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  • 1.  How will you perform live?

    Posted 08-11-2021 16:43
    Hi folks
    The drama teachers in my district and I are desperately wanting to have our students perform LIVE this year.  We can't get a clear answer or direction from our County as to what that would look like with COVID protocols and the uncertainty of the Delta variant.  I just found out that the athletics dept has a waiver that all athletes sign--so we will probably adapt that for our purposes.  There's the obvious:  indoor sports can play...so why not theatre.
    I just wanted to start a dialogue to find out what folks have in place...how will you go about doing live theater?
    Thanks so much!
    Cindy

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    Cindy Skelton
    Drama Teacher
    Burlingame High School
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  • 2.  RE: How will you perform live?

    Posted 08-11-2021 18:42
    So much of everything is up in the air right now for us, and will depend on decisions outside of my control at the state, county, and district level. I have not heard anything yet. I have a bit of a guess as to how things will go though, and it is what I am currently planning for. Students will be able to perform on stage, possibly with masks (as of right now, we are starting the school year 100% masked, regardless of vaccination status, per governor's order) to a masked audience. If it ends up being left up to the district to decide, the masks will all go away for people who are vaccinated, but the unvaccinated will have to continue to wear them. They will in no way ensure that folks who are unmasked are vaccinated, and it will be an honor system. We'll see how it goes.

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    Christopher Hamilton
    Drama Teacher
    Kamiakin High School
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  • 3.  RE: How will you perform live?

    Posted 08-12-2021 06:46
    We were able to perform live even last year following certain protocols. We only presold tickets so we could guarantee a limited audience size. This meant, we actually had more performances to accommodate the people that would normally come to see our shows.  We also had our entire audience mask up and sit at least 6 feet from anyone that was not in their own household and  our performers wore masks as well.. We did temperature checks at the door. We did not sell concessions so no one would have a reason to take their mask off.

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    Amy MacCord
    Musical Theatre Teacher
    Westwood Middle School
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  • 4.  RE: How will you perform live?

    Posted 08-12-2021 09:16
    Last spring we performed outside in a drive-thru drama. Audiences stayed in their cars masked, and they drove through six scenes set up around our parking lot. The performers stayed distanced, and one lead actress led each car through the scenes, so we had multiple leads. We had no sets and minimal props, so we were able to commission a fantastic play for the format! I can refer anyone who is interested to the playwright. The reception was great, not only because they got to see live theater but also because it had elements of audience interaction. Students got to practice improv, the audience paid by car, and it was accessible for all ages.

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    Laura Butchy
    BASIS Independent McLean
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  • 5.  RE: How will you perform live?

    Posted 08-12-2021 09:32
    We performed two shows last year successfully, albeit not to the standards we are used to. In November we did a socially distanced performance of Addams Family and in March The Wizard of Oz. Both were with audience restrictions, masks, every other row empty, two seats in between the audience groups, etc. This year we're being told no restrictions, masks optional, but that may change. We don't have a show until November, so my students will continue to wear masks during rehearsals. During shows they wore them offstage, although it messed with their makeup, and they took them off while on stage. No one got sick or had to quarantine, so it was very successful. We're excited to be getting back to some sense of normalcy, but no one is holding his or her breath, because we know this thing changes with the wind. Trying to be positive and upbeat for the kids sake. Just as a side note, we had many cases of COVID in our high school but not one single hospitalization or anything more than loss of smell for any of those who tested positive. Even with the Delta variant this appears to be holding true and we are on our third day of mask optional in person learning. My class sizes are back to usual (48 in my smallest class!). I am vaccinated but with only one lung (lung cancer surgery in 2013) I wear a mask and socially distance when I can. So far, so good. Hope the same is true in your neck of the woods.

    Bruce Taws
    Mosley Drama Director
    Mosley High School, Lynn Haven, FL

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  • 6.  RE: How will you perform live?

    Posted 08-12-2021 09:33
    Yep - if indoor sports can continue then there's no reason theater can't continue. We were able to perform live last year, with some audience restrictions (masked, groups separated by six feet, only 1/4 of the capacity). We rehearsed wearing masks until show week. Students had the option of performing with masks, but all of them chose to take them off for their scenes.

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    Ken Buswell
    Drama Teacher
    Peachtree City, GA
    http://mcintoshtheater.org/

    Theater kills ignorance
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