Hatbox Suspends Operations Due to Covid-19

By: Mar. 17, 2020
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Hatbox Suspends Operations Due to Covid-19

Hatbox suspends operations due to Covid-19:

The world is changing rapidly. We have been monitoring the COVID-19 situation and how it might impact the health and safety of our audiences and our artists. Communities around the world have been struggling with how best to respond to the pandemic; we have adjusted our processes to ensure public safety. The economy as a whole and the creative economy, in particular, have experienced significant losses. Freelance artists and producers have always struggled, even in the best of times. Public health recommendations, including self-quarantine and social distancing are incredibly necessary to slowing the pandemic and are hopefully working. They have also decimated public gatherings of every sort and have almost completely wiped out public performances.

The health of our patrons and of our artists, however, is foremost in our minds. It is with regret and resolve that Hatbox Theatre will be suspending public performances for at least five weeks. This hiatus is vital to protecting the most vulnerable in our communities and is the appropriate response. This unfortunately means that several events will have to be cancelled or, if possible, rescheduled. This will impact the following: Queen City Improv, Music Out of the 'Box, The 39 Steps, Putting It Together, Discovering Magic, Hatbox Performance Lab, and SOFA: The Symposium of Forgotten Arts. A couple of these productions have had significant work towards productions that audiences will never have the chance to experience; it also means that some will never be able to make up the out-of-pocket expenses that went towards their development.

It is our sincere hope that this public health crisis will be brought under control and that we will be able to resume performances with the opening of Copenhagen on April 24th. Auditions and rehearsals for productions following our "reopening" will continue to move forward with appropriate safety precautions in place. We are still planning for our next season and will hopefully have exciting news that we will release in May regarding our sixth season. We will assess in a few weeks and update you with new information.



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