The COVID-19 pandemic has already proven to be a big problem not only in the health and welfare of the population. It has also impacted the state of economy in every country. As there is risk of infecting more people in crowded places, authorities have restricted the number of people going in certain places. Particularly, business establishments are now only allowed to operate with minimum personnel, thus affecting their income.
Among the badly-hit industries due to the COVID-19 pandemic is theater. Since March, there are hundreds of scheduled theater plays that were postponed indefinitely as the threat of the coronavirus infecting the audience remains very real. As shown by studies made by doctors and scientists, there is big risk of infecting more people in an enclosed space with poor ventilation. In this case, theater houses are among the possible hotspots of COVID-19 infection.
As many people say, the show must go on, and for the theater actors who are praying for this pandemic to end so that they could all perform again, waiting for more weeks or months without certainty is arduous. There must be a way for the theater arts industry to thrive in the face of this pandemic.
If There Is Drive-In Cinema, Why Not Try The Same For Theater Performances?
Movie houses have already resorted to a drive-in setup since the beginning of this pandemic. As we couldn’t risk the health and safety of the audience in a closed movie house, a drive-in cinema would be perfect for everyone to enjoy their favorite movies inside their own cars. Some theater fans think that the same can be applied when it comes to theater plays. However, preparing the venue for such purpose should be done carefully.
For starters, doing theater performances in an open area will not be easy, as there are things happening backstage that must be hidden from the audience. In a supposed drive-thru theater house, the stage must be huge enough and properly set up for the actors to work well.
In a drive-in theater house, there will be no problems with ringing mobile phones under 25000 in the middle of a theater play, as the watchers are inside their respective cars. However, in the same reason, people inside their cars might not be able to hear the whole performance well.
This is just one of the possible suggestions to save the theater industry amid this crippling pandemic. There are many other ways we can look into to help our stage actors and performers.
