Though Broadway will remain dark for the time being while New York City battles the COVID-19 outbreak, theater fans are looking forward to the day doors open. When they do, more seats will be filled with frontline workers who made that possible.
TodayTix, a digital ticketing platform for theatrical experiences, has rebranded as TomorrowTix and wants to give back in a way that is authentic to their brand. The company is saving 1,000 of the best seats for essential workers when theater returns. The mission is called Save A Seat Fund.
"We started with an initial 1,000-ticket donation from ourselves, but the idea was to basically put frontline workers and our current heroes around the world in the theaters when they open when it's safe to do so, so they can enjoy a night out, forget the world for a little bit, and have a cathartic experience with those around them,” Brian Fenty, CEO and co-founder of TodayTix, told Cheddar.
All of the money raised will go towards sending essential workers to theatrical shows, and ‘Modern Family’ star Jesse Tyler Ferguson encouraged his Twitter followers to donate.
The initiative involves partnering with 1,500 theater organizations and individuals worldwide.
"The great news is even though theater organizations are hurting themselves right now, not a single organization said no,” Fenty said. “Everyone said we will find the seats, we will make room, we will open our doors. We want to celebrate everyone who's making our lives possible right now with the energy and spirit of theater."
Fenty also explained the company's decision to change its name during this time. Changing from TodayTix to TomorrowTix, he says, is a way to excite consumers for the day when theaters are back in business.
"We so believe in the power of Broadway and theater. We have over 1,500 venues and theaters that we work with around the world, and they are all dark right now, which means actors, artists, communities, creators, and audiences are all missing out," said Fenty. “TomorrowTix is really meant to symbolize that while you can't buy tickets today, their theater will return and that it's going to be something we're all going to enjoy. It’ll be critical in the recovery of our great cities, and it's part of the fiber of what we love to do."
A big-screen adaptation of the anime “Chainsaw Man” has topped the North American box office, beating a Springsteen biopic and “Black Phone 2.” The movie earned $17.25 million in the U.S. and Canada this weekend. “Black Phone 2” fell to second place with $13 million. Two new releases, the rom-com “Regretting You” and “Springsteen — Deliver Me From Nowhere,” earned $12.85 million and $9.1 million, respectively. “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” is based on the manga series about a demon hunter. It's another win for Sony-owned Crunchyroll, which also released a “Demon Slayer” film last month that debuted to a record $70 million.
The Federal Aviation Administration says flights departing for Los Angeles International Airport were halted briefly due to a staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility. The FAA issued a temporary ground stop at one of the world’s busiest airports on Sunday morning soon after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted that travelers would see more flights delayed as the nation’s air traffic controllers work without pay during the federal government shutdown. The hold on planes taking off for LAX lasted an hour and 45 minutes and didn't appear to cause continued problems. The FAA said staffing shortages also delayed planes headed to Washington, Chicago and Newark, New Jersey on Sunday.
Boeing workers at three Midwest plants where military aircraft and weapons are developed have voted to reject the company’s latest contract offer and to continue a strike that started almost three months ago. The strike by about 3,200 machinists at the plants in the Missouri cities of St. Louis and St. Charles, and in Mascoutah, Illinois, is smaller in scale than a walkout last year by 33,000 Boeing workers who assemble commercial jetliners. The president of the International Association of Machinists says Sunday's outcome shows Boeing hasn't adequately addressed wages and retirement benefits. Boeing says Sunday's vote was close with 51% of union members opposing the revised offer.
