Thoughts on Appreciating and Supporting Performing Arts (and an update on live performances in NYC!)
Last week NY Governor Cuomo announced his New York Arts Revival program. This new program which will use rapid testing to open pop up arts performances all over the state starting as early as February feels like such a relief. Since March artists in NY, the country and the world have been unemployed, struggling to make ends meet. The thought that we can start to build back the arts in NY even before we reach critical mass on the vaccine is very promising.
The arts, especially dance and theater have always played a huge role in my life. I grew up going to Broadway shows from a very young age. The theater was my first true love. I slept in Central Park to see Meryl Streep in The Seagull. I waited outside the Nederlander Theater to buy $20 tickets to Rent with the original cast. 16 times. I studied acting in college and later went on to have a career as a producer. While I am no longer officially "in the business" I am still and forever a huge supporter of the arts, and many of my close friend still work in that industry.
When I had children I knew that I wanted to expose them to all the arts and culture NYC has to offer. Hermione saw her first Broadway show at age 3 and hasn't stopped. She has seen more ballets than most adults I know. She studies all types of dance, theater and singing. Portia, while a bit young also loves seeing live performances of all types.
When the pandemic hit in March my first thought was... what about the arts? What will happen to an industry that relies on mass gatherings? Over the course of March and April I found myself extremely saddened as I received cancellation email after cancellation email for all of the shows I had planned to go to that spring. I was supposed to take Portia to her first Broadway show (Frozen.) Hermione and I were supposed to see Mrs. Doubtfire for her birthday. Of course none of that happened.
As the spring and summer wore on I started to really notice how different my life felt without the performing arts in it. No James Taylor in the Berkshires on July 4th. No musical theater camp for Hermione in August. No Nutcracker during the holidays. No live performance.
Over the past 10 months I have had the extreme pleasure of seeing three very special live, COVID-safe performances and they each revived me in their own special way. First there was Godspell in the Berkshires, the first professional musical staged in the US since the shut down. I openly wept as soon as the first singer opened their mouth.
Next was a beautiful outdoor ballet by BalletCollective on a private reserve in the Hudson Valley. Through quarantine, testing and forming a bubble the dancers were able to dance near each other without masks. It was so perfume and so moving. Seeing these dancers who hadn't worked in months able to create with each other was truly moving.
Then, in October I received a call from Troy Schumacher, the Artistic Director of BalletCollective. He had a "crazy" idea to make an immersive, safe, live Nutcracker happen this holiday season and did I want to be a part of it. Of course I gave Troy a resounding yes and set about trying to help raise money to make the productions a reality. When Doug, the girls and I went to see The Nutcracker at Wethersfield in December I was blown away how against all odds live, magical dance was still able to happen.
The past 10 months have further proved to me how important the performing arts are in my life and how I truly cannot live without them. I cannot wait to be back in a crowded Broadway house, sharing a communal experience with strangers. I will be there the first night. I cannot wait to take Portia to her first Nutcracker at Lincoln Center. I cannot wait to watch Hermione dance on stage again. These are experiences I will never take for granted again.
Almost everyone who works in the performing arts is struggling right now. Many have had to pivot to other ways of earning income since March. Below is short list of places you can donate to help!
Place to donate:
The Actors Fund
This is a wonderful organization that hellos support everyone in the entertainment industry. Their COVID-19 relief fund is helping people stay afloat and pay for basic living expenses.
American Ballet Theater
ABT is close to my heart as this is where Hermione studies ballet. A donation to the ABT Today Fund will help their dancers to continue to rehearse and create (in small, safe bubbles) during the pandemic.
Ballet Collective
Ballet Collective, lead by Artistic Director Troy Schumacher was responsible for the remarkable Nutcracker at Wethersfield, the only Nutcracker of it's kind that happened this holiday season. A donation to Ballet Collective will help Troy and his company continue to produce innovative work during the pandemic and beyond.
Dancers of NYCB
This fund was set up to help members of New York City Ballet while they are sidelined due to COVID-19. The dancers have been and will be out of work for well over a year so any support is incredibly helpful.
