t was hurt by tv and rising production costs that could not be met by increasingticket prices- The major thetaers remaining in NY, particularly in times square, represent only about half the number in the 1920s- Once up to 11.6 million in 1984, attendence was down to 8.1 million in1994. - Broadways role in the realm of drama was quickly fading- The concept that broadway was the national american theater was losing credibility- the best work was being done off broadway , whether in NY or other cities- Audiences did not want to pay the stiff prices of broadway- Off- broadway was however was alive w/ productivity.- having sprung up since the 1950s in lofts , garages and churches- seat fewer than 300 - one of the most popular- stomp---which attracted a very you ng audience- - gorup of youth making rythmic noises with a varity o fprops including wood siticks an garbage cans- Summer theater , aka smmerstock- also competition 4 broadway- Staged during the summer monthsoften hits if the previous year or experimental palys- today there are more than 300 summer theaters I the US- plays in the park--- edison, nj new play Is offeres every week- outside theater stage is located at bottom of hill- audience brings chairs and blankets and sits on lawn- More importantly .. some of these theaters have become year round thater, providing more competition for NY- Basically Broadway was left to a theater of musicals - at least these were popular- from the longest running broadway show, Cats opened in 1982, to the newest Sound of Music, musicals attracted record audiences- To keep up with the competition of these off broadway plays and especially tv and movies, - NY is doing whatever they can to get broadway back to what it used to be - Despite its major financial difficulties, the city spends mote than 1million a year on performing arts in order to keep up with these other forms of entertainment- Theate...
