Broadway on Demand streaming service to launch in May with more than 100 archived shows

Broadway shut down on 12 March due to the coronavirus pandemic

A new streaming service offering theatre fans access to a library of staged performances is set to launch in the US in May.

Broadway on Demand members will have access to livestream events, interactive platforms and educational resources from leading theatre instructors while theatres across the world are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

More than 100 full archived show recordings will feature on the video on demand platform, although which plays and musicals will be available to stream are yet to be announced.

Broadway on Demand will launch with a live fundraiser concert, “30 Days of Opening Nights”, which will be streamed from the Bourbon Room theatre in Hollywood with the cast observing social distancing protocols.

Broadway theatre performances came to a halt on 12 March after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a ban on gatherings of more than 500 people to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

London’s West End and theatres across the UK followed suit a few days later on 17 March, where they are to stay shut until at least June.

However, Andrew Lloyd-Webber admitted in April that he felt it was unlikely theatres would be able to reopen before September due to the coronavirus crisis.

“The industry says [Broadway] theatres reopen June 7,” he told Page Six. “My opinion? Optimistic. Ridiculous. I think this peaks in June, and theatres remain closed until end of September. I’m hoping for maybe October on Broadway.”