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New Projects - LuPone Leaves AEA - New Production Studios - Netflix Ad-Tier

By Abigail Hardin, October 18, 2022

Happy Tuesday, UTD!

I hope to see many of you later today at our HOW TO FIND FILM/TV/THEATRE PROJECTS THAT ARE RIGHT FOR YOU workshop. The workshop begins at 3:00 pm ET.

We lost a titan of the entertainment community last week - Angela Lansbury passed away on October 11, and frankly, I'm still not over it. Playbill published a lovely interview with her that originally took place in 2006, in which she discussed some of her favorite musical theatre roles, and I think it's the content we all need this week. Rest in peace, Angela ❤️

The news feed was a bit quieter this week. But read below for some big theatre news, new production studios, and more!

Create a great week! ☮️

Theatre and Accessibility

HADESTOWN star Lilias White apologized to a member of the audience with hearing loss last week after mistakenly believing that the captioning device she was using during the performance was a phone being used to record the show. Producers and owners of the theater have also since made statements regarding the incident, apologizing to Samantha Coleman and promising to use the instance as a way to increase awareness of the continued barriers to accessibility for the hard-of-hearing community in the theatre: "Providing access is also about educating everyone in the theater about how we can be more supportive. We are reviewing our policies and internal protocols to ensure this doesn't happen again."

Shortly after this incident, Patti LuPone, who has been notorious for calling out audience members during a performance for cell phone use, made a bombshell announcement. LuPone has given up her Actors Equity (AEA) card, effectively ending her professional stage career in the United States. LuPone tweeted, "Quite a week on Broadway, seeing my name being bandied about. Gave up my Equity card; no longer part of that circus. Figure it out." When contacted for further comment, LuPone shared the following: "When the run of COMPANY ended this past July, I knew I wouldn't be on stage for a very long time. And at that point I made the decision to resign from Equity."

Netflix Shares Long-Awaited Vision for Ad Tiers

Netflix officially released its plans for ad-supported services on the platform last week, confirming the months-long rumors that the streamer, a once-staunch opponent of ad-tiers on its app, will open up options for customers to stream at lower prices supported by ad revenue. Netflix Basic with Ads will run $6.99/month starting November 3rd in the US, coming in slightly cheaper than its Basic plan at $9.99/month. The full Netflix catalog will not be available to Basic with Ads users at launch due to "licensing restrictions", but the company claims that they will be working to increase what content will be available to these users in the coming months. Considering they just released a record 1,024 original episodes of TV in Q3, I think it's safe to say that subscribers will still have plenty to pick from on any Netflix plan 📺 The question now: Will other hold-outs like Apple TV+ eventually adopt ad-tiers for their services? Time will tell!

Northeast Production Boom, Studio Space Increasing

The tri-state area has been experiencing a notable boost in film and TV production over the last few months, as more productions opt into New York's robust tax incentive program. While the increase in films and series shooting both in NYC and the surrounding areas has brought a sizable economic boom for companies in the area, productions have also been reporting rises in the number of on-set incidents since the pandemic began. Altercations between pedestrians and crew members, issues with cars on street sets, and a lack of police presence have plagued city productions, with many showrunners hoping that upcoming city council meetings will be able to address the issues moving forward.

Outside city limits, episodic series have been enjoying their time in areas throughout New York state and beyond, speaking to the strength of production numbers in the northeast so far this fall. Dozens of projects from Hulu, Netflix, and other production companies have been exploring every corner of the Empire State, sometimes recreating NYC cityscapes in places like Troy and Syracuse to escape rising production costs in areas of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Across the river, a Netflix bid on a section of land in Monmouth, New Jersey was recently accepted by property owners looking to convert a former military base into a production hub, as more and more studio space continues to crop up across the country.

Opportunities for Writers and Directors

Warner Bros Discovery quickly recanted on its decision to shutter the Director and Writer Workshops this week after backlash from stakeholders around the industry, particularly from the DGA, as the program was historically an incubator and springboard for creators from underrepresented communities. Following the reversal of the programs' closure and reorganization within their DEI segment, the directors' union expressed its reluctant approval for the move, noting that "the proof will be in how the new program structure effectively addresses directorial diversity, equity, and inclusion. We will be watching closely to ensure they follow through with their commitment."

Calling all directors! Are you interested in furthering your training and education at some of the best theatre institutions in the country? The Drama League is accepting applications for its Directors Project, a series of fellowships, grants, and residencies open to directors in the earlier years of their careers looking to advance their craft over the following year. Apply today!