In July, Candlelight Dinner Playhouse became one of the first companies in the state to reopen for indoor theatrical performances during the COVID-19 pandemic. The giant theater just off I-25 in Johnstown is known for musical productions that feature big casts and attract big audiences.
But this time, Candlelight owner and executive producer Dave Clark said they knew they had to think smaller 鈥� much smaller.
鈥淲e were planning to do 鈥楶eter Pan鈥� this summer, which was a big production with flying and everything else, and we knew that simply wasn鈥檛 possible,鈥� Clark said.
So, it was out with 鈥淧eter Pan,鈥� and in with 鈥淚 Do, I Do.鈥�
The musical follows a couple鈥檚 relationship over the years and only features two actors. It gave the theater a chance to try out a live show on a small scale.
Candlelight also cast a local couple in the roles. Sarah and Phil Forman got married just weeks before taking the stage.
鈥淲e definitely had an advantage because of that,鈥� Sarah Forman said. 鈥淲ith us they didn鈥檛 worry because we鈥檇 been this close for months now. So that helped it feel more like a normal show even though it was just two of us.鈥�
The couple are now in rehearsals for the season opener,
With eight actors on stage, Sarah says she鈥檒l have to be more cautious than with 鈥淚 Do, I Do,鈥� but she still feels safe. She also knows not every venue has that option.
鈥淓ach venue is different,鈥� she said. 鈥淐andlelight is able to do it right now because we鈥檙e such a spacious theater.鈥�
Phil Forman, who is also the theatre鈥檚 music director, knows the decision to reopen may seem odd to some. Even he had a few reservations at first, especially being one of the only theaters reopening for indoor, live performances.
鈥淔or me it was like, 鈥榳ell, we can鈥檛 completely shut the entire world down forever, at some point we have to come out of it.鈥� And I thought that the way they handled it with safety and all of that, they really have the best interests of not only the actors but the patrons as well,鈥� he said.
Onstage, blocking has been changed to keep actors who aren鈥檛 isolating together as socially distanced as possible, and backstage, cast and crew are required to wear masks, Clark said.
While a front row seat is usually an enviable position in theater, all tables have been moved at least 25 feet from the stage, he added. And the venues鈥� typical capacity of 330 has been reduced to 150.
鈥淥bviously some people are still not comfortable coming out, so that鈥檚 certainly understandable,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淏ut (for) the ones that do come, we鈥檙e following all the guidelines and trying to make them feel very comfortable while they鈥檙e at the show.鈥�
For s season opener of 鈥淭he Nina Variations,鈥� the company also focused on a smaller production and paired actors who were already cohabitating with each other.
They also went virtual, which meant needing a crash course in filming.
鈥淵ou know, we鈥檙e not filmmakers,鈥� said Stephen Weitz, BETC's producing artistic director.
鈥淪o there was a lot of learning.鈥�
Like figuring out which cameras to use, the best lighting and sound techniques, and how to soundproof your studio.
鈥淲e shot it at our rehearsal space in Westminster and there鈥檚 a small airport nearby,鈥� Weitz said. 鈥淎nd you never think of it when you鈥檙e working because it鈥檚 just background noise, but when you鈥檙e trying to film something and there鈥檚 planes going over or there鈥檚 a dumpster being rattled outside, or a garbage truck or whatever it is, suddenly you鈥檙e just aware that the world is full of sound.鈥�
When they got the first film edit back, Weitz said they decided to reshoot it, unhappy with how it had turned out. In the end, the project came out well and patrons have been supportive, he said. But it was painful to shelve the world premiere they had initially planned on, a show they鈥檇 gotten a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to do. However, their experience during COVID has inspired new work.
Later this fall, BETC will produce what鈥檚 currently being called 鈥淐olorado 2020.鈥� It鈥檚 a series of vignettes based on interviews with Coloradans from all walks of life on the impact this year has had on them.
鈥淲e came up with the idea that, how can we do something that鈥檚 meaningful and relevant in this moment, that speaks to this crazy year that we鈥檙e all living through,鈥� Weitz said.
Not every theater is ready to dive back in just yet.
鈥淚鈥檓 looking at this time as 鈥� I鈥檓 being gifted this time,鈥� said Sydney Parks Smith, the producing artistic director of in Fort Collins.
鈥淓specially with the conversation 鈥� the much needed conversation 鈥� that鈥檚 been started about inequity in theater, and what that looks like in OpenStage, and what I can do as a leader in the company to change the way that鈥檚 structured as far as how we choose shows, how we seek out production teams, how we seek out actors, how we structure our board,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淎ll of that is so all-encompassing, and we actually have time now to dig into each of those aspects of the theater company and really scrutinize how it has functioned, and what we need to do practically change that and continue to make that change moving forward.鈥�
The troupe will keep its stage dark for the rest of the year with hopes of a possible return next spring or summer, she said.
鈥淯ltimately, I can鈥檛 ask any artist to be in a performance space and work together in a safe way right now,鈥� Smith said.
So, just like the almost-completed sets from what would have been its season opener 鈥� the rock musical 鈥淗edwig and the Angry Inch鈥� 鈥� Smith is patiently waiting for a time when the company can return.
鈥淭he good news is, for the shows that we have, they have production crews and casts, they were cast, rights are paid for,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e all just currently sitting there. We have a set at the OpenStage warehouse that is like a ghost town, it鈥檚 almost done.鈥�
Not owning a building 鈥� the company rents theater space at Lincoln Center 鈥� has been a blessing in more ways than just not having a mortgage to pay, Smith added. And while she hopes to salvage as much of this season as she can, Smith says her main goal is getting the company to 2023 鈥� when OpenStage celebrates its 50th anniversary.
鈥淥penStage started in a park in 1973,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o from the very beginning of this something that we had talked about is that if we can鈥檛 perform in a building or theaters are closed down for a long time and we can only do small performances, we can adapt to that because that鈥檚 where we came from. We may have to make our organization smaller so it survives - that鈥檚 how it will be then. The most important thing for me is that our organization survives.鈥�
While these three theater directors are all handling 2020 in different ways, each said they know that their companies - along with live theater, in general - will survive this pandemic.
Theater has survived for thousands of years, including pandemics and plagues, Smith said, adding that while it might take awhile, audiences will return.
鈥淥ne of the exciting things that is coming out of this is that people have realized how to produce theater in many different ways,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淒o I think that will eliminate live theater? No. Because there is nothing like being in a room with a live production that just reaches in and squeezes your entire chest. And to know that you are with all those other people in that room together - which right now sounds horrifying, but - and you鈥檙e all getting goosebumps 鈥� And I think after, I hope, that there is a huge explosion of people going to see live music, live theater live events where they can share emotionally again with other people.鈥�
