Call it what you want, “Stay at Home”, Shelter in Place”, “Safer at Home”… with plans for Social Distancing and a list of regulations on how businesses will be allowed to operate, the future of packed performance theater houses looks bleak.
Yet, with all that’s happening DTLA is leading the way with innovative new methods to keep the community informed and entertained.
1. Crazy Talented Asians…
Little Tokyo’s East West Players has been around since 1965 and stays committed to raising the visibility of the Asian American experience with world-class theatrical productions.
Not very happy about the news of increasing anti-Asian sentiment in the time of COVID (as you can imagine), the theater has teamed up with Custom Ink, to let others know they don’t appreciate the negativity, while at the same time bringing awareness to the issue, and helping raise money for the theater.
“It’s an Honor Just to Be Asian” T-shirts are selling like hotcakes (or should we say rice cakes), with Downtown and beyond in support of our local Asian heritage theater and the people who make it so damn fun to watch.
The theater is also streaming past performances upon which we can catch decades of artists we missed and rewatch our favorite acts – in a streaming series entitled, “Crazy Talented Asians Stay At Home!”
2. The Latino American Theater Center
“We are deeply committed to our work and community. In response to the uncertain circumstances surrounding COVID-19 coronavirus, we are saddened to announce that the Latino Theater Company is postponing our Spring Season at the Los Angeles Theatre Center until further notice.”
Sound Familiar?
The LATC was closed for performances as were much of our Downtown Theaters in mid-March, but like many other venues, their staff made the reluctant transition successfully into the newly popularized “work from home” scenario.
Working remotely, LATC staff is available to you, and encouraging those with inquiries connect to staff directly by email or voicemail.
School’s Out Forever!
La Victima a stage performance Written by El Teatro de la Esperanza and Directed by Jose Luis Valenzuela was scheduled to kick off this week and was to be presented in collaboration with students from UCLA’s School of Theater Film and Television and the East Los Angeles College Theater Arts Department, but with the Governor hinting schools may not reopen until 2021 it looks like we’ll just have to wait. For more info visit: www.latc.org
3. REDCAT
This week at REDCAT, Miguel Gutierrez: SADONNA’s The Brown Ambition Tour would begin but in response to the “Stay at Home” order by the state and local officials, REDCAT closed to the public with hopes to reopen May 15, 2020.
While the doors are closed, the staff is still be working, minus newly retired program/marketing director Kelly Hargraves and is utilizing the time deep cleaning all of our spaces, and conduct necessary maintenance of the theater and the main gallery.
Taking an extra leap to inform disenfranchised artists the REDCAT has listed a link to artists resources including grants like the Artists Fellowship which provides emergency aid to professional fine artists and their families in times of sickness, natural disaster, bereavement or unexpected extreme hardship. Only artists with immediate medical emergencies should apply and Artist Relief, Creative Capital’s new coalition of national arts grantmakers. This new initiative includes immediate, unrestricted emergency funding of $5,000 for individual artists of all disciplines to help those in need due to the COVID-19 outbreak. For more information visit: www.redcat.org
4. Let’s Talk About – Center Theater Group
Center Theatre Group is bringing the heads of Downtown Theater and beyond together within a series of live streaming public discussions.
Between now and July key members of the local theatre community including actors, designers, playwrights and administrators in support for one another during these unprecedented times.
Members of the local theatre community will discuss the issues and opportunities they are facing in this time of crisis.
“Center Theatre Group will facilitate these conversations but it’s a conversation about Los Angeles theatre as a whole — about all local organizations and what we’re all going through,” said Michael Ritchie.
This unprecedented forum will feature a cross-section of LA’s large and intimate theatre artistic directors including Snehal Desai (East West Players), Debbie Devine (24th STreet Theatre), and Jose Luis Valenzuela (Latino Theater Company). Michael Ritchie (Center Theatre Group), Danny Feldman (Pasadena Playhouse), Jessica Kubzansky (Boston Court Pasadena), Matt Shakman (Geffen Playhouse), Michael A. Shepperd (Celebration Theatre) will also participate with Center Theatre Group Managing Director/CEO Meghan Pressman as moderator during the discussion.
The series launches Thursday, April 23 at 3 pm PT with “L.A. Theatre in the Time of a Pandemic and Beyond”
For more information and to register for an upcoming discussion, please visit CTGLA.org/LATheatreSpeaks.
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