CMU School of Drama


Thursday, October 22, 2020

Save Our Stages re-emerges in new Senate small business bill

Broadway News: The $370 billion bill, entitled the Heroes Small Business Lifeline Act, contains the small business provisions of the most recent Heroes Act, including extending the Paycheck Protection Program through March 2022 and supporting theatrical venues and restaurants through the Save our Stages Act and the Restaurants Act. The introduction of the bill Tuesday comes as the fate of a larger stimulus package remains uncertain.

2 comments:

Jacob Wilson said...

I am happy to see some effort being put towards protecting live entertainment venues during the pandemic as these will likely be the last to open. Our stages have been dark for so long and have received little, if not any, funding from any source, government or otherwise. We need to be protecting these venues so we can continue to perform live events after the pandemic. None of these venues are going to survive the pandemic if this bill does not pass. We need to be able to see some of the costs of utilities and a mortgage paid for right now before these places have to foreclose or declare bankruptcy. This would be disastrous and make investors even less willing to open up a venue or invest in an existing venue. I hope that our government realizes how important live events are in not just our lives as theatre people, but the culture of America as a whole.

Josh Blackwood said...

Another promise that will die before it reaches the Senate floor. Mitch McConnell is not friendly to government handouts and because he and his party currently control the Senate, the people who need this help are continually getting screwed. Trump wants a deal, Pelosi wants a deal, Schumer wants a deal, and McConnell? He wants to vote to confirm a Far Right Supreme Court Justice before election day, probably to save him and Trump when they both lose re-election and will sue in the courts to overturn verified and accurate results claiming voter fraud. Our industry was the first to close and we will be the last to open. Millions of Americans are out of work and struggling to meet basic needs. People are dying, venues are closing for good and the economy is in ruins. But let’s focus on the Supreme Court and not on the 24 million Americans who need help right now.