Even if you’ve never been involved in mounting a performance, you can easily imagine the blood and tears, the time, devoted to getting it as right as can be. The work that goes into a planning a performing arts season involves not just weeks or months but often years—and only then comes the hard work of rehearsals.
In Milwaukee as elsewhere, the coronavirus has turned the lights off at theaters and performing arts venues, cancelling performances and entire runs by performing arts groups of all sizes and descriptions. For Eclipsed and The Tragedy of Carmen, the Milwaukee Rep and the Florentine Opera respectively arranged streaming of the production for ticketholders and Renaissance Theaterworks plans something similar with Actually. Others have found ways to postpone. Along with the heartbreak comes financial loss for always hard-pressed companies.
We asked a question to several key people in Milwaukee’s performing arts community: What has the situation meant to your company and to you personally?
Part 1
Editor's note: Read Part 2 here.
David Cescarini, Next Act Theatre
It became apparent to me that we were running a suicide mission with our 9 Circles production schedule. Had we continued and tried to open, we would have played to an empty house, possibly at the height of the contagion curve. So we have settled on a plan to put rehearsals on hold, resume them just after Memorial Day, and open 9 Circles for a three-week run on June 12. With any luck, we will outrun corona and people will be ready to rejoin life as the passionate and supportive theatergoers who enjoy Milwaukee’s tremendous artistic endeavors.
I can tell you that it’s a bit strange right now. I’m often in this office by myself in the later evening hours, but this feels very different. Last week we had just begun the rehearsal journey, that familiar trajectory which forges intellectual and emotional bonds amongst a select group of artists, with the goal of bringing a magnificent play to life. The ensuing events of the week continued to rock our reality; yet, we kept on firmly committed to our task. But now, all that devoted effort has been suspended, and the very deep instinct that we habitually relegate to cliché status—the show must go on—is suddenly echoing in an empty rehearsal hall.
We’ll see how events progress. Many theaters, along with so many other businesses and individuals will be severely damaged by the ongoing progression of both the virus, and our collective reactions to it. I can only hope that while we are learning to survive and keeping one another safe, we are also learning about ourselves, the choices we make, and the need for resilient loving as the way forward.
Suzan Fete, Artistic Director at Renaissance Theaterworks
Suzan Fete, Renaissance Theaterworks
We made the very difficult decision to cancel the run of Actually. It's so beautiful. We are all heartbroken. We are very fortunate that we are financially healthy enough that we will be able to pay everyone working on the show.
The plan as of right now (and if you blink it could change) to continue to rehearse and tech the show with the goal of video recording a performance and selling virtual tickets. We are in the process of negotiating our way through all of that.
Yes, we'll be postponing Faustus—which is necessary, but also sad. A great team of company members, Alverno students and Milwaukee actors have been working on this project for over two months. It's disappointing, as we were excited to share this piece with audiences, but postponing the production was an easy decision. As a non-profit theater company, we serve the public, and facing a public health crisis, we wouldn’t be doing that if we encourage large groups to congregate.
It’s tough though. Theater requires a high amount of administrative coordination and logistics, then forms around the progress made and synergy created in the rehearsal process. We will eventually present Faustus to audiences, but it won’t be easy to recreate the piece we have now. I think it’s a startling time for the live performance community, because it’s unclear how long this preventative social distancing will be required. Do we halt all programming until the storm is weathered, or adapt to the current environment?
Photo credit: Dave Zylstra
John Maclay of First Stage
John Maclay, First Stage
Of course it’s distressing when your show closes unexpectedly. It’s not a common occurrence in regional theater. But I’m more concerned for the organizations at the moment. This is the type of thing that can kill a nonprofit arts group if the community doesn’t rally to support it.
Photo courtesy of C. Michael Wright
C. Michael Wright
Michael Wright, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre
I’ve always believed in the healing power of the arts, and this is surely a time when we need the arts more than ever. If at all possible, we should fight to maintain a presence right now. As theater artists, we might have to be a bit more innovative about exactly how we share our work, but where there’s a will, there’s a way!
