Thoughts on Theater 5 months into The Shutdown — Page 3

let's also remember that, even if a vaccine were determined to be effective by the end of the year, that does not mean it will be available by then. It will likely take 6-12 months to distribute it widely. Priority, as it should be, will go to health care workers.

I don't think Broadway will achieve its new normal before the fall of '21. I've been saying that since March, and nothing has happened to alter that. If anything, the absurd way that the virus is being disrespected in large parts of the country is cause for even that being hard to achieve. (And remember, too, that my thinking is based almost entirely on audience dynamics, not epidemiology.)

KKeller6 said: "But, hope isn't always a bad thing."

It never is. In fact, “'Hope' is the thing with feathers" which is not only the title of Emily Dickinson's lovely poem that I had to memorize in 11th (?) Grade but of not one but two plays, one on Broadway ages ago and very occasionally performed (for a variety of reasons) and one off-off, with a territic cast but, alas, not much more.

Do you know what will help me come back? The New York Times publishing the piece it's been sitting on about sexual harassment in New York theatre. It's ridiculous that publications that are able to uncover these stories for both the TV and Film world have been so silenced when it was New York's turn for a reckoning.

Not theatre related but world related, Mother Nature must be over-joyed that she now has some time to rebuild, regrow and repopulate. Then She will wait patiently until She has to do it all over again.

HogansHero said: "I don't think Broadway will achieve its new normal before the fall of '21. I've been saying that since March, and nothing has happened to alter that. If anything, the absurd way that the virus is being disrespected in large parts of the country is cause for even that being hard to achieve. (And remember, too, that my thinking is based almost entirely on audience dynamics, not epidemiology.)"

Fall of 2021 seems like the most optimistic I can be about sitting in a theater. Maybe the summer if we get really lucky. But that's just going to my local theaters. Traveling to New York City on a plane so I can sit in crowded theaters... I don't know. I have gone through short bursts of travel to NYC (1990 to 1993), followed by a long drought, then another series of trips from 2016 to 2019. Is another drought in my future?

Even though I'm lucky enough to have a job, I only recently went somewhere to talk to a human being in person. It was strange, sitting far apart and wearing masks in large rooms. I am pretty far away from being comfortable in a crowded theater.

I will admit to being discouraged about the behavior of my fellow Americans. It's like one half of the country is deliberately not taking it seriously, with too much of the other half not taking it seriously enough. New York City is probably a bit different because of the high death toll earlier this year. But it creates a problem. Broadway needs tourists, of course, but tourists are the worst.

Theoretically, I have had the vaccine and the anti-vaxers, Trump supporters! havn't.

How does the world then assimilate and adjust to this next phase? I realise it will be a 'wait and see step by step' situation but how will I know I am not sitting next to an anti-vaxer in a crowded theatre coughing over me and not be concerned? Do they have a new strain, is my immune system strong enough to resist, will door temperature testing still exist?

Will I/we ever again be able to freely wander the markets of Asian countries, take a cruise, explore European museums, sit at a concert without wondering 'am I safe' or will anxiety prevent this freedom that we all took for granted just a few sort 9 months ago to return?

It will be up to each individual to access how they trust the vaccine and then to react. Will we have to have a 'proof card-our photo and date' to carry at all times to get us on that plane, into the theatre etc and just how bullet proof would we all be?

It will indeed be a Brave New World that we will enter WITH the vaccine so trust in science, and humanity will have to be my new mantra come the New Dawn.

I sure hope Governments have thought, and planned for after-vaccine because I can see a VERY rocky road ahead as there is no way they will be able to 'make it up as they go along' as they[governments] are doing now.

The vaccine is the band aid to the real problem-humanity.

HogansHero said: "@SweetLips22 I think each of us gets to decide what to fear. Most people likely will not fear a new strain, or sitting next to an anti-vaxxer, etc, if theyhave been given an effective vaccine. Are there people who will? Sure. There are people who won't leave their home because they fear TB or Polio or getting hit by a drunk driver. Did you have this reaction post SARS? That does not mean you could not have a different fear now, but my sense is that most people will not once they trust a vaccine or some other treatment. You're right though: humanity can be its own worst enemy."

I have thought many of the thoughts that Sweetlips shared, too many times. The concerns are real and well articulated; however, I am inclined to agree with you, with a big 'but'. If the idiot in the WH somehow manages to roll out a vaccine prematurely, like his Russian buddy, I suspect that I will be quarantine even harder and longer for some duration, since the masks will be coming off a huge % of the vaccinated pretty much immediately, I suspect.

Peter marks in the Washington Post has a take on the immediate future of theater in New York.

https://tinyurl.com/y4tn9pj3

Updated On: 9/9/20 at 09:53 PM

I understand missing theater. I do. 100%. Because I do too. But people have got to stop acting like it's the end of the world. People have got to stop asking actors to do things for free. For the love of God, what did these people do before they discovered theater??? The world is basically reopened aside from theater and...malls? I think? And to people who are saying, the virus is basically gone, we need to reopen theaters! ...yeahhh they decided to reopen schools early and look how well that went? Do you really consider yourself more important than actors, stagehands, costumers, stage management, front of house...are you more important than all of these people? ONE interaction with ONE person who has been exposed to someone with the virus, and Broadway shuts down again. I'd rather wait and focus on other things like...I don't know...maybe the UPCOMING ELECTION, voting, Black Lives Matter, family, friends, new hobbies, etc. than dwell on something that isn't going to reopen for a while. I miss it. I do. But we also have to acknowledge that there ARE people like Seth Rudetsky who are trying to provide content for us while theaters are closed. Ignoring that is incredibly rude. People are doing the best they can with what they have right now. Stop whining and acting spoiled.

For what it’s worth, a different take on the Future of the Performing Arts:

The Future of the Performing Arts in the USA

Updated On: 9/16/20 at 03:35 AM

Good Lord, could anyone understand the above?

I tried[for a while] then just scrolled.

The theatre can't go back to 2019 so BIG adjustments are going to have to be made in front of, and behind that big red curtain.

Selfishly I am more than happy to live with my many years of memories and will never feel the need to step back into a re-jigged theatre again in however many years that are ahead of me.

Please don't bring up the un-employed, that's in all industries affected.

The digital age is NOW so this virus has helped the geniuses to create virtual entertainment much sooner than later.

So....

There will be a screening concert for 5 friends, only after implant and temp. check, in my living room tonight, of 'star of the moment'. Dress---come as you are.

How sad.