Vancouver theatres scramble to cancel shows in light of new health orders
Firehall Arts Centre, Dance Centre, CoErasga, Chutzpah!, Rumble Theatre, and Arts Club among those faced with shuttering live productions
Shawn Macdonald in The Amaryllis. Photo by Emily Cooper
THE LAST FEW Vancouver venues still hosting socially distanced live shows were announcing cancellations tonight, in the wake of strict new COVID-19 health orders in BC.
The Provincial Health Officer announced November 19 that all events and community-based gatherings “of any size”, including “musical or theatre performances”, are now banned till December 7.
Theatres had been allowed to operate with strict protocols and masks for audiences under 50.
The Firehall, which had been hosting The Search Party’s new play by Michelle Riml, The Amaryllis, announced it would shut its doors until December 7.
Artistic producer Donna Spencer said in the announcement: “We are disheartened by the recent restrictions to suspend further operations as our patrons have greatly appreciated the safe haven we have provided for them to enjoy the performing arts, but we respect the advice of Dr. Bonnie Henry and will adhere to these updated orders.”
The Firehall had been hosting in-person performances over the past five months, with limited seating and approved COVID-19 safety protocols that included mandatory mask-wearing.
The suspension of theatre performances also meant the cancellation of Mary-Louise Albert’s evening of solo works by artists Vanessa Goodman, Livona Ellis, and Rebecca Margolick. It will stream the performances instead from December 3 to 5.
The Arts Club tweeted that it would continue performances of its solo show Buffoon tonight and enact the closure November 20 to December 7.
Two Chutzpah! Festival live shows at the Norman Rothstein Theatre (Idan Cohen's Hourglass and the Closing Night Comedy gala with the El-Salomons) will now be live streamed only due to the new provincial health advisor.
The same applies to Co.ERASGA's world premiere of Offering, which was to have taken place at the Anvil Centre and will now feature only live streamed shows on November 28 and 29 at 3 pm.
For its part, Rumble Theatre is having to cancel its smaller in-person viewing of Pathetic Fallacy Progress Lab 1422, but the online presentation is moving ahead from November 25 to 29.
Restaurants that comply with public health protocols are allowed to stay open. Masks are now mandatory in all indoor public spaces. Unlike live-performance venues, cinemas are also allowed to stay open "as long as they have a COVID-19 Safety Plan in place".
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