatre Workshop – The Mayor's Office of Media and interdisciplinary team of consultants Hadestown; Anaïs Mitchell (author); Entertainment (MOME) comprises four that provides strategic planning, project Rachel Chavkin (director); Lulu Fall, divisions: the Office of Film, Theatre management, and analytical services Nabiyah Be, Jessie Shelton, Shaina and Broadcasting, which coordinates to a diverse range of public and private Taub, Chris Sullivan (pictured); Joan film and television production through- sector clients. The team brings together Marcus (photographer); courtesy of out the five boroughs; NYC Media, the planners, economists, engineers, urban New York Theatre Workshop largest municipal television and radio designers, real estate professionals, broadcasting entity in the country with and demographers to tackle urban Referencing this Report a reach of 18 million viewers within a development problems that represent 50-mile radius; workforce and edu- the built environment at its broadest Mayor's Office of Media and cational initiatives in film, television, scale. BuroHappold follows an evi- Entertainment: ALL NEW YORK'S A theater, music, publishing, advertising dence-based planning approach that STAGE: New York City Small Theater and digital content to support the de- ensures tailor-made and highly effective Industry Cultural and Economic Impact velopment of NYC's creative industries; solutions for today's multi-layered Study. New York, New York, 60 pp., and the office of Nightlife, supporting urban issues. 2019. the sustainable development of New York City's nightlife industry. Overall, 3x3 Design is a certified M/WBE MOME supports over $104 billion in social innovation and design strategy economic activity and nearly half a consultancy for urban and economic million workers. development initiatives. 3x3 helps civic organizations collaborate with their In 2015, Mayor Bill de Blasio stakeholders and glean insights from announced that the Mayor’s Office of applied research to design, pilot, and Media and Entertainment would sup- test innovative plans, programs, port an expanded theater portfolio. This and policies that unlock social value includes: workforce training, providing and improve how organizations free tickets to residents of public serve people. housing, and Broadway performances in neighborhoods outside of Manhattan. MOME continues to develop new About the Campaign: Launched in initiatives and to conduct studies to 2019, ALL NEW YORK'S A STAGE is build its understanding of the evolving the first-ever promotional campaign theater industry. MOME continues to dedicated to raising the visibility of our build partnerships and programs to vibrant local theater industry, which is strengthen the theater industry and made up of small venues, companies, increase access to theater throughout and related organizations throughout the five boroughs. the five boroughs. LETTER FROM THE COMMISSIONER Dear Fellow New Yorkers, We are proud to present this in-depth look the city through Broadway in the Boros and at a little-understood but all-important Off Broadway in the Boros; we distribute $5 part of New York City’s cultural scene: million to help artists complete projects led Small theaters, theater companies, and the by female-identified creatives through the organizations that support them. As far as NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music and we know, the ALL NEW YORK’S A STAGE: Theater; we are helping to increase acces- NYC Small Theater Industry Cultural and sibility for people with hearing and visual Economic Impact Study is the first and impairments by supporting the installation most comprehensive of its kind. There are of assistive technologies at not-for-profit close to 750 small theater organizations and independent theaters; and we throughout our city, generating more than recently completed the All New York’s A $1 billion and supporting more than 8,000 Stage promotional campaign to raise the jobs. Small venues and companies are visibility of our city's small theaters, com- also where some of the best, most creative panies, and organizations that are the focus theater is made and theatrical artists of this study. are formed. We invite you to dig into the amazing infor- The Mayor’s Office of Media and mation contained here and check out the Entertainment works to ensure that New many theatrical performances happening York City continues to be the theater at venues big and small as well as in unex- capital of the world through a wide range pected places throughout New York City. of efforts. We bring free performances of As this study shows, All New York really hit shows to neighborhoods throughout is a stage. Sincerely, Anne del Castillo Commissioner New York City Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment Ars Nova Stage 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS 07 Executive Summary 11 Introduction 15 Defining the Industry 23 Cultural Impacts 27 Economic Impacts 33 Revenue Generation and Expenses 39 Industry Support and Challenges 46 Recommendations 47 Conclusions to the Study 48 Appendix Target Margin Theater – Marjana and the Forty Thieves; David Herskovits (director); Isuri Wijesundara (pictured); Gaia Squarci (photographer) Executive Summary 7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY New York City has been a cornerstone of the global theater industry for almost a century. Many of the most notable names in the industry have called this city home, and today it remains a proving ground for countless artists, companies, and production teams. The industry’s allure is not just a result of the high concentration of creative spirit and endeavor throughout the city, but also its countless venues, of all shapes and sizes, that line the city’s streets. There are over 220 stages throughout number of venues in boroughs In recent years, a number of small the city, with over 50,000 seats in total outside Manhattan. venue theaters in New York have spread among three main categories evolved beyond singular-purpose of theater venues: Broadway, Off- The small venue theater industry is performance houses into neigh- Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway. The an integral piece of the larger per- borhood-oriented cultural centers, latter two categories, defined in this forming arts landscape, generating strengthening connections with local study as the small venue theater indus- ripple effects into larger scale theater communities, schools, and businesses. try, are especially important to New productions, as well as into television This role often includes providing York City’s creative sector. and film. This is evident in the fact that non-performance programming aimed the last five winners of the Tony for at the needs of the local community, These spaces offer an invaluable Best Musical came from this sector, including social justice initiatives and platform for playwrights and actors most recently The Band’s Visit and venues for community events. to push boundaries, give voice to Hadestown and that almost a dozen underrepresented communities, gain Pulitzer Prize-winning plays were In addition to being a cultural driver, exposure, and engage with a thriving developed in small theaters, including the small venue theater industry is also community of theater goers. There are Hamilton and Fairview. The growth an economic driver, generating approx- 748 small venue theater organizations of episodic content on streaming imately $1.3 billion in total economic throughout the city: 600 production platforms in recent years has further output, over 8,400 full-time equivalent companies, 97 producing or presenting strengthened this dynamic as TV series jobs and $512 million in wages in 2017. theaters (with a physical location) and produced in New York City have drawn The total economic output of the small 51 theater organizations that exist under talent from the small venue theater venue theater industry grew at approxi- the umbrella of a larger institution industry and expanded career opportu- mately 5% annually between 2014 outside of Academia. The majority of nities for actors, playwrights, designers and 2017, while citywide economic small theaters with physical locations and creative teams, as well as created output grew at just under 4%. Jobs are located in Manhattan below Central crossover demand for more skilled and wages also each grew within Park, but there are also a significant workers on sets and stages. the small venue theater industry at Executive Summary 8 approximately 5% annually within the Induced impact: Induced economic impacts an industry has on the rest same time period, which outpaced impact is created when employees of the city. The multiplier effect for citywide equivalents, which each grew of the small venue theater industry, the small venue theater industry is at approximately 2.5%, respectively. and those supported indirectly by this 2.2 as compared to approximately industry, spend their wages within 1.65 for other media and The small venue theater industry is a New York City and amounts to $208 entertainment organizations. cornerstone of New York City’s cultural million in economic output, 1,197 jobs, landscape and has an appreciable and $82 million in wages. · Small theaters are an integral part economic impact. Key characteristics of of the city’s performing arts sector. the industry include: · The small venue theater industry’s They continue to be a stage for growth has outpaced baseline provocative, cutting edge work, and · The small venue theater industry economic growth by 20% for are an invaluable platform for both generates $1.3 billion in total economic output and 100% for established and up-and-coming economic output, over 8,400 job and wage growth. Specifically, talent, playwrights, and creative full-time equivalent jobs, and $512 over the past four years, economic production teams. million in wages.