Construction of The Taming of the Shrew, Troy University 2018

Cam Williams

The institution of Theatre will most likely survive the era of the Coronavirus, as it has with so many other crises before, and here's why...

The Theatre community is a massively collaborative one. We rehearse together for weeks to string together a story that will transport our audiences across time and place. We consciously decide to gather for a small moment to bring joy, make people think, change a life, then it’s gone. Just like that.

Our work is ephemeral. That's pretty amazing. In the wake of this global health crisis, many people who call ourselves theatre artists seem not very hopeful for the future of our art form. What will theatre look like after this? How do we keep people safe? Is there a way to facilitate social distance in a dark auditorium? How will that affect ticket sales? Why can't I get into the Zoom call? These are just a handful of questions boggling our minds.

Many of us feel like the world ended. One day you're in a rehearsal hall or in the design lab and suddenly everything stops - becomes completely silent. The dust covers are placed on the sewing machines, the paint has been put away, brushes hung to dry, the librettos are left in our rehearsal bag in our trunks...The director makes efforts to assure the company that we will return, but s/he isn't even sure that's true. We all painfully watched Broadway - the epicenter of our theatre community - go dark, while thousands of people were put out of work… uncertain of the way forward. Theater programs all over the country were working so hard to create awesome experiences for our audiences, but so many of those shows were canceled and other postponed.

Students studying theatre were excited about new opportunities - that first lead role, that A.D. or T.D. (Assistant Director or Technical Director) position... What do we do about it? Will our community survive this crisis? Here's why I think it will...

This Ain’t the First Time

We have survived this kind of thing before... We've had other public health scares in recent years. There have been strikes where shows couldn't go on. There was the financial crisis of the early 2000s, tanking many theater companies and leaving lots of workers displaced. And, of course all of those who were alive during that time remember when Broadway went dark during the terror of 9/11.

Yes, I know this time it is unprecedented, but despite those situations and schools threatening to cut theatre programs for decades, I have found that this community never bends. We have always come back bigger, better, stronger, and more connected.

Artists Are Finding New Ways to Connect

Courtesy Tori Lee Averett, Troy University Dept. of Theatre and Dance

Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Hangouts, StreamYard, Facebook Live, and many more media and streaming platforms have become a new medium for everyone to stay connected while social distancing. If you haven't seen SNL at home, you are certainly missing out! It's golden. I have noticed more friends posting and producing their own content. People are writing plays and having remote readings. organizations like Broadway World are hosting fun events.

Also, the 90th Birthday celebration for Stephen Sondheim... the master went on - as the show always does. It goes on. I think this time has shown that perfection is irrelevant. I'm seeing stars sharing concerts in their kitchens and bathrooms. We are becoming so much more creative with how we share our artistry. If you're feeling disconnected, I encourage you to look up some of your favorite celebs and see what content they're posting or get out there and post your own! Go dust off that script you've left in a file on your laptop forever.

Theatre Has Been Around…

Theatre has been around for literally thousands of years. It goes way back - to the Greeks! The actual Greeks. We are very thankful for Dionysus and Thespis. In all that time, this institution has seen a lot of ebb and flow.

From Europe to all around the world, churches, governments, and establishments have opened, closed, banned, lifted bans, censored, and uncensored theatre practices at leisure. We stuck around, going rogue on many occasions. The community may seem so far away, but I promise you that's not true. We are all still connected. Theatre isn't broken and it isn't going anywhere anytime soon. So, we're banned from performing on stage during COVID? That's fine. We'll send you a Zoom link or host a Watch Party.

An Even Bigger Audience

Because we've all been quarantined, I've noticed a lot of artists sharing their work in ways they hadn't before. Most of it for FREE! Which is so cool! Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber has been sharing streams of his Broadway shows, like Phantom, on YouTube once a week for everyone.

Streaming platforms have been giving free trials for their content. This has only expanded the theatre audience! Tons of people who would've never otherwise been able to see a play have become enamored because they now have access to the medium right in their home. If/When we return, I know it will be for lots of new fans. I'm most excited about the new voices that will emerge. Who will be the next Lin-Manuel Miranda?

Our Community is Hungry for a Return

I think all of us were devastated to see our shows end and doors to our theaters close. But, there is no need to think gloom and doom. We are taught to adapt to the given circumstances of each situation presented to us. So what? You can't do Cats or Cabaret full out with the whole cast in one room. You can't use the Theater space or the expensive lighting equipment. So what? Use what you have. Do what you can. Create something. Read something. Watch something.

To be honest before this all began many of us were probably spinning our wheels, stressed about deadlines, and way overworked. This is an interesting opportunity to rest, reflect, and reset. The doors of the theater will open again. That will be an exciting time! The tickets will practically sell themselves! I truly believe that. All of us will need to come to the theatre for solace, catharsis, and release. This community may be the last thing on the list to go back to work, but we can "work" from anywhere! The Theatre is NOT dying, it will survive! It has before! For now, we will follow guidelines and keep everyone safe until we are able to stand together and take those bows again. For avid theatre fans, get ready.

So what do we do?

If you’ve ever studied the “hero’s journey,” you know right there in the middle of the story the protagonist must go through the darkest point – the abyss. It is at that place that you feel there is no hope. All is lost. But, all those who study this formula know that this isn’t the end of the story. There is more!

We know there will be a transformation and eventually… a return. The truth is: theatre is so needed. We know our work makes people ask questions. I asked a few theatre students to speak to this and one of them, Reagan Gross, had this to say “…it starts conversations that before had no words.” Don’t get too used to Zoom conferences, we know how vital it is to “be in the room,” says Madeline Hill another collegiate theatre student. For now, remember the ghost light. We are dark, for today. But please don’t lose hope! We will return! It is necessary.

"The Theatre is the only institution in the world which has been dying for four thousand years and has never succumbed. It requires tough and devoted people to keep it alive." -John Steinbeck

Will theatre survive the COVID-19 public health crisis?