Journal logo

It's Only Intermission

The Show Must Go On!

By Lisa T VassPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
Like
Silence...

Broadway....shut down. The West End...closed. Unimaginable...until the pandemic struck.

I have been in the theater my entire life. I was born into a theatrical family. My Mother was an opera singer/concert pianist/actress/Professor of Music. My Father was an actor/opera singer. My Godfather was an actor/director, like myself. My daughter has carried on the family tradition, she is an Equity actress who was in a touring company when everything stopped. Just...stopped.

While this is horrific for the theater goer, for the theater professional, it is the end of life as they knew it. Nothing less. Not just actors, but ushers, box office personnel, vendors, guards, not to mention the crew. And then there is the lack of revenue for the city, for the theaters, restaurants, bars, hotels, taxi drivers, everyone caught in the shutdown.

I teach Performing Arts, and that world has totally changed as well. Zoom has become the new stage, actors wear masks, unless calling it in from home. Students are learning to design and act for the virtual world. Techniques are different. It is difficult to produce the same emotional energy when not physically connected to the other actors. Our annual theater festival has gone virtual. As has most of life.

When we do use a physical theater, we follow a plan that includes many rules and regulations in order to keep the company and the audience safe and well. Company and audience members must submit a health form before entering the theater. Everyone's temperature is taken at the door. Social distancing is observed both with the blocking for the show and the seating of the audience. Masks are worn by everyone at all times. No food or drink is allowed in the theater. After the performance, the audience immediately leaves the theater and picks up company members in their cars at the front door. There are many more important safety codes,

Is all this necessary, YES. Absolutely. Unfortunately, we have already lost theater people to covid. Too many. Our challenge is, how do we bring theater back safely. Andrew Lloyd Webber wants to bring theater back in London so much that he volunteered for a vaccine study. There is a plan in London to safely reopen theaters. The plan in the USA has been less concrete. Broadway will remain closed through the Spring. The Metropolitan Opera cancelled it's entire 2020-2021 season. Devastating losses. Empty theaters. Theater professionals out of work.

In the UK, only 2% of people think that it is a top priority that theaters should be kept open during a lockdown. In comparison, 12% thought that Arts Venues should be the government's lowest priority when considering financial aid to UK businesses. MPs have warned that the safe return of audiences is he only way to keep theaters from shutting down on a permanent basis. Theaters have been faced with the challenge of sustaining viable digital audiences instead.

In the USA, little government assistance is available to the theater community. Broadway and other theaters have relied upon the help of private groups and agencies. One of these is The Actors Fund, which has held virtual performances, play readings, and musical revivals in order to add to their coffers. The Actors Fund gives assistance to all members of the community, not just actors, including crew, ushers, and box office personnel. Some New York restaurants have begun a program called "Eat Now Pay Later" so that the theater community can continue to eat without a source of income.

And yet, the rallying cry is "It's Only Intermission" along with "The Show Must Go On". The determination is palpable. Theaters are trying virtual broadcasts. Shows are creating drive-in theaters. We theater people have always thought outside of the box. Now that is our only way forward, to be creative.

It's only intermission...

industry
Like

About the Creator

Lisa T Vass

I was born into a theatrical family, and have been in the theatre all my life. My career has taken me to LA, NYC, Frankfurt, London, and now Texas. I an currently a Performing Arts teacher living by the mantras "It's only intermission"..

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.