BroadwayHD, a provider of on-demand Internet streaming for high-caliber, full-length theatrical productions, lifts the curtain today on BroadwayHD.com. The groundbreaking new service takes the best of professional theatre and makes it available using online streaming technology, "from the stage to your screen."
BroadwayHD is Broadway on demand, allowing Broadway fans, old and new, to watch their favorite shows wherever streaming is possible, with a curated library of more than 100 shows available at launch, ranging from Shakespearean classics to modern musicals and dramas, and plans to continuously expand.
Founded in 2014 by Broadway producers Stewart F. Lane and Bonnie Comley, who between them have nine Tony Award wins, BroadwayHD first brought the high-definition capture of Broadway production "Romeo and Juliet," starring Orlando Bloom and Condola Rashad, to movie theatres nationwide.
"We will always be live theatre lovers first, so we acted quickly when we saw an unmet opportunity to expand the reach of theatre to those that can’t experience it or want to keep experiencing it over and over," said Lane. "Given advances in streaming technology and the increasing trend of readily available content, we knew that a digital platform that allowed people to experience a theatrical show – a medium that historically is not available beyond the stage – would be monumental."
Upon launch, the BroadwayHD library boasts original content from Broadway Worldwide’s Direct From Broadway catalog, BBC Worldwide North America, WNET/New York and more, including performances from Dame Helen Mirren, Anthony Hopkins, Dame Judi Dench, Daniel Craig and Carol Burnett. Notable titles include Direct From Broadway’s contemporary Broadway musicals "Memphis," "Putting It Together" and "Jekyll & Hyde The Musical," as well as the newly available historic capture of "Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies." Noteworthy dramatic titles from London’s West End include prominent productions of "Copenhagen," "The Entertainer," "Henry IV," "Midsummer Night’s Dream," "Much Ado About Nothing" and many more.
"Nothing will ever replace the magic of live theatre, but we passionately believe that Broadway and all forms of professional theatre should be more accessible to all, no matter location," said Comley. "Currently BroadwayHD offers viewers an immersion into some of the timeless classics of Broadway, West End and other professional productions. It’s our vision that one day every play, musical and alternative performance that comes to a professional stage will be captured for people to continue to experience the magic for years to come."
As with the capture of "Romeo and Juliet," BroadwayHD plans to continue to add high-definition (HD) captures, using HD and 4K technology cameras to bring the excitement of a theatrical performance from the stage to screens around the world. These high-quality captures, along with a collection of some of the best works over the past 20 years, create a vast library of theatrical content that spans genres and eras.
BroadwayHD is available to anyone with a connected device, from mobile phones and tablets, to desktops and laptops, as well as accessible through TVs with Apple TV and Google Chromecast. It is available as a monthly subscription service for $14.99 with unlimited access to all content, or as a one-time rental fee of $7.99 for the show of your choice. BroadwayHD also features free behind-the-scenes and educational content for registered users.
Go to BroadwayHD.com.
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