Spikes in the number of cases of latest COVID variant has forced Riverside Theatre to ‘pause’ its 2021-2022 Season.
Producing Artistic Director/CEO Allen D. Cornell and Managing Director/COO Jon R. Moses, announced that the devastating decision had been made to cancel the last two weeks of performances of Carousel, and that the upcoming productions of A Comedy of Tenors, On Your Feet, Bakersfield Mist, and Billy Elliot will not take place.
In a press release issued today, Oscar Sales, Riverside’s marketing director, wrote, “It’s almost surreal to announce the cancellation of ‘Carousel’ after one week of performances, just as we did in March 2020 after one week of performances for ‘La Cage aux Folles’.”
At this point, the theater fully anticipates that the production of Almost Heaven will take place as announced, running May 10 to 29.
Additionally, the Distinguished Lecturer Series and the Friends Committee of Riverside Theatre mid-March gala, are expected to continue as scheduled, as they do not fall under Actors’ Equity Association guidelines.
The Riverside Theatre board of directors’ executive committee made the decision on Monday, and the cast of Carousel, as well as the cast of Comedy of Tenors, who were to have just started rehearsals, were informed on Tuesday. Every Carousel performer, musician and stage crew member will be paid through the show’s originally scheduled run, and designers or directors of an upcoming canceled production will be paid per their contract specifications.
In a press release, Sales wrote that while every performer and staff member that came in contact with performers were fully vaccinated, Actors’ Equity requires thrice weekly testing. And one quarter of their musicians tested positive this weekend, including their music director.
“Riverside works hard to present the most professional productions possible and having ‘fill-ins’ is not an option,” said Sales, noting that Actors’ Equity required affected individuals to quarantine for five or more days.
He wrote that the board made the decision, “as consistency and quality of product are paramount, the day-to-day unknowns are simply impossible to manage, especially for multiple productions. Over the next few weeks of January and February, the casts of A Comedy of Tenors, On Your Feet, Bakersfield Mist, and Billy Elliot would have arrived on campus to begin rehearsals and performances. The complexities of having multiple casts in close proximity during this particular time seemed problematic.
“As a producing theatre that brings performers and musicians from around the country, it would have been very difficult having the casts of the other shows concurrently on campus since they would have been arriving this week and within the next 4-5 weeks.”
Riverside is fortunate that it is financially sound, thanks to the generosity of our donors, patrons and the shuttered venue operator’s grant, enabling full refunds to be issued to all ticket holders for the canceled shows. No further action is required as the Box Office staff works to reverse the thousands of ticket transactions. Please allow 4-6 weeks for checks to be processed and mailed.
