Dominion Stage is sad to announce that we are officially cancelling the final show of our 70th season, Hand to God, due to the ongoing prohibitions on live performances necessary to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
When the coronavirus lockdowns first began in March, we were optimistic that we might “ride it out” and perhaps stage the production in late summer. Unfortunately, it has become increasingly clear that large gatherings of any kind — especially indoors — will be among the last segments of our society to return to anything resembling “normal,” and that still seems many months away.
Some community and professional theatre companies have taken their productions online via platforms such as Zoom. We seriously considered such an option for Hand to God. A live, online full rehearsal of the show was a largely positive experience. However, without the dynamic presence of a live audience and the physical interaction of the cast, the experience we had hoped to create — and what we felt was intended by the playwright — was simply not possible.
Our thanks to director Ruben Vellekoop and his cast: Patrick Newhart, Jennifer Rose, Morgan DeHart, Meredith Garagiola and Tristan Poje, who continued their rehearsals separated and remotely even as the odds of a stage performance grew increasingly slim. Thanks also to Producer Richard Issacs, Executive Producer Mike Rudden, Set Designer/Master Carpenter Dave Moretti, the rest of the creative team and our volunteers, all of whom worked right up to the day of the lockdown and even beyond. We could not have asked for greater dedication to a production, and we are both humbled and extremely grateful to have received it.
So… where do we go from here? The 71st season for Dominion Stage was announced in late January. Since then, we’ve added a fourth show and selected directors for each of the productions: [title of show], to be directed by Kevin Sockwell; Firebringer, to be directed by Michael Page; Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, to be directed by Danielle Guy; our special event production of Until the Flood, to be directed by Julie Janson, and our new addition, a stage adaptation of Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, to be directed by Eleanore Tapscott.
As of this writing we plan to go forward with that season, though on a fluid, “as the fates allow” type of schedule. The health and safety of our patrons, casts, and crews will determine that schedule. We are also exploring theatrical creations that are more conducive to online performance and interaction. This includes the first Dominion Stage Playwriting Contest that we’ll be announcing soon, and theatre-themed Trivia Nights, which began earlier this month. For now, we send our best wishes to our patrons, supporters, and colleagues, and look forward to a time when we can again gather safely and together enjoy that most interactive of art forms, live theatre.