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Austin360 blogs > Austin Arts: Seeing Things > Archives > 2010 > February > 15 > Entry
UT and Long Center to share Broadway shows
Touring Broadway shows will be spread between Austin’s two major venues next season as the University of Texas’ Texas Performing Arts and the Long Center announced Monday that the two organizations have formed a new alliance with Broadway Across America, the national tour promoter and producer.
Though the 2010-2011 Broadway Across America season has not been announced, the Long Center will host one of the five touring productions next season. The other four will play at UT’s Bass Concert, the long-time home for touring Broadway shows in Austin. In the last 25 years, Bass has presented over 100 Broadway productions including blockbusters like ‘Wicked,’ the three-week run of which last summer landed the venue on the number even spot of Pollstar’s list top 100 Worldwide Theatre Venues for the first three quarters of 2009.
Kathy Panoff, executive director of Texas Performing Arts said that the cooperative agreement also comes as a result of “my more strategic goals for Texas Performing Arts.”
“If I’m going to provide programming that’s in better alignment with the academic and research mission of the university, it will result in us making more choices in about the Broadway shows we present,” she said. “We’ll choose Broadway title that are a better fit with the academic mission (of the university).”
With an annual budget of $10 million, TPA stands to lose maybe $100,000 to $150,000 in income by foresaking one Broadway show per season. But Panoff said that the difference would be made up as the TPA moves to being “more of a donor-focused organization.”
(With this arrangement) we can take a leadership role as a community partner and fulfill our role as an academic partner within the university,” she said.
The Long Center opened in 2008 and is the permanent home to Austin Lyric Opera, Austin Symphony Orchestra and Ballet Austin. It also presents touring shows.
“Co-operating with other Austin performing arts organizations is central to the mission of the Long Center,” said Cliff Redd, executive director, “The partnership with Texas Performing Arts and Broadway Across America makes total sense both organizationally and from a customer service point of view.”
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By CarterB
February 15, 2010 11:06 AM | Link to this
Yes! I find Bass seats to be very uncomfortable and the lack aisles in the middle is dreadful