BroadwayHD's New Director of Content to Expand Filmed Broadway Shows Library

BroadwayHD has appointed McLean Mills as its new Director of Content and Production, signaling a new direction for the platform. Mills, an experienced producer with an impressive entertainment industry track record, will be responsible for acquiring new titles to expand BroadwayHD's library of filmed theatre.

Under the previous Director of Content, Gio Messale, who had been with the company for seven years, BroadwayHD was able to film some of its most successful shows such as Mr. Saturday Night, She Loves Me, and Holiday Inn. However, the company has been slow to release new shows in the past several years, which could hint at the reason for the change in leadership.

Like Messale, Mills will work closely with BroadwayHD's Stewart F. Lane and Bonnie Comley as a producer for all new content, including live recordings of Broadway and West End shows and original content exclusive to the platform.

Mills joins BroadwayHD with an impressive pedigree, having worked as a producer for top entertainment companies like the e-startup "Studio" and YouTube Originals. In his previous roles, he has overseen productions featuring notable talents like Idina Menzel and Charlie Puth, and worked on hit films such as Dolemite is My Name and Hell or High Water.

At YouTube Originals, he was responsible for the completion of shows such as Cobra Kai and the livestream of Coldplay: Everyday Life - Live from Amman, Jordan.

"I'm honored to join the incredible team at BroadwayHD and contribute to the growth of this innovative platform," said Mills. "Theatre has the power to bring people together and connect us in ways that few other art forms can. I'm excited to work with this talented group of individuals to create new content and bring new captures to BroadwayHD that will inspire and delight audiences everywhere."

"We are thrilled to welcome McLean to BroadwayHD," said Lane. "His extensive experience and passion for the performing arts make him the perfect fit for this role." Comley added, "We are confident that McLean's vision and expertise will help us continue to expand our digital footprint and make the best of Broadway accessible to audiences everywhere."

BroadwayHD has tried to establish itself as a digital platform for theatre enthusiasts over the past couple of years, offering both original content and a library of existing productions from various distributors. However, the platform has not been able to film many Broadway productions over the past three years. In 2016, BroadwayHD made an attempt to stream Broadway shows live with She Loves Me and Holiday Inn, but this strategy was quickly revised to pre-recorded shows due to various challenges.

The platform's current original library mainly comprises productions from London's West End as negotiations with Broadway unions have made it difficult to film Broadway productions. In fact, the last Broadway production filmed by BroadwayHD was Mr. Saturday Night, after 3 years of not being able to film Broadway content at all. Nevertheless, with the appointment of McLean Mills as the new Director of Content and Production, BroadwayHD is poised to expand its filmed Broadway shows library and provide audiences with an even more comprehensive and diverse selection of theatrical performances.