Springer Opera House cancels in-person performances after spike in COVID-19
Columbus’ Springer Opera House is canceling all in-person performances into next year because of Georgia’s recent spike in COVID-19 infections.
That means a scheduled production of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” set for Jan. 21-31, has been canceled altogether, and performances of “Winter Wonderettes,” set for Dec. 10-20, will be streamed online for ticketholders.
The Springer’s staff has been monitoring Georgia’s infection rates closely and feels these steps are necessary for the safety of patrons, cast members and crew, said Allie Kent, director of marketing and audience development.
She said the actors in “The Wonderettes” have been living at the opera house as they rehearsed, so they have been isolated and considered safe in their limited company, but actors from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” would have traveled here from all over the country, presenting a risk of infection.
The Springer will offer ticketholders options on how they may be compensated, Kent said.
Adapting to an epidemic
Like other live performance venues, the theater has been buffeted by the coronavirus and the rise and fall of infection rates.
It decided in March to cancel all remaining performances and programs in the season that ended this past May, including the shows left for “Singin’ in the Rain,” and after that ”Morningside,” “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom,” and “Matilda, the Broadway Musical.” A summer production of “Curious George” also was dropped.
Also falling prey to the pandemic was the popular Springer Theatre Academy that annually drew hundreds of students to Columbus each summer.
Meanwhile the costume shop shifted to making face masks for the personal protective gear that was in such short supply during the epidemic’s early stages.
The Springer held its first live production of the fall Oct. 15-25 with “Evil Dead The Musical,” setting the stage in a parking lot off Second Avenue and offering patrons a health self-certification survey to read and agree to before buying tickets. The staff took patrons’ temperatures, required masks and provided hand sanitizer stations for the bring-your-own-chair event.
In announcing the “Winter Wonderettes” will not open Thursday as scheduled, Springer artistic director Paul Pierce said Muscogee County had shown a significant drop in COVID-19 infections, but that has changed.
“Beginning August 1, transmission rates and daily cases in Muscogee County dropped dramatically, making us one of the safest regions in the country. But that changed drastically in the past three weeks as rates here have quadrupled,” Pierce said in a news release. “To protect our audiences, staff, and stage artists, we don’t think it would be responsible to have public assembly indoors again.”
Ticketholders may live-stream “Winter Wonderettes” on Dec. 18 and 19 at 8 p.m. or Dec. 20 at 2 p.m. Streaming options for the general public go on sale online Dec. 9 at 9 a.m. for $32 per stream.
This story was originally published December 8, 2020 at 10:57 AM.