Lowcountry theater goes from highest high to the scramble of a pandemic: What’s next?
Pandemic, paradoxes and past-times have combined to capture the full consideration of our Lowcountry theater professionals ... and by extension, their grateful audiences, during these unimaginable times.
All of our performance professionals were coming off the most popular and well-attended theater season ever — along with the accompanying visibility and a slew of other victorious add-ons. In fact, all were in a “celebrate our unqualified success” mode, and were intently focused on the details for next year’s over-the-top season, when they were blindsided by the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Here’s the paradox ... unbelievable, inconceivable and totally out of the question. When the novel coronavirus landed here in the Lowcountry, it brought with it the unavoidable reality that our theater companies and their leadership would be stopped in their collective tracks and would have to hang on the wall any thoughts of not only exceeding last season’s victories, but actually, to consider when and if there might even be a 2021 season. Essentially, the future held that the curtain might simply fall on their phenomenal accomplishments ... period.
What follows is a story, offered through a collection of conversations, with theater professionals: Blake White, Ben Wolfe, Andrea Gannon with Jeffrey Reeves, and Rodney Vaughn and Luke Cleveland.
They represent four diverse production platforms, and they spoke with me often about their observations and concerns.
With courage, creativity and optimism, they looked clear-eyed at the future of theater in the Lowcountry, and considered the paradox ... the success of last year’s season, and the ”show-stopping” impact of a virus that has shown no signs of exiting, stage right.
By the way, it’s been close to half a year, since we began these conversations. We have updated, edited, and condensed each one, to characterize the unique nature of each of the four groups, and of their responses.
The Lean Ensemble Theater
Blake White, founding artistic and executive director:
What day is this ... I’m hoping it’s Monday ... 11 a.m ... one day almost seems like the next!
Truthfully, as soon as I faced facts, my thoughts went immediately to what I could do to keep everyone of our Lean Ensemble family in touch with the events of our days. First, I wanted to find out what everyone was thinking ... so we created a survey which went out to our contact list ... letting them know that we were in place. We also asked about their feelings about COVID-19 ... especially as it related to the future activities of Lean.
We all wanted to keep Lean in front of the broad range of our community. We created 10 videos for streaming ... ”QuaranLean.” Entertaining and informative ... this week focuses on “Mitchelville,” which will open our adjusted season (in October).
It will be a reading, written by award-winning American playwright Aurin Squire, directed by Christopher Windom, and featuring artists from across the country.
The anticipated season includes “Art,” “Doubt,” “Cry It Out” and “Death of a Streetcar Named Virginia Woolf: A Parody.”
Arts Center of Coastal Carolina
Andrea Gannon, vice president of marketing; and Jeffrey Reeves, CEO and director of the arts center on Hilton Head Island.
We were all enjoying the accolades of the best season ever! Our productions and our audiences were in sync, and we were excited about ending our season with our presentation of “Kinky Boots” ... setting the stage for another winning season!
What a blow to our dramatic momentum, to suffer the impact of this incredible virus after such a phenomenal year ... and our future plan.
Everything changed the moment we realized that COVID-19 would impact all of our planning, over time. Our responsive staff and volunteer leadership focused on plans for the arts center, collectively, and for our theater season.
Are you ready ... we’ll start off the new season with what would have been our spring show, the Tony Award-winning “Kinky Boots.” Others in the works are “Noises Off,” the ’90s rock hit “Rock of Ages,” and an audience favorite, “Mamma Mia!”
Jeffrey Reeves took the reins as CEO and president on Jan. 1. He’s been with the arts center for 19 years, so everyone knows that he’ll guide us all through this COVID setback.
Southeastern Summer Theatre Institute
Benjamin Wolfe, director and founder of the institute.
As we begin our fifth straight week of online programming, I can confidently say that we have slayed the dragon and are exceeding expectations as we deliver the SSTI experience through Zoom!
Who could imagine those words coming from the person who has overseen the SSTI and its unique formatting for 12 years?
If this were one of our typical years, and there were no COVID-19, we would, at this juncture, be halfway through our first four-show summer season. Students would have arrived on Hilton Head from every corner of the globe, and the lobbies would be abuzz with excited patrons who look forward to our presentations.
Those plans have been put on hold till summer 2021 ... and SSTI has shifted to a new stage with a new focus ... SSTI Online!
We’re wrapping up an entirely new experience ... one that’s left students and families raving. With professors from the top musical theater universities in the nation, and a dedication to a series of programming that could continue into the school year and long after this “historical pause” has passed. We’ve had the privilege of training over 100 students this summer, online ... oh, and importantly, we’ve been able to keep a handful of our employees on full-time, and dozens more as adjuncts.
We had the most phenomenal season last summer, and were looking forward to topping it as we added a second series ... how everyone on Hilton Head and in Beaufort would have enjoyed “She Loves Me,” “The Producers,” “Crazy for You” and “The Drowsy Chaperone.”
Coastal Stage Productions
Rodney Vaughn, producer, and Luke Cleveland, creative director marveled at the irony ... the paradox.
Our mostly-volunteer company of directors, actors, and crew had enjoyed the best season ever. Our productions were brilliantly received, we’ve had sold out houses, people are still talking about our production of “Doubt.” And we were looking forward to a terrific season ... to be staged at our home at the VFW in Port Royal.
Then came COVID-19.
We’re partners, and what to do is up to us. We have a company really, the best ever ... so remarkably talented, dedicated and loyal.
We can’t, at this point, imagine what the future might bring. We have had to cancel our season and continue to keep our eyes on the virus, and, absolutely to be in touch with our CSP family.
But, honestly, I think, if we find that even more time has gone by before we are ready to begin production of a brand new play ... I think that we could reach out to our friends in our extended company and family ... and we would be able to round them up and together we’d absolutely take our positions on stage at the VFW ... and pull off a crowd-winning season opener!