A filmed version of the Broadway musical is heading theaters. The stage work won a Tony, and cameras pressed in on the actors. Critics say you see more than you could from the choicest seat in the house. Watchers call it a win on screen, not just a copy of the stage show. Industry watchers say this release opens a new path for live-capture films. The aim is to connect with new viewers and seat them closer to the action. The pro-shot moves past what a regular ticket holder sees from a fixed seat, courting a camera-close and personal experience.

The crowd who missed the Broadway run now get a chance to see the show without a ticket line. The filming rubs against small moments that dissolve from a back-row view. Singers land tight close-ups, and the players gets room to breathe between verses. Notes in the trade press flag the move as part of a broader bid to keep theater-bound work alive on screens for years after the curtain falls.