Andrew Yang Releases Broadway & Live Performance Revival Plan

At the press conference, Andrew sent a powerful message that the Great White Way is once again open for business and proved yet again that he is the ultimate recovery candidate who will be a proud salesperson and cheerleader for New York as mayor. Andrew’s Broadway visit is the third time in as many weeks that he has been there, in person, to welcome New Yorkers back to the cultural destinations they love and cherish the most. Last month, Andrew and Evelyn took in a movie the first night theaters reopened, and last week, the entire Yang Family headed to Yankee Stadium for Opening Day.

Said Andrew Yang, “When New Yorkers hear our message about reopening the City, bringing people safely back, and going with friends to the City’s best cultural offerings, they are excited and optimistic. Every day, I will keep demonstrating my understanding that New York’s recovery is not only administrative or keeping the bureaucracy churning. It is about restoring the character of the City, reopening businesses, bringing back commuters and tourists, and ushering in a cultural revival.”  Said Pomme Koch, a working Broadway actor: “This plan sets out to answer a question that’s more relevant to New York than any other place in the world: how does a city attract and retain its artists? Andrew Yang answers this essential question by putting forward a plan that recognizes that the value of an arts worker to New York City is worth more than the revenue we generate at any given moment—and it’s a lot of revenue—but we’re the reason people visit New York, we’re the reason people move to New York, and we’re the reason people stay in New York. I believe this plan is the most arts-worker-centric platform in the history of New York City mayoral campaigns and I am proud to stand in support of it.” Said Kai Falkenberg, Former Acting Commissioner, Mayor's Office of Media & Entertainment: “Andrew Yang is keenly aware that NYC's creative sector is responsible for over $110 billion of economic activity -- one in every eight dollars. He knows the City's recovery depends on the recovery of its creative sector and he has the best plan to make that happen.” Said Erika Henningsen, Broadway actor most recently as Cady Heron in the original Broadway Cast of MEAN GIRLS: “Arts workers are a massive, vibrant force, an engine composed of thousands of people, fueling a vital part of New York City’s entertainment sector and, consequentially, economic well-being. This last year, I watched as many individuals in my field turned their era of unemployment into anxiety-abetting action: fighting the injustice and misinformation spreading from our national leadership with daily activism and volunteering. Today, I am asking arts workers to now advocate for themselves: to use that same vigor and organization as a means to rally for effective and long term change at the local level. This is not an act of selfishness, but of necessity for our industry, our City, and the future generations of arts workers to follow in our footsteps.”  Said Daniel Dunlow, “The Green Room 42 is excited to have Andrew Yang here to join us on stage for this announcement. It means a lot to us, and we believe to the whole community, to have Andrew live by example and show up for the arts. We’re happy to see that this vital issue for the New York economy has taken center stage and hope all candidates prioritize a healthy and speedy recovery led by arts and entertainment.”

YANG’S BROADWAY & LIVE PERFORMANCE REVIVAL PLAN

NYC’s arts, entertainment and recreation sector plummeted by 66% from December 2019 to December 2020, jeopardizing more than 12,600 direct jobs and 74,500 indirect jobs. In response, Andrew’s plan for Broadway and Live Performance Revival will:

• Facilitate faster recovery through addressing quality of life issues and public safety to instill confidence to New Yorkers and tourists across the country, and around the world, that NYC is open for business, including investing in safe vaccine verification tools. 
• Bring back tourists by launching the largest marketing campaign in NYC history with NYC & Co and industry stakeholders. 
• Protect workers through establishing a portable benefits fund for freelancers and independent contractors, advocate for a “Save our Stages, Take 2” that is focused on getting cash to workers.

The full plan can be found here.