7 minute read
a word from the Director, Michael Cochran
Our 'Dark' Theatre Meets the Sun
It’s hard to believe that fall has started; it’s been a busy summer at the theatre! When COVID-19 first hit and we had to shut our doors in March mid-show, we just weren't sure what that was going to mean for our programming. After many weeks of uncertainty, planning and replanning, we decided to start the summer out with virtual summer workshops for May and June. Finally, in July and August we were able to transition to some in-person, outdoor classes in Market House Square. All the while, the new, outdoor MHT Courtyard was taking shape. That space was created with a vision to allow outdoor programming in a time when indoors just wasn't feasible. Now, here we are in September with Footlights and dance classes back in session! The MHT Courtyard, thankfully, has seen quite a few performances outside this summer and we were ecstatic to welcome back audiences for Playtimes' Rapunzel and Little Red Riding Hood, with a staged play reading, with Love Letters and now with The Rainbow Fish - the first show in our Family Series for this season. We were also pleased to have Opera in Overalls on our outdoor stage - a brand new theatrical opera education group from two MHT alumni, the very talented Emily Black and Maria Miller. As we head out of summer and into the fall, we will take down the stage and the scaffolding in our back courtyard at the end of October in preparation for work on a more permanent setup for the courtyard. I definitely won’t miss climbing up and down that scaffolding every time we have thunderstorms in the forecast! It’s been a challenge to keep programming going with 3/4 of our production staff still laid off due to the pandemic. However, we're doing all that we can to keep the show going on. We just held auditions for the first show of our 57th Signature Season which opens in November and we are happily receiving season ticket renewals. We’ve just posted the River City Downtown Walking Ghost Tours and Oak Grove Cemetery Lantern Tours for October as well. All of these events have been scaled down and socially distanced with enhanced cleaning and disinfecting to follow COVID-19 protocols from the Event Safety Alliance, Healthy at Work guidelines from the state and local health departments.
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Donations Keep Us Going
Some of the bright spots in the past few months have been the incredible support from donors who helped raise double the amount we did last year from the Paxton Challenge. The opportunity presented by the Community Foundation of West KY and the Fred and Peggy Paxton Endowment Fund have been a real blessing to the theatre over the years. This year that opportunity was especially important. The additional $20,000 raised this year above what we raised last year will help the theatre cover the upfront costs of getting a season started and pay for the additional cleaning and disinfecting that have to be done between classes and rehearsals. Many of these cost were a significant increase over what we had to pay last year. In addition, by putting season ticket funds into a reserve account so that we could provide timely refunds if needed, we suddenly didn’t have funds for royalties and production costs upfront to get the shows ready before opening.
We still depend on all of the annual donations we receive throughout the year and this additional support has been critical to keep the theatre on firm financial footing. MHT has operated in the black for several years and we intend to keep up that practice. We are a nonprofit that depends on covering 50% of our operational budget from contributions, and the other 50% from earned income from ticket sales and class fees to balance our budgets. With earned income this year going to be significantly reduced, your contributions are more important than ever and we are extremely grateful for the support we have received so far.
Reopening Readiness
As we move indoors in November for the opening of our 57th season, it’s important to share our reopening plans, designed to keep everyone safe while also having a good time. Here are some of the measures the theatre will be taking:
- Reduced audience capacity by 75% - only having 50 seats per performance.
- Seating will be socially distanced - at least two seats of distance will be between seating groups on the sides and 6’ of clear space behind and in front.
- Face masks will be required for all audience members for the entire performance. We have learned from other theatres that have already performed for thousands of audience members since last June, that having the audience wear masks during the performance is the most important protocol in preventing any transmission of the virus. MHT will follow this success and require all of our audiences to wear a face covering over their mouth and nose for the entire performance inside the theatre.
- At-home ticket printing is encouraged to reduce handing out tickets at the show or sending them in the mail.
- All playbills will be digital for this season so you can look ahead of time on your computer or your smart phone. The primary information about the play will also be projected on the screen before the performance.
- Seating will start 45 minutes before show time - instead of our usual 30 minutes - to give audiences more time to get to their seats.
- There are multiple entry and exit points for the shows to avoid large group gatherings in the lobby.
- Reducing the amount of “ touch points” and providing hand sanitizer at entrances.
- Enhanced cleaning efforts including cleaning and disinfecting all seats, and touch surfaces before every performance with a CDC-approved products and cleaning and disinfecting restrooms before the show and again before intermission.
- We have increased our HVAC filtering capacity by installing equipment that filters out 99.5% of viruses as the units run continuously during the performances.
- Because of reduced capacity, we will add additional performances so that our season ticket holders can have their same seats or same night to see the show.
- We are securing the streaming rights to some of our plays so that audience members who are unable to attend in person will have the opportunity to see the production from the comfort of their home.
- The ticket exchange policy now allows exchanges up to show time for any reason. We have selected shows that are a little shorter in length with smaller casts.
- Because of the requirement to wear masks, we will not offer concessions or the bar during the shows. However, we will be offering bottled water at intermission that can be consumed outside the theatre.
MHT Executive Director, Michael Cochran
Keeping Our People Safe
We are also practicing #HealthyatWork with our performers, staff, and volunteers.
• Actors are rehearsing with masks and all props are disinfected each night before rehearsal and performances.
• With smaller casts, we are giving cast members socially distanced space in the dressing rooms and backstage areas. The only time the casts will not wear masks is during performance of the show but they will be 12-15 feet from the audience front row and will be wearing masks in backstage areas where others are gathered.
• We will do socially distanced staging in ourrehearsals and performances.
• We have not scheduled any musical performances with actors singing until next June with Jesus Christ Superstar.
• Staff work in separate areas - always more than six feet apart. Masks are worn whenever staff come within six feet of each other.
• Work places are cleaned regularly.
• Masks are worn at all classes and temperature checks are being administered.
