Friday, March 20, 2020
Pittsburgh Public Theater goes online to bring classic plays to homebound theater lovers
Features | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper: As the COVID-19 virus outbreak grows, state leaders have called for all nonessential businesses across Pennsylvania to temporarily shut down. This includes theaters, which means many plays and other live stage productions will never get to see an audience. To stay active and bring the stage to fans, the Pittsburgh Public Theater will present Playtime, a new live online reading series described as bringing “great classic plays and the work of extraordinary Pittsburgh writers right to your living room, computer, or device.“
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11 comments:
I think this is a great thing that Pittsburgh Public Theatre is doing because there are so many theatres all around the country that have to close down and it has left so many theatergoers without the art and so many theatre makers without a job. This is such a good idea because it allows artists to still do what they are passionate about and it allows fans of theatre to learn some more shows that they might not have seen otherwise. I hope that everyone who is able to donate to help keep the arts alive, although I know it is so hard for people right now to donate because so many people are also being affected by this pandemic and are losing their jobs as well. So I really hope that those with financial security find a way to donate to Pittsburgh Public and other theatre and arts organizations in this crazy time.
I really appreciate the efforts of everyone, like the Pittsburgh Public Theatre, who are trying to keep things going. It's so easy right now to cancel everything until things clear up but that does no good. We've lost our main source of preparing and presenting our crafts, but we haven't lost the talent that brings those crafts forward. It's just a matter of people coming together (virtually) and brainstorming to figure out other ways to go about things. And there are definitely other ways, as we are seeing. In these next few days/weeks as we are transitioning, we will all have to stop dwelling on what we lost and think about how we can evolve by learning to do things a little differently. Of course it's not going to be the same and there will be obstacles, but everyone of us understands that this is a sudden change that no one planned for so it's okay. We have technology so we might as well take advantage of that, as best as we can. We must also remember to support each other. We're all on this ride. We're all struggling. We're all figuring things out.
I have a great deal of respect for the artists that are continuing to work on their craft and share it with others. I hope this financially helps the artists, but I know that is not the primary goal--which is to share work. This is also really important for theatres who need to maintain momentum for future seasons. I hope this is being promoted in multiple locations, as now it can reach audiences even outside of Pittsburgh. Additionally, even though it feels like we aren't doing much at home, it can be hard to keep track of things happening online. Being on social media and the internet is also pretty draining for me, as much of the content is sad and stressful. I've had to segment portions of my day to be outside or read or run, all of which take me away from the screen. But regardless, I'm excited to set aside time to enjoy these readings!
During a time in which everything feels scary and uncertain, this is something that gives me hope. More and more companies are transitioning to make themselves available to the community as a whole through online platforms like zoom which is so important. It keeps art flowing, at this time in which people truly need it most, and keeping artists making art in a time that inspiration to make art is harder to find. I have been really impressed with the community I have found within both theatre and the arts inside and outside of school, in the sense that art students especially are truly rallying together to support each other and keep making art even in a time in which people can't be physically together. I am so excited that Pittsburgh public theatre has adapted to well to the current world that we live in, in order to continue to use theatre as a healing mechanism.
I think this is so great and honestly seems to be a solution that everyone is starting to find some comfort in. Coming from a theatre school, there have been many conversations trying to answer the very difficult question of how do we create theatre without physically being in the space? Amongst all the different answers we’ve come up with, nothing comes close to the real thing. But in a time such as this, where no one knows what’s going to happen next and the safest place is inside your own home, going online in the most logical and safest answer. I think the fact that they are also doing this along with all the universities and other schools, makes everyone feel like one and makes it feel like there is a community now that is online. It creates a strange yet acceptable norm that we all have to adapt to, including theatre.
This week of comments is even more difficult than the last. Every single article feels so hopeless. More show cancellations, more laid off workers, more information about the lack of support these artists are being given in their time of need. But this article, and a few others like it, have been shining lights. We all know the world and the arts communities feel like they are crumbling right now, but it is the creatives that can find these innovative solutions. I think this exploration of how performance can be transferred online is really beautiful and something that will completely change the way we view theatre forever. I love how the Pittsburgh Public is tackling this hard time, and it is so nice to hear about the Pittsburgh theatre community working through this, because that is such a special group of theaters that all deserve to make it through this difficult time.
So many people in the industry have done a wonderful job dealing with this outbreak. Art is an important coping mechanism for many people, including me. So, I think it's wonderful that theaters are doing this. Adapting to circumstances is an important part of what we do in theatre, so I think it's natural that we can adjust so quickly and stay very positive in this time. It was heartwarming to see adaptations of live theatre come out of so many places in the country, but seeing it come from Pittsburgh makes me really happy and grateful to live in this community. I've been missing Pittsburgh a lot since I got home and this makes me really excited thinking about the community I have to come home to next semester. I really hope that this can help keep theaters like the Public afloat in these really difficult times we're all going through.
I am still quite in shock how all of theater is currently shut down. I am sure many others are as well. However, through all this chaos, it is great to see some communities coming together and offering support by doing something as simple as providing a source of entertainment that is more difficult to access at the moment. Just to stay sane, this is a great idea for the artists who are providing these sources, but also the regular theatergoers, who are advised to stay home for the safety of others. Theater to me is so dependent on the audience gathering around and this community enjoying art together. Although this option to us is currently unavailable, I am content this community and the Pittsburgh Public Theater is creating this option so we all may stay together and appreciate art in this difficult time. I am curious what this idea of sharing theater online will look like once the virus blows over. I highly doubt it will just go back to the regular way it was with mass audiences gathering for theater.
I am still quite in shock how all of theater is currently shut down. I am sure many others are as well. However, through all this chaos, it is great to see some communities coming together and offering support by doing something as simple as providing a source of entertainment that is more difficult to access at the moment. Just to stay sane, this is a great idea for the artists who are providing these sources, but also the regular theatergoers, who are advised to stay home for the safety of others. Theater to me is so dependent on the audience gathering around and this community enjoying art together. Although this option to us is currently unavailable, I am content this community and the Pittsburgh Public Theater is creating this option so we all may stay together and appreciate art in this difficult time. I am curious what this idea of sharing theater online will look like once the virus blows over. I highly doubt it will just go back to the regular way it was with mass audiences gathering for theater.
I am still quite in shock how all of theater is currently shut down. I am sure many others are as well. However, through all this chaos, it is great to see some communities coming together and offering support by doing something as simple as providing a source of entertainment that is more difficult to access at the moment. Just to stay sane, this is a great idea for the artists who are providing these sources, but also the regular theatergoers, who are advised to stay home for the safety of others. Theater to me is so dependent on the audience gathering around and this community enjoying art together. Although this option to us is currently unavailable, I am content this community and the Pittsburgh Public Theater is creating this option so we all may stay together and appreciate art in this difficult time. I am curious what this idea of sharing theater online will look like once the virus blows over. I highly doubt it will just go back to the regular way it was with mass audiences gathering for theater.
I am still quite in shock how all of theater is currently shut down. I am sure many others are as well. However, through all this chaos, it is great to see some communities coming together and offering support by doing something as simple as providing a source of entertainment that is more difficult to access at the moment. Just to stay sane, this is a great idea for the artists who are providing these sources, but also the regular theatergoers, who are advised to stay home for the safety of others. Theater to me is so dependent on the audience gathering around and this community enjoying art together. Although this option to us is currently unavailable, I am content this community and the Pittsburgh Public Theater is creating this option so we all may stay together and appreciate art in this difficult time. I am curious what this idea of sharing theater online will look like once the virus blows over. I highly doubt it will just go back to the regular way it was with mass audiences gathering for theater.
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