In a time when you can access nearly any film via Netflix or YouTube, theatre lags staggeringly behind, rooted in another century. But just because theatre is an ancient art form doesn't mean it needs to thumb its nose at today's technology, especially when it comes to archiving....On the Boards, a Seattle not-for-profit that presents international dance, theatre and music, as well as work by Northwest artists, has seized upon this dormant opportunity.
"Live performance can’t be replaced by streaming video, just like cellphones could never replace landlines.
Wait, what?
Turns out that performing arts groups may have to roll with the times, says Lane Czaplinski, the artistic director of Seattle’s On the Boards. That’s why the theatre company sits smack in the middle of a four-year grant cycle meant to explore a sort of performing-world Netflix, in which select performances meet high-quality video production and online streaming."