The university theatre scene feels the impact of COVID-19 The – University of Delaware Review

Minji Kong/THE REVIEW Pictured above: a former HTAC production.

BY XIOMARA MOOREStaff Reporter

First, the orchestra begins via Apple Music. Then, a virtual background of a stage appears. And finally, the actors are ready to perform via Zoom. Welcome to the current production of How Are We Going to Make This Work, starring theatre groups Resident Ensemble Players (REP), Harrington Theatre Arts Company (HTAC) and E-52 Student Theatre.

Many clubs and organizations at the university like The Review have been forced to continue operating online with platforms such as Zoom and have found it to not be too big of an adjustment. However, theatre groups on campus have been doing things quite differently considering that the bulk of their work must be done live. However, through their hardships, these groups continued to express themselves creatively in new and exciting ways.

We were one week away from one of our productions, Jenna Dorrian, president of E-52, says. Hearing that announcement, knowing that everything that weve been doing wasnt going to happen was quite upsetting.

Theatre groups at the university were forced to end theatrical productions and find new ways to continue to produce shows. Some of these productions included The Crucible and Disneys Newsies by the REP and HTAC, respectively. The closing of these productions not only resulted in months of rehearsals going down the drain, but major financial losses as well.

We dont know if well survive this, Sanford Robbins, the Producing Artistic Director of the REP, says. We lost what would have been the ticket sale revenue from all of the rest of the year, last year, and then the university is cutting our budget by 80% or more.

Other groups have confirmed that the universitys budget cuts have only worsened the toll COVID-19 has taken on them. Dorrian explained that E-52 has not received any income from the university because they are limiting the amount of money they give out and structuring it accordingly. Typically, E-52 is given a large budget, but this year, Dorrian explained that the group is trying to save and not spend their money on expensive items.

Samantha Simon, president of HTAC, stated that they were experiencing the same scenario.

Financially, it just means that this year, especially since budgets are tighter at UD, our RSOs [Resident Student Organizations] arent getting as much funding, Simon says. And so, we are currently working with whats left in our account for the year, and were saving most of it for spring in hopes that well be able to do something in the spring, and we can use those funds.

However, great positivity and innovation have come out of this terrible time. All three groups have utilised Zoom and other means of communication to continue to entertain audiences from the comfort of their homes.

For instance, the REP has started recording radio productions that will air in October from the REPs website and on the universitys radio station website at WVUD.org. One is a five-episode version of Dracula written by Michael Gotch, one of the company members. In addition to Dracula, the company is recording another radio production called, Are You Now or Have You Ever Been, a piece based on the life of the African-American poet Langston Hughes.

Nobody would have thought a year ago, Hey, well do a radio play that sounds like something your great-grandfather would have done, not something we do, Robbins says. But you go with the flow, and you figure out how to make shit work.

On the other hand, both HTAC and E-52 have decided to use Zoom to conduct meetings and theatrical performances.

E-52 has tried to recreate the feeling of being in a theatre by using the Hide Myself function on Zoom. This function allows the audience to not be seen on the screen so that the cast members are the only ones visible during a Zoom performance. Productions like the student-written one-act plays like S.A.S.T. will be showing at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 23 and 24 and presented this way.

Another addition to E-52 is a podcast that will be attached to their newsletter. This podcast is an entertaining way to have discussions about general theatre topics.

Thats just something that keeps everyone active, and its just fun to listen to, like, who doesnt love listening to a podcast? Dorrian says.

As Simon called it a deconstructed approach to theatre, HTAC has used Zoom to host virtual workshops and hold dance workshops and watch parties. In addition, the organization will discuss the dos and donts of conducting business on Zoom. In addition, HTAC is working on improving their collective skills so that they can dazzle audiences once again live.

As for the future of these theatre groups, there are plans in place for Spring 2021. E-52 has moved their two fall productions, Hamlet and Laughter on the 23rd Floor to the spring for the chance to perform them in front of a live audience. HTAC and the REP are still trying to figure out how they are going to perform live while keeping people safe.

Its not that the government thinks its safe, or the university administration thinks its safe, or even we feel safe ourselves, Robbins says. Its when audiences are willing to go into a room and sit next to people inside.

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The university theatre scene feels the impact of COVID-19 The - University of Delaware Review

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