Artists are not ok right now.

June 30, 2020

As most of you know, I pursued acting for awhile and have always considered myself a member of the entertainment and theatre world. I am grateful and blessed to be a theatre educator and loved my job as a high school English teacher. During these uncertain times, my heart goes out to every industry that is currently shut down. The extent of how theatre effects our culture is vast as are the number of people who work in theatre and businesses that rely on this art form. So many are hurting right now.

The following post on Facebook is going around. It saddens me. I’m copying and sharing it because it’s the truth....

“Artists are not ok right now.

Broadway is closed until 2021, Cirque is filing for bankruptcy, Feld (the live show production company) laid off 90% of its workforce permanently, cruise ship performers are out of work, theme park performers have no idea when they will be recalled. Performing arts organizations of all kinds..choirs, theaters, orchestras, dance companies, dance studios are all trying to figure out on a daily basis how to keep going and employ anyone they can in the field.

If you know anyone in the arts industry reach out to them and tell them they matter. Give them a virtual hug and make sure they are taken care of. Donate to arts organizations and keep arts alive.

Our hearts and souls need it NOW more than ever. And to copy and share more:

For those of you not in the theatre community. Please understand the scope of Broadway/off Broadway being shut down. Frankly for all theatre anywhere. It travels much further than the stage boards where you see the brilliant performers giving you an amazing show. You also have:

-Stage managers
-Company managers|
-Dressers
-Hair/Makeup
-Carpenters
-Electrics
-Sound
-Props
-Musicians
-Ushers
-Bartenders
-Box office
-Custodial
-Merchandise
-Security
-Marketing
-Producers
-Directors
-Choreographers
-Writers
-Interns
-Set Designers
-Costume Designers
-Hair/Makeup Designers
-Lighting Designers
-Sound Designers
-Prop Designers
-All the design assistants
-Child wranglers
-Doormen
-Porters

Now go beyond the Theatre district and see the jobs this shutdown also affects:

-All the costume shops where the costumes are made
-The millinery shops where the hats/headpieces are made
-The Cobblers where all the custom shoes are made
-The Wigmakers
-The Fabric/Bead Shops/Feather Shops- while these may reopen they will suffer huge losses with no shows requiring anything for this entire year.

-Scenic Shops where the sets are built
-Prop shops where the props are made
-Sound and Lighting shops where the lights & mics are rented from
-design studios where the sets, costumes, props, etc are dreamed up to make the director;s vision a reality
-rehearsal space rentals for the show to be worked out before it appears for your pleasure
-merchandise vendors, concessions

Now venture even deeper into the shutdown and see the business that is lost in the theatre district from just the people in the industry not working on a show (then, on top of that, the loss of audience members buying stuff at:

-Delis
-Restaurants
-Post show bars
-Coffee shops

If that list seems long- it is! And that’s just New York. That’s not even taking into scope all the theatre around this country. And for most of us- this is our whole life. I can tell you to wear a mask, social distance! But by now- you know that. And you either choose to do it and say I care about others, or you don’t and choose to say- I don’t value the well being of others.

It’s kinda that simple.”