The bright lights of Broadway! For theater fans globally, the allure is irresistible. It's all glamour and glitz, a night out in the Big Apple, a stunning production of talent, a … $240 plane ticket? As it turns out, booking a round-trip flight from my home in Atlanta to New York City would cost a little over 200 dollars, if I got lucky, not to mention hotel prices, meal prices and ticket prices. That means as much as teenage me wanted to see SIX: The Musical, I just couldn't justify it. You can imagine my delight when, while home in Georgia for the summer, I found out that the pro-shot of SIX would be coming to local theaters. Five minutes from my house, I could see my dream musical for just $20. Pro-shots like this summer's releases of Hadestown and SIX popularize theater, boost Broadway's success, benefit cast members and most importantly, make musicals accessible.
Let's pause for a brief theater history lesson. First of all, what is a pro-shot? Short for professional shot, a pro-shot is a fully filmed version of a stage production that is formally released to the public. Pro-shots differ from both film adaptations and bootlegs. Film adaptations are movies based on plays, books or musicals (see: Wicked). Bootlegs are fan-captured illegal recordings of shows. Pro-shots, however, are legitimate captures of plays or musicals recorded as they are being performed live in the theater. They are generally meant to make you feel as though you are in the audience, watching the show. The first pro-shot was technically filmed in 1907, though pro-shots did not rise in popularity until years later. Even then, they usually aired on television or became accessible at home, rather than being released to movie theaters. We all saw Hamilton, right? (If not, put that on your to-do list for after this article. Consider it your introduction into the world of pro-shots.) Hamilton is an excellent example of a pro-shot that shot to fame. Recently, however, it is becoming increasingly common to see pro-shots in movie theaters first, and then, if viewers are lucky, on streaming services.
Now, unsurprisingly, I thought SIX was smashing. Though I started by talking about Broadway, pro-shots do not have to be filmed while on Broadway; SIX The Live Musical! captured a London performance of the show. For anyone unfamiliar with the plot, SIX pits Henry VIII's wives against one another in a musical competition for which queen takes the 'sob story' crown. However, in the finale number, the Queens band together to form their own musical group, rewriting their stories so they are not "trapped in HIStory." Snarky, fast-paced and feminist, the musical left me with chills. As a nice touch, the pro-shot also began with a documentary portion. The producers dove into the history of how the musical was written, with interviews from the two college students who wrote, cast, designed and directed the show together. We got to hear from each actress about their experience, first being cast by these college students, and eventually going on to shocking global fame. Although a fan of the music, I had never heard any of this backstory, much less had a chance to hear the thoughts of the actresses themselves. I thought the documentary simultaneously served as a good acknowledgement of the fact that this wasn't exactly live theater, but something else entirely: the pro-shot.
While SIX performed well in the public eye, one pro-shot simply outshone them all: Hadestown: The Musical. Grossing $20,728,068 globally, and $10,261,123 in the U.S. and Canada on opening weekend, the film was an undeniable success; it got a shocking 98% Rotten Tomatoes review as well. Also filmed in London, Hadestown: The Musical released in US theaters on July 24, 2026, and then on Amazon Prime Video on Aug. 25, 2026. I went and saw Hadestown with a close friend, my mother and my brother, and we all left the theater shell-shocked. From audio to lighting, the filming was masterful. The musical itself? A work of genius, following the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. This pro-shot also features a little "beforehand" which depicts actors and actresses in the greenrooms and backstage, giving us a sneak peek that live audiences would not have gained. Hadestown: The Musical also got love for its use of close-ups, which were shot without an audience so as not to spoil the showing for live viewers. The use of angles gave movie theater audiences a distinct experience, but still captured the magic of live theater.
So what are the limitations? Naturally, you miss out on the shared connection of audience reactions. And no, movie theaters aren't the same. There's no applause and no standing ovation. Additionally, as viewers point out, you miss the unexpected improv elements of theater, the moments and mishaps that make each individual showtime unique.
Nonetheless, more than ever after seeing the pro-shots of Hadestown and SIX, I am definitely a fan of pro-shots. These are both musicals that I likely would never have had the opportunity to see, so to be able to see them featuring large portions of their original Broadway casts? Incredible. Pro-shots make theater accessible to people with limited funds, geographical challenges or even scheduling conflicts. Plus, they draw audiences that wouldn't usually go watch live theater. By capturing people's interest, pro-shots are vital to promoting Broadway. They create a fandom for specific shows and also promote the live versions of musicals, supporting directors and actors along the way. Clearly, we can not directly compare live theater and pro-shots, but pro-shots are becoming an art form all their own. And as for me? I am definitely pro pro-shot.
Emily Federovitch is a member of the Class of 2029 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is a staff writer for the Arts & Culture department and can be reached at eaf258@cornell.edu.
