Broadway’s current dark period will signify the longest shutdown period so far in history, the last time being for 48 hours after the 9/11 attacks. However, while audiences may be disappointed, many of the live performers are devastated.  

With Broadway going dark, live performers everywhere, both on and off-Broadway, are not only losing the ability to do what they love but are also losing health insurance. For performers with life-threatening conditions, the risk of losing this could be enough to change careers, even if they are not happy about having to leave.  

Stage performers typically earn coverage based on the number of weeks worked per year. Due to Broadway going dark, there is a lack of work to meet the necessary amount of weeks to have this coverage, ultimately pushing 200–300 union members off of their insurance each month according to Actors’ Equity.  

In regards to health fund reserves, by the middle of 2021, with theatres remaining dark, reserves will have drained from $120 million to $30 million. Performers who have already lost coverage mostly qualify for Medicaid with the lowering income. Some are opting to pay for COBRA insurance each month, just as some are seeking out marketplace plans.  

Nonprofits, such as The Actors Fund, have given out financial assistance to theatre professionals on their own and through grant partnerships. Many are even seeking out other work or plans. Actors have decided to take online classes for more work opportunities, and some are seeking out voiceover jobs or working as coaches.   

When theatres reopen, there could be a booming return to the seats, or a hesitancy from the crowds. After the shutdown following 9/11, advertisements were recorded to entice audiences back into theatres to offset the panic the attacks had left in people.  

Either way, this will inevitably impact the future of live performance, possibly calling on more technological means for distribution of theatre or more widespread entertainment, as much talent has exited New York City. And because much talent has left, it could be challenging to develop possible workarounds or solutions to this predicament.  

We have already seen how the pandemic shaped the release of Hamilton. Meant to be released on the silver screen, Hamilton was instead released on the streaming platform Disney+ due to the pandemic shutting down movie theatres. There could be the possibility of live-streaming theatre performances through platforms such as ShowShare and selling tickets for audiences to tune in.  

If there is a call for talent to migrate back towards the city, there could be possible group quarantining and regular COVID testing, with the cast, crew, and orchestra only keeping company with each other. Of course, there would need to be mental health services available if this were the case, and with Broadway shows requiring hundreds of people, there can be difficulty in keeping a safe and risk-free space.  

With this potential mixing of film, television, and theatre, there could also be a consolidating of performers’ unions. This would blur the lines between the Actors’ Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA. If these unions were to merge, performers would then need to be under contracts from two unions. This could lead to many disputes, so while plausible, it may not be a solution that should last past the pandemic shutdown. 

By providing artists with economic benefits and health support, from Broadway to freelance artists, when the world completes mourning, there will be an incredible emergence of art to reflect upon and teach us about ourselves from this process. Surely there will be much exciting material influenced by or developed during this time, whether we are watching it from home or gathered together.