How the Theatre World Handled COVID-19

What happens when the chaos of theatre and the chaos of a worldwide pandemic clash?


Chloe Leferman

All Together Now at Westhill High School, Performed by the Stamford All School Musical in November 2021.

Almost everyone can agree that the effects of COVID-19 touched every corner of the world and every aspect of life. From sporting events to shopping in a grocery store, COVID-19 caused the kind of chaos that hadn’t been seen in at least 100 years, damage that might never fully go away. One of the most affected corners of culture was the arts, specifically performing arts in live and filmed theatre due to the nature of how these arts fundamentally operate. From the close-quarter rehearsals, to the audience sitting shoulder to shoulder, once the reality of COVID-19 truly set in, it was clear that much, if not all of the performing arts of live theatre would have to change. The question then became: How?

At the start of the pandemic, from the smallest of schools to the biggest of productions, they all were at the same place: What do we do? Onstage, offstage and backstage workers were all essentially out of work. Students couldn’t be physically in classes and couldn’t do shows in person. There was no obvious return to normalcy. On the professional end, actors went to teaching and being on live streams, doing fundraising events to help with COVID-19 relief, with offstage and backstage workers doing much of the same. When it came to making actual productions, Zoom seemed to be the best option for most, making short films using its record feature. This was done professionally and in school drama programs alike, all over the country and the world.

As things started to get better, outdoor filming with masks and vaccines became a viable option.  People started to find work, students found their community again, and things finally started getting back to normal. However, that brings us to now, when things are truly at a head for thespians everywhere. For professionals, live stage shows have returned, filming is at a place of a semblance of normalcy, and students can do shows in buildings at last. However, people continue refraining from following COVID-19 safety guidelines and the cases remain thriving among thespians. The world is not fixed and whole again, and while the theatre community has fought to keep the flame of art alive, there is still much work to be done in the face of uncertainty.