02.06.2020 - SSI - Mrs Williams

BROADWAY/WEST END

Broadway and the West End rely on the box office that comes from tickets as a main form of revenue.  As coronavirus has put everything to a halt, the industry is under a lot of pressure.  These are some of the shows that have been cancelled or delayed:

Many theatre performances have been cancelled or delayed. All Broadway theatres in New York have been closed until 6 September 2020, while West End theatres in London are closed until 1 August 2020. Waitress on West End and Frozen on Broadway announced they are closed permanently, despite at the time of their announcements, they would be able to reopen after the shut down. 9 to 5: The Musical on West End, Beetlejuice, The Inheritance, and Thriller – Live on Broadway and the Endgame and Rough for Theatre II double bill at The Old Vic were already scheduled to end, but were forced to close earlier than expected. Both Hangmen and revival of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? on Broadway cancelled their entire run, though they had a few preview performances prior to the Broadway shut down. Sabrina Carpenter's limited run on Broadway's Mean Girls was cut short, though she intends to return to the show. Sara Bareilles and Gavin Creel, who were performing at Waitress in London, returned to the United States a week before their scheduled departure due to international travel restrictions imposed. 
(source)

On the Official London Theatre website, there have been many questions asked by the general public on what is going on with the COVID pandemic and how it will affect their shows.  These questions include:

• When will theatres reopen?
• The decisions to reopen theatres will be made based on government and scientific advice on gatherings and events.
• How do I find out whether a performance has been cancelled?
• If a performance was due to take place before or on 2 August, it has unfortunately been cancelled. Performances for some shows after this date have also been cancelled.

And many others.

They also provide some information on how to support the industry through these difficult times.  Here are a few suggestions:

• If you have tickets for a cancelled performance, choose a credit note or exchange rather than a refund, or rebook tickets for a later date.
• Rather than receiving a refund, you can donate the cost of your ticket to the theatre.
• Many theatres have information about how to donate on their website.  You can find links to donate to SOLT member theatres here.
• Give to a theatrical charity such as Acting For Others or Make A Difference Trust, which will distribute funds where they are most needed in the industry.
• Buy Theatre Tokens for yourself or as a gift for someone else to use once theatres reopen, as a commitment to supporting theatre, or book your Autumn/Winter theatre trips now.
• Check out our page about how to get your theatre fix online here; many of the productions listed are available to watch online in return for a donation to the theatre or to theatre charities.

Next I want to look into the affect that the global pandemic has had on actors wellbeing and their daily lives.