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"Looking at things from a
different angle and trying
to improve it – that makes society or
your life better." – Anthony McDonald
sociate manager of a theater — stood as an opportunity for Mc-
Donald to keep trying new things while learning the ins and
outs of a very particular industry.
"He was filled with ideas and I am certain that he still is,"
Coward says. "Anthony looks at the current state of things and
puts his brain into overdrive to develop new ways of doing
things."
Increasing accessibility
For McDonald, new things at the Shubert encompass up-
grading the physical infrastructure of the building, including
new carpet and Wi-Fi.
He's also installing new seats for the first time in over two
decades. On those new seats will be QR codes that patrons can
scan using their phones to view a digital program, order drinks
ahead of intermission or learn about partner restaurants to
head to after the show.
McDonald continues to think through what increasing ac-
cessibility looks like for aging patrons who can't make it to the
theater because of mobility issues, folks with limited income or
those who are or may become immunocompromised, especial-
ly as the pandemic continues.
Under McDonald's leadership, in less than two years, he's
also worked to revitalize the theater's relationships with the
community. Through a partnership with Jordan's Furniture, he
is bringing thousands of students from Title I schools to the
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