Will the internet and technology kill the theater?

There are a lot of doomsdayers out there.

As more and more options for entertainment become available to us on our computers, our cell phones, our cell phone/pda/waffle makers, etc., a lot of folks out there are predicting the end of theater as we know it.

Not me.

I say, bring it on.

Bring on as many different forms of two dimensional entertainment as you silicon valley guys can dream up. 

The more the market is flooded with 2D, the more rare the 3D experience becomes, which means the more valuable it is. 

Scarcity increases value which then increases demand.

The more screens the consumer has to stare at all day and all night, the more opportunity there is for us to show them something much more exciting.

Something live.

 

They're gonna to be dying for it.  So we just can't disappoint.

You up for the challenge? 

Comments

[Lindsay Price]

That's the great thing about theatre. People keep trying to kill it and it just won't die. It changes, certainly, and who knows how long Broadway has. But the act of theatre, the process, the performance and the effect of theatre will go on and on.

[Bryan Guffey]

Ken-

Great point. One of the things I try to do here at the York is show just how technology can play such a powerful role in getting people into the theatre. Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, Joost, podcasts, MTV, etc. all give us an excellent conduit to ask our consumers for their time and sell them an entire experience around the production so that they not only see an amazing show, they have an amazing theatregoing experience.

Fnally, the internet and technology have made it much more affordable to run your own theatre. Between VOIP and free ticketing companies that can do everything and more that full ticketing software can, the entry point has never been lower.

Let's all work together to continue the Internet-enabled future for the theatre.

[Matthew Coyle]

Dear Ken,
- Love the insightful commentary!
I conquer about technology. It will be interesting to see if the mediums can be merged successfully in our lifetime. I harken back to my youth, when people said cable would be the death of the movie-house experience- ofcourse that didn't happen, quite the contary. I too believe the bare-bones live stuff will become an even more important commodity, but am excited to see how the internet/multi-media medium will enhance the theatrical experience as well.

Happy Holidays!- Matthew Coyle