Broadway Shows to Go 3D In Cinemas Near You
Fugobi, a new entertainment partnership, announced its arrival on the scene last week at a meeting of The Broadway League, with plans for a 21st century model for theatrical distribution.
Fugobi principals Dale Smith and Tim Hickson addressed an audience of Broadway producers, tour presenters and industry professionals at the Broadway League's annual Spring Road Conference, sharing their excitement about a new era in Broadway's magical and storied history and the potential for growth and innovation in the face of the grave economic challenges we are facing.
"Musicals have never been more prominent in the pop culture psyche than they are right now," Smith said. "However, it has also never been more challenging to build a successful Broadway musical."
"The crisis in our financial markets has jolted us awake. We are compelled to think about changing the way Broadway works and to reimagine how we reach out to and interact with the members of our audience, as well as those we have yet to reach," Smith continued. "How do we deliver first-class entertainment to our audiences and lower risk for investors, while increasing profit potential and expanding our reach into the international community, with a Broadway model that is inflexible and out of date?"
In response to what they describe as an increasing demand for interactive, integrated and inclusive entertainment options, Smith and Hickson have created Fugobi Broadway 3D: a fully immersive, universally accessible, "larger than live" experience that will be a fundamental part of a show's road to Broadway, as well as successful touring engagements and international productions. Fugobi Broadway 3D combines the unique thrill of live performance with the captivating experience of 3D film, bringing the Broadway experience to digital cinemas across the United States and around the world. Smith and Hickson created Fugobi Broadway 3D to give Broadway fans a new way to enjoy and interact with their favorite shows and to expand Broadway's reach by giving new audiences the chance to see the best that Broadway has to offer without having to travel further than their local cinemas.
"To expand the creative and financial potential of Broadway we must anticipate our audiences' needs and wants and the choices they will make as they consume entertainment," Hickson said. "We must provide an opportunity for them either to rediscover Broadway, or to experience its wonder for the first time."
Smith and Hickson are confident that by making Broadway theatre more accessible and affordable, they will attract new audiences. And in so doing, Fugobi Broadway 3D will also provide direct benefit to producers, presenters and investors. Broadway producers and presenters of touring productions are looking for innovative ways to lower their costs and bring in new audiences; investors are seeking ways to mitigate their risk while staying connected to the Broadway community that they love. The Fugobi Broadway 3D business plan turns the traditional Broadway model on its head by uniting film and theatre much earlier in a show's journey, thereby creating a unique opportunity for producers, presenters and investors to build a stronger community of partners and audiences, and to deliver first-class entertainment to digital cinemas around the globe, while simultaneously focusing audiences' attention on the live Broadway show.
Smith, a producer and a member of the Broadway League, is currently in discussions with his fellow producers and presenters, exploring the possibilities for making Fugobi Broadway 3D a fundamental part of a show's journey to Broadway. By simultaneously leveraging the relationships they have established in the film community, Smith and Hickson project that Fugobi will capture five 3D films of Broadway shows for international release within the next eighteen months.
Smith's theatre producing credits include the 2008 Tony Award-nominated musical Xanadu on Broadway. Other current initiatives include business interests in telecommunications and weather modification. Smith specializes in reengineering business process and change management. Hickson recently vacated his management position with Australia's premiere television network "The Nine Network" to develop his own production company, TDH Media. He has been involved in more than twenty number one Australian television shows. TDH opens its first international office outside Australia in New York this year. Fugobi Broadway 3D is currently in talks with a variety of partners and expects to announce its first project within the month.
Source: BroadwayWorld
