KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The lights are dim and the curtains are closed at theaters nationwide, but some Kansas City theaters are taking new approaches to reach their audiences.
Amid the COVID-19 crisis, stay-at-home orders and limits on public gatherings have forced theaters to close until further notice, but for some, the show still goes on.
The Kansas City Repertory Theatre (KCRep) is streaming previously taped performances online. The theater said it taped performances of Frankenstein: A Ghost Story and Legacy Land on what would have been the shows' opening nights.
Meanwhile other local theaters, including The Unicorn Theatre, The KC Melting Pot Theatre (KCMPT), The Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre (MET) and The Coterie Theatre have either canceled or postponed productions until the fall, but The Coterie is still finding a way to reach it's youngest members.
The theater is offering virtual classes to children ages 3 to 12th grade. Amanda Kibler, The Coterie's education director, said it's difficult to plan for much else.
"We're usually looking at next year by now and starting to refocus and plan for next year, but we can't really do that because we're not sure when next season can start," Kibler said.
The Coterie had just one week left of the Puffs production when the COVID-19 crisis shut them down. It's something Kibler said is difficult for everyone involved.
"Most people are experiencing... not only the loss of income and the loss of a job in that way, but also having to say goodbye to a show before we were ready to or having to let go of a show before it even opened," Kibler said. "There's always a period of mourning for all of us."
As the education director, Kibler continues to focus on acting school programs. She said offering online classes is one way they are keeping local artists employed and working to give young people something to do. Classes are $85 for six 90-minute sessions.
While the future is unknown, The Unicorn Theatre is still preparing for its 2020-2021 season. It recently announced virtual auditions in partnership with The Coterie. It said a Zoom link will be provided to actors and actresses prior to each audition.
With no production underway and many postponed, the MET is turning to other sources of revenue. The theater is accepting donations and applying for various loans and grants. In an email to patrons, Bob Paisley said they are working to reschedule the production, Mother of the Maid, but "with everything changing day to day, it's hard to make firm plans."
It's a message echoed by many of the theaters in Kansas City. Only time will tell when they can return to the stage, but theaters aren't the only ones feeling the effects of COVID-19.
Lewis Morrow is a playwright and actor, whose shows have been produced across the country. He was preparing to open Baybra's Tulips in May at KCMPT and another show, Look What The Fire Did, was picked up for the beginning of April. COVID-19 brought both shows to a halt, forcing the cancellation of the latter and prompting KCMPT to postpone Baybra's Tulips.
"I went from being the busiest I've ever been to where I'm at now, which is waiting for something to happen," Morrow said. "As a playwright, obviously I can still write freely. The only thing uncertain is when things will become normal again."
Morrow said he's clinging to his faith and keeping busy amid the pandemic. He just finished writing the first season of a series set to film this summer.
"Life will go on and so will theater. We're going to come out on the other side with a million new plays about what's going on right now," Morrow said. "By no means am I making small of this pandemic, but great things come from overcoming adversity."
