But, expect to see some live performances this summer
Hospitalizations from COVID-19 are dropping, as is the percentage of people who test positive on a daily basis. The number of Orange County residents who have received one or two vaccinations is on the rise. Small businesses have reopened and restaurants are slowly increasing capacity. Schools are bringing students back in-person five days a week and plans for summer camp are in the works.
While some efforts are being made to return to a sense of normalcy, the arts, specifically the entertainment aspect, continues to lag behind. School stages remain relatively empty and Broadway remains dark. Some local dance and theater groups are continuing with production of shows while others are trying to wait out the pandemic.
Riverside Theatre Arts Academy founder Livi Perrone said she’s been using Broadway as her marker for figuring out how and when to safely reopen. She said there’s been conversation about the fall being a possibility for stage productions to resume in New York City.
When the pandemic nearly completely shut down the entertainment industry last March, Perrone was one week away from her production of “Aladdin” at Cornwall-on-Hudson Elementary School. Riverside Theatre Arts was in the process of opening enrollment and developing plans for its summer season. The spring break program was also canceled.
Perrone’s initial response to the shut-down was to conduct Zoom lessons and livestream programs, but as school districts switched to full remote learning, feedback from parents was their kids were spending enough time in front of a computer screen and little interest was shown in the programs being offered.
While some schools and other groups are putting on outdoor productions, Perrone didn’t believe that would be feasible. Even considering small group performances was out of the question.
“We don’t have the infrastructure to support the safety precautions so we’re holding out,” Perrone said. “For us as a small business, we were always needing bigger numbers to sustain what we do. It was difficult even before to get enrollment. The limitations being put on theater, inhibits the performances because so many resources have to go into what we do.”
She added, Riverside Theatre Arts isn’t just about the production, but about creating a community. In theory, putting on some sort of show could be possible, but the essence would be lacking the social and community aspect.
Perrone hesitates to start making any future plans until she knows it’s safe to resume operation.
Aggie Kimple, owner of the Dance and Music Design School, didn’t skip a beat when the pandemic forced local small businesses to close.
“We saw the writing on the wall,” she said. “When they closed down the schools on a Friday, we switched to live virtual classes on Monday. There was some chatter about potentially shutting down the schools for two weeks to try to control the spread, so I rapidly did research on what would be the best platform for us to have virtual classes because two weeks off unexpectedly is a lot for those kids. Being trapped at home is hard. There was a need to run dance classes and allow the kids to do something interactive and social while being safe at home.”
At the time of the switch, Kimple’s students were just starting to prepare for their June recital.
Some classes had one rehearsal under their belt while others had none. Although it was challenging adjusting to conducting classes over the internet, the kids were resilient and nailed their routines when it came time to give a live performance in August.
“I give them [the kids] a lot of credit for being as adaptable as they were and for the teachers being creative in their solutions to make sure the kids were still learning and enjoying themselves and not sinking into a horrible depressed funk. They did a really great job.”
Aggie Kimple
Kimple added the recital wasn’t necessarily about learning something new, but taking the dance steps they had already learned during the school year and putting them together in a routine. The difficult part was transitioning from a small living room space to a backyard where the performance was held.
Over the summer, Kimple was able to safely transition her students back to in-person rehearsals, albeit with smaller group sizes. The students are currently working on a May outdoor performance, “LaFille Mal Gardee”.
The hour-long performance will be held at 4 p.m. on May 22 and 23 at Donahue Memorial Park.
The show is free and open to the public, but parking is limited. Parking passes are required, but there is an option to pay for a day pass through a mobile app. Kimple said carpooling is encouraged and notes porta-potties will not be available. Guests should bring a blanket and chairs.
