WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW THESE DAYS

 

While the Cultural Arts Community has been devastated by the Covid pandemic, and there is no guarantee when many will be coming back; we need to keep in mind that the folks in theatre and other arts are still fully dedicated to enriching the lives of everyone in the community.

Yes, we must follow safety protocols such as wearing those annoying masks, sitting apart from others, avoiding touching some things like handrails and switches, and we really need to get the vaccine shots sooner as opposed to later.

While all this stuff is going on, some of the theatre companies are taking steps to keep going. Some are doing limited live performances with very limited seating available, some others are moving out into tents where seating will be in pods of 2 to 4 seats maximum, and loads of them are going virtual, but that’s a another story.

While all the young folks know everything about using computers and phones that do everything other than washing dishes; many of the elder community just aren’t into watching a performance on a monitor screen, as opposed to the feelings one experiences when in the audience and feeling the vibes. It’s true that the virtual shows aren’t like a program on commercial TV, so you don’t have to live through all the ads for medications and new cars, neither of which you care about. But, it’s one way the performers are trying to keep their operations running and they are so very anxious to stage a come-back, that they’ll do anything to stay in your thoughts.

So, with that in mind, make a list of the theaters and other venues you have enjoyed patronizing, then just go to their website maybe once every month and see what they may be doing that sings out to you. Most of them also have a link where you can subscribe to direct email updates from them. A lot better than all the political junk you got last year.

Finally, in regard to politics; PLEASE reach out to your local representatives to encourage them to support House Bill 226. The bill relates to allowing non-profit groups to see tickets without having to add on any sales taxes. It’s no big deal to the state’s economy but it surely helps the organizations to get a few more dollars into their till.

And may we all find some better, more healthy and saner days to come. The sooner the better. We all need a break.