It’s showtime: Broadway is back**but with a twist
A Q and A with actress, Aly Marie Mazzie
A conversation with a musical theater actress/performer on/off Broadway about the ongoing reopening of Broadway productions and the Theatre district located in Midtown, Manhattan.
Broadway is now back with a bounce! After an almost two year long hiatus, productions have reopened, masks are mandated, and local musical theater fans are as happy as ever. Yet there still seems to be a sense of uncertainty that looms in the air. While some productions like the Tony award winning Hadestown, are thriving, others are shutting down, unable to adapt to the changed landscape. But while times have certainly changed, there is still hope to be found, especially according to Aly Mazzie.
The first time Aly Marie Mazzie came to New York City to perform for a small cabaret in her junior year of college, she felt like she had accomplished something huge. She had fulfilled her small town dreams and begun to embark upon a new journey in her performing career. But on March 13th 2020, when Covid-19 struck the world, Aly and her cast-mates were left abandoned. Yet today, she is eager to speak about what has changed on Broadway, since its recent reopening.
If you could pretend like this is a Broadway audition for a moment, how would you introduce yourself to the judges?
I would say “Hi my name is Aly Marie Mazzie and I’m 24 years old representing — — agency” but not anymore. Ever since the pandemic hit it’s just been super casual. They say something like “hey what’s up” and I say “Hi I’m Allie”. Everyone is really starting to treat each other like human beings so that’s nice.
New York City is a cultural hub for art and entertainment. What are some of your earliest memories of performing onstage in New York City?
I both directed, produced and performed in a show. There is an energy in New York that is nowhere else. There is vibrancy and the second you step out of the bus it feeds the energy during a performance and you feel alive.
How has the pandemic inspired your craft? Have you perfected any new techniques over the course of the pandemic?
The pandemic has opened me up to who I am as an artist. I used to be a musical theater robot. I learned how to produce my own music, an upcoming indie folk rock album. I also got more involved in the community as a whole.
Broadway is now back in business. Most shows reopened last fall. Do you think there is a different energy on Broadway not just in performers but within the whole experience itself? What is the new Broadway experience like?
The experience is now more cautious. The health insurance contracts productions offer are a lot better because they are prioritizing performers health and safety. They also have covid compliance officers who test the whole crew twice a week. There is also a lot more accountability and a lot of things are coming to light. This pandemic gave us time to think about humanity and what we deserve as artists and humans.
How has COVID affected the auditions process, especially due to online accessibility, do you feel more comfortable auditioning online?
Self tapes are amazing but I also think it’s really unfortunate for people who can’t afford good internet or great internet connection. It surely beats waking up at 5 am standing outside Ripley Grier hoping someone would call my name (for an audition).
Theater have implemented various precautionary public safety measures for audiences to enjoy shows in a safe way- do you think this takes away from the traditional musical theater experience? Are audiences/performers inhibited from expressing themselves?
I don’t think so, I don’t think I’ve seen people express issues with the guidelines. Everyone feels safe and on board with everything. Nothing that is being done feels like an unfair ask. But for artists it depends on the contract. In New York City, more people are required to get vaccinated because they’re really strict. But it really depends on the contract, location, and theater company.
What are some productions you’re now looking forward to seeing on the big stage since their reopening?
Literally all of them. Any I can get my hands on. There are now 2 for 1 tickets on sale everywhere. I just saw Waitress last week.
Speaking of major productions, Hadestown is particularly thriving on Broadway right now, how do you think that musical was able to sustain its popularity throughout the pandemic?
People are asking for changes within theater because people are done with traditional theater. With Hadestown, the energy in that room is electric. It’s such a beautiful mesh of musical theater and pop rock. It’s also incredibly diverse. It simply looks like a production of today or like what we need right now. It feels like a new home on stage.
Let’s talk prices. Live entertainment venues have notoriously increased prices in order to keep up with losses suffered during the pandemic. Do you think the prices reasonably reflect the revamped theater experience?
Totally, ticket prices are out of control. I love Broadway Week ( 2 for one tickets) but I think that ticket prices still remain inaccessible. Productions immediately bumped ticket prices when Broadway reopened and this created a hierarchy that shouldn’t exist.
So much has changed throughout the course of the pandemic, especially surrounding the addressment of inequality/diversity issues within the theater landscape. How do you see theater companies responding to the changing demands of their audience?
There is a lot of progress but there is still a lot more work to be done. There is something being done that is new and that is more representative of the world we live in right now. I do see steps being made. For example, Hadestown, Hamilton, Waitress and even Oklahoma are being redone. Oh also, 1776 with an all female cast. In America, theater is rightfully pushing diversity and body positivity especially with musicals like SIX. SIX is also a great example of an accessible show because there is an interpreter for the differently abled.
How do you suppose stakeholders can market upcoming productions to reach new audiences?
I think the most important thing is accessibility. You need to get the community involved for the community to want to be involved. They need to start at the school level and do community outreach. There is amazing talent out there that can’t afford voice lessons at 8 years old. Exposure to theater is so important but there is so much of a disconnect because there’s this archaic mentality that theater is just for rich people. But this is not true, theater can be for everyone!
Do you think Broadway has changed forever?
Totally. It’s going to be forever, the pendulum has swung and it’s not swinging back. No one’s going to forget about the pandemic anytime soon. I think it’s a good thing actually, the more change the better. People were willing to have conversations during the pandemic. There is a lot more acceptance now. Us actors are now allowed to talk and shift our opinions. I would’ve been scared to do this interview before the pandemic but I’m open to it now.
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Source Contact Information:
Aly Marie Mazzie
Instagram:alymariemazzie
Email: alymariemazzie@gmail.com
