For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic broke out, Actors’ Equity agrees to allow some of its members to perform on stage.
The union, which represents 51,000 actors and stage managers across the country, said it had given the go-ahead for two summer shows in the Berkshires region of western Massachusetts: an outdoor production of the musical “Godspell” and an indoor production of the solo. shows “Harry Clarke”.
In recent weeks, several theaters with non-union actors have begun to resume performances, in some cases outdoors and in almost all cases with social distancing, and a group of Equity actors collectively developed an outdoor performance piece. in the Hudson Valley of New York. And of course many actors have been acting online.
But “Godspell” and “Harry Clarke,” both slated to begin in early August in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, are now the first productions in which union actors will perform in person before paying for hearings in the United States since the threat of La Infection caused the closure of Broadway and the nation’s regional theaters in mid-March. Citing security concerns, Equity had banned its members from auditioning, rehearsing, and performing in person.
“We are not trying to prevent people from doing theater, but we are trying to prevent people from getting sick and / or dying,” said Kate Shindle, president of Actors’ Equity. She called the decision to allow these two productions “very exciting, and also something to watch closely.”
“The fact that there will be an Equity-approved theater this summer is something I really wasn’t sure could happen,” she added.
In both productions, performers and stage directors will be regularly screened for coronavirus, and audience members will need to wear masks. The infection rate in western Massachusetts is low, and both theaters were willing to meet the union’s safety requirements.
Mary McColl, the union’s executive director, said she is speaking with some 70 producers across the country who are looking to resume performances for the fall. But, he said, there are no other approvals imminent, because “because we’ve been working through the protocols that would be necessary, everything started to go crazy in many of these states.” We don’t have control of the virus, and neither do these producers. “
“Godspell”, a much-loved 1971 musical often performed by Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak, will be presented by the Berkshire Theater Group for a month beginning August 6. The musical, adapted from the Gospel of Matthew and exploring the Bible parables, will have a cast of 10 people led by Nicholas Edwards as Jesus; It will be established in 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic.
Kate Maguire, artistic director and executive director of the Berkshire Theater Group, said the production, directed by Alan Filderman, would take place in a tent erected in a parking area; She said the tent would have about 100 socially spaced seats, much smaller than the 700-seat capacity of its covered main stage.
The plaster will be isolated in a house and regularly tested for the coronavirus, he said. And the production, although fully staged with sets and costumes, will not include physical contact between the actors, there will even be a contactless crucifixion, he said.
“We have never done ‘Godspell’, but it was the only show that I thought could make sense in this world,” said Maguire. “I’m dying to hear ‘Save the People.'”
McColl said the approval of “Godspell” was particularly significant because singing is considered a potential source of virus transmission. She said the actors would be distant from each other and sing to each other during production.
“Harry Clarke”, a one-man play by David Cale, is about a congratulatory scam artist, who will play Mark H. Dold at the Barrington Stage Company. The play, scheduled for two weeks starting August 5, will be performed inside a 520-seat theater; To allow for social distancing, only 163 people will be able to attend each presentation, and Dold will perform on stage, away from the audience. The public will undergo temperature controls and will have to follow the rules on how to enter and exit the theater to reduce overcrowding.
Barrington Stage says you will have a completely digital experience, with no physical tickets or shows. The theater has also reconfigured its air conditioning system to increase the circulation of fresh air.
Both Maguire and Barrington artistic director Julianne Boyd said they couldn’t make peace with a summer without a live performance in Berkshires, a region whose economy is highly dependent on cultural tourism.
“I am well aware of the responsibility we take on: Berkshire County has been really healthy the past few weeks and I know we must keep it that way,” said Maguire. Also, every maternal instinct I have is coming out for these actors. But I felt that with ‘Godspell’ we could do this and keep everyone safe. ”
Boyd, who has been working to obtain permission to proceed for two months, was also determined. She is also planning an outdoor cabaret in a park in August, and hopes to organize several other indoor performances by a single artist.
“People need live theater,” he said. “Let’s face it: Art has healing powers, and I want to start that healing process safely and responsibly.”
