Hollywoo: The Difference In Broadway Demographics

There was a time, before sound was introduced to film and culture was hand picked for society, when stars were born and bred on the stage. Actors who grew an understanding of their craft by clocking in rehearsal hours, feeding off an audience during live performances, and praying to the right gods, were signed on for a starring role in a film: an advancement in their career. Today, the craft of acting and the medium in which an actor is showcased have changed landscapes and the up-and-coming “starving actor” is struggling for work. Casting for film has long been equated to having the right “look” and there seems to only be two ways to get your feet on a Broadway stage: insane talent and luck or celebrity status. Broadway’s marquees have historically been crowded by celebrity names that draw audiences and drive ticket prices up, and with recent seasons, it seems more impossible than ever to see a green name receive the top bill— raising concerns that big names are cast for profit and not artistic integrity. The ability to draw out a certain age range in a Broadway audience is directly affected by when and how celebrities grow in popularity. These thoughts lead me to this question: What is the impact of …show more content…
Casting celebrities to boost ticket sales! In the past, Broadway seasons have been filled with productions (plays and musicals, revivals and originals) that have had large celebrity names attached to them. Once Broadway was home for creating stars, that would later go on to mega-stardom by being signed on for movies or TV but today we see that going more in reverse. Film and television stars now flock to Broadway for the price of a substantial pay cut in order to achieve artistic