Coronavirus In Minnesota: Arts Community Feels COVID-19 Impact
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Another industry that is being hit hard by the COVID-19 outbreak is the arts and entertainment industry.
With theatres and venues canceling shows around the world, many in the industry already feeling the impact.
"We just all kind of feel like we're in limbo right now, we feel like time's kind of stopped and we're all living in jello," Dan Piering said.
Minnesota native Dan Piering was supposed to start performing in a Broadway show on Wednesday that has been temporarily suspended.
"The disappointment comes from that hard work, not feeling fulfilled at the moment," Piering added.
"So today was our opening for first lady sweet and obviously we're not doing it," Christine Wade said.
Christine Wade is the vocal director at Theater Elision in Crystal Minnesota, she says the company's next two shows are canceled.
"We decided to pay our actors through the end of their contract for this show," Wade said. "This could be a make or break for a lot of small companies. We were supposed to start rehearsals in April."
Local musical theatre artist Kym Chambers Otto was supposed to be in Theater Elision's spring show.
"So we will lose insurance weeks and ill lose health and pension," Otto said.
But she's continuing her work as a vocal coach.
"So now I'm doing facetime lessons which actually have been fantastic," Otto added.
"All the sudden overnight everyone was out of work," James Rocco explained.
James Rocco, the former long-time artistic director at the Ordway, now freelances at theatres around the country, most recently in Seattle.
"We at first were just canceling through the end of March but now we've canceled through the end of May," Rocco said. "We're having a lot of town hall type meetings nationally talking about what we can do to keep the live performing arts alive."
And it's not just theatre, Minnesota-based Singer Rob Lundquist's band Home Free had to cut their European tour short and rushed home to be with family.
"Where would you be right now if you weren't talking to us?" Erin Hassanzadeh asked. "If we didn't get sent back home, right now I would be in Birmingham, England," Lundquist replied.
He says the group is rescheduling dozens of upcoming spring show dates for the fall. cutting off a lot of their immediate income.
"We're just going to have to pinch pennies for the next few months," Lundquist added.
While there is uncertainty, these artists ask for those to not forget the artists during these times.
"I think a lot of artists are worried that they're going to be overlooked because they don't get perceived as something that's necessary," Piering said.
"Keep believing in the arts," Otto added.
Artists WCCO-TV spoke with say you can support local theatres in the same way you're supporting other local businesses during the outbreak by purchasing a gift card for when shows come back online.
