Jesse Green

So it would be irresponsible not to talk about how the pandemic changed the industry's appetite for releasing some of the stuff via streaming or other media platforms.

and the audience's expectations that these things would be made available.

Could you sort of take us back to that terrible, terrible time and talk about, you know, what changed and what good came out of it for people who love theater?

I was just thinking about this.

This was the 90th celebration of Stephen Sondheim's 90th birthday that was live streamed in April of 2020 or thereabouts.

It totally is.

I was watching it before this conversation of ours.

Okay.

It is interesting because I remember seeing during the pandemic the National Theater put out a production of Romeo and Juliet, I believe, starring Jesse Buckley and Josh O'Connor.

Those reminded me later of something that we haven't really touched on, but we've had PBS's great performances, right?

There's always been that little, through public media or what have you, that little peek into some of these stage performances.

Britain has its national theater, has become sort of a robust sort of streaming home for some of these productions.

You know, I'm wondering now, outside of national tours, you take a big trip to Broadway and spend a lot of money.

You go to your local regional theater.

What do you think are some of the most exciting ways that people can experience theater at home?

OK, let's take a short break.

And when we come back, we're going to talk about cast albums.

I know you both have some recommendations.

We'll be right back.

So I think that three of us would agree that the cast album is a gateway drug for most people, right?