It is sweaty. It’s uncomfortable. It’s just plain weird. Nobody enjoys working in class (or performing, for that matter,) with a mask on. But the students attending classes at the Fine Arts Center are willing to do whatever it takes to keep each other (and everyone they may meet) safe. Their need to be on the stage, whether they are dancers, stage managers, singers, actors, scenery wizards, or a little bit of each, far exceeds their discomfort and fears stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Precautions currently being taken by the Fine Arts Center, FAC, include wearing masks diligently (yes, even while singing), using of face shields, creating smaller class sizes, and maintaining a safe distance between classmates. Theatre students are currently undergoing health checks, random COVID-19 testing, and a whole new look at their profession of choice. Theatre has never experienced such a harsh reality in our time; Broadway is dark, and so might be the outlook on life if it were not for the reassurance of instructors saying that we will figure this out.
Positivity for the sake of the theatre community has been exceedingly difficult. Students must think twice before grabbing a prop to make sure the last person who used it sanitized it. Before hugging a classmates after a pirouette well-done. Before speaking. Before drinking water in class when vocal cords are strained from belting out some happy-go-lucky showtune from a simpler time. A time when we could engage in our art without fear of killing our friends and families by merely breathing on them.
On a brighter note, our FAC personnel are making our education happen, and are setting a great example for their students in working with what they have and making the arts happen despite the odds. I will elaborate on the inspiration I have been given for our return to the “normal” by discussing the changes in class that our instructors are taking to keep us happy and healthy.
Matthew Campbell, Erin Jerozal, and Rick Walters, our theatre connoisseurs, are keeping the acting classes working with what they can at the moment. Seats are sanitized after every class by their students, and mask-wearing is maintained even when performing. Distance is maintained, which is difficult when students are in a room full of overly outgoing theatre kids.
Shane Rhoades is keeping his classes’ safety prioritized by outlining a boxed space with tape on the Main Stage floor to keep each dancer distanced. He also makes sure that if a student needs a water break after a heavy dance routine, they must leave the room if they need to remove their mask. Masks are worn during every class.
Stephanie Harter, one the vocal professors, is sticking to Zoom voice lessons only. Right now, face-to-face singing is just not happening in voice lessons as singing is an easy way to spread germs. Zoom is not ideal for music, as it wants to drown out any sounds in the room, but it’s what we have right now, and Stephanie is making it work.
In the scene shop, Chad Kolbe and his students sanitize every tool after touching it. He has also implemented a 7-foot distance between students at the worktables. That way they can work in safety while still being able to communicate and get the full stagecraft experience.
Nancy Allen keeps show choir practices mainly outdoors, and masks are kept on even then. Dance routines are being filmed in the courtyard for now, and soon the show choir’s vocals will be added to that footage later.
In all choir rehearsals, Brett Robison maintains social distancing and keeps the masks on. Choir students are recording vocals, which are then merged with footage of the choir outdoors, safely lip-syncing to their work.
These acts of safety are protecting theatre and preserving it for our future. I have much hope that our skills will live on and become better than ever after we find a way through the pandemic. And look at us! We are flexible, resilient, and fearless. We have been preparing for the worst our entire lives because that’s showbiz! We are making it work the best that we possibly can. Everyone is doing their part because that’s how theatre works. We are a community of individuals working towards the common good by fighting the pandemic and finding new ways to practice our craft. Hopefully, we will return to the stage with new insight and better equipped to face the world. So, mask up!
