Boch Center’s Wang and Shubert Theatres Partner Exclusively With Flymachine

Courtesy Boch Center – Wang Theatre
Fans enjoy a show at the Wang Theatre, which by way of parent organization Boch Center announced an exclusive livestreaming partnership with Flymachine Thursday.

Digital entertainment platform Flymachine announced an exclusive partnership with Boston’s Boch Center on Thursday.

Under the arrangement, Flymachine will livestream shows from the nonprofit’s 3,500-seat Wang Theatre and 1,500-seat Shubert Theatre to viewers worldwide.

“We searched for what we believed was the most technically advanced platform that harnesses interactive capabilities and provides an exceptional livestreaming experience,” said Boch Center president and CEO Joe Spaulding in a statement, calling Flymachine “the obvious choice” for a livestreaming partner.

“We understand that not everyone feels comfortable returning to in-person events and we’re giving them a front row virtual seat in our iconic venues,” Spaulding continued. “How cool is that?”

Tom Ewald, Flymachine vice president of sales, echoed the enthusiasm in a statement, noting, “The Boch Center Flymachine partnership offers artists the opportunity to stream performances from arguably one the most beautiful venues in the county. Using cinema-grade equipment, it will provide a platform where fans can enjoy shows at home while hanging out with their friends online.”

More than 400,000 fans attend Boch Center’s 200-plus events annually, according to a press release, and the success of the organization’s pandemic-era Ghost Light Series, where performances from an empty Wang Theatre reached more than 400,000 viewers, prompted Boch’s search for a long-term livestreaming partner.

“The Flymachine platform truly brings the feeling of a live show to virtual events,” said Brian Gale, Boch Center vice president of booking and marketing, in a statement. “In addition, it allows the fans a way to interact and feel like they’re really together at the Boch Center show. From a booking standpoint it not only opens up an additional revenue stream, but more importantly, it allows us to offer an additional platform for artists to reach their fans both in the Boston area as well as around the world. Our focus will not only be on traditional touring acts, but also offering it to our local partners that use the theaters for non-profit events, education initiatives and community outreach.”

Created by the founders of Ticketfly, Superfly, [namethemachine] and ATC Management, Flymachine launched in May 2021 with an emphasis on facilitating social interaction and community among its users. Its leadership team includes co-founder and CEO Andrew Dreskin, who co-founded Ticketfly and Ticketweb; co-founder and Chief Experience Officer Rick Farman, who co-founded Bonnaroo and Outside Lands; and senior vice president of marketing Jason Feinberg, who previously performed the same role at UMe. In July, Flymachine announced $21 million in additional funding, driven by firms such as Greycroft Partners, SignalFire, Primary Venture Partners, Contour Venture Partners, Red Sea Ventures and Silicon Valley Bank, and live industry figures including Coran Capshaw, Bill Silva, Marty Diamond and Larry Webman.

Since live events resumed, the Wang Theatre’s business has been strong, including a Billy Strings sellout that moved 3,465 tickets and grossed $165,172 on Nov. 17, 2021.