Springfield Contemporary Theatre postpones plays, still pays musicians with donations
Some non-essential businesses are being allowed to reopen with restrictions, but entertainment venues for theater and music events might take months to be fully operational.
The Springfield Contemporary Theatre has been quiet for almost two months. Managing Artistic Director Rick Dines said the arts have taken a hit from the coronavirus.
"Social distancing is the opposite of what we do. What we do is we bring people together to sit in the dark shoulder to shoulder and have a shared communal experience," Dines said.
The Springfield Contemporary Theatre suspended its operations in mid-March because of the pandemic. Since then, it has postponed two productions and a music event.
One of those plays was set to start at the beginning of May, with the help of local actors, directors and musicians like Ian Erickson.
"A lot of other businesses might have protection payment plans that they can give their employees something. If my work gets cancelled, it's cancelled," Erickson said.
Riley Robison, a local bass player, said he makes about 30-40% of his income on theater and gig performances.
"Pretty hard to imagine at this point there being a full concert hall or a crowded performance of any kind," Robison said.
When the play was postponed, it looked like they'd miss out on a gig, and a paycheck. That was until Giving Tuesday, when the theater raised enough money to compensate the performers who lost out on the cancelled shows.
"It was something that we wanted to do to make sure they were weathering this as well," Dines said.
The musicians said there's no telling when entertainment will get back to normal, but acts like this will make the wait more bearable.
"Just them providing and showing that they're still there for that community is really meaningful," Erickson said.
Robison said, "We're very, very grateful, I am."
The events the theater postponed are now set to be next season, but the artistic director says he's not sure when that will start.
