Can this South Florida theater compete with world famous venues? Fans will vote
The world heard “Freebird!” cried out by a concert fan on a landmark live Lynyrd Skynyrd album recorded at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre and it became “Rock’s oldest joke — yelling ‘Freebird’ in a crowded theater,” The Wall Street Journal once wrote.
Celine Dion and Elton John, among others, released live albums and DVDs from Las Vegas’ Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
When Jimmy Buffett released his first double live album in 1978, the beloved “You Had to Be There,” “There” in the title was the Fox Theatre, too, since much of it was recorded there. (And it was also cut at Miami’s Olympia Theater, then called the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts).
And when you think of the Rockettes, bet you think of New York’s Radio City Music Hall.
So what does Fort Lauderdale’s Broward Center for the Performing Arts have in common with these world-famous venues?
The Broward Center, which opened in 1991 with a national tour performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera,” is nominated for the “Theatre of the Decade Award” by Pollstar, a concert industry trade publication.
Broward Center is the only Florida venue among the nominees, which also include the Beacon Theatre in New York City, Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, Chicago Theatre in Illinois, Durham Performing Arts Center in North Carolina and the Auditorio Nacional and Auditorio Telmex in Mexico.
How to vote for Theatre of Decade
Voting is open to the general public now through May 14 for the 32nd Annual Pollstar Awards Fan Voting Ballot Survey on www.surveymonkey.com/r/WY658FB.
What Broward Center is doing
The Broward Center, which, like all venues, had to halt live performances for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic and find new ways to reach audiences, was also recognized by Pollstar as one of the Top 10 venues of its size in the world for the ninth consecutive year in 2019 — the most recent award year.
“The entire organization, from top to bottom, has contributed to this nomination,” Broward Center President and CEO Kelley Shanley said in a statement. “It is recognition that the exceptional work of everyone behind the scenes is truly world class. Even during the most challenging period in our history during the pandemic, we delivered relevant programs to our audiences to engage them in the arts and stay connected.”
How were theaters chosen?
Nominees are chosen by Pollstar’s research and editorial staff.
Criteria? “Theater that showcased superior talent booking, effective promotion, quality production values and staff, an exemplary experience for fans and artists and consistent box office success over the last decade,” according to Pollstar.
The winners will be announced at the the Pollstar Live! Conference at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on June 16.
“Freeeeebiiirrrd!
This story was originally published April 27, 2021 at 2:14 PM.
