RALEIGH COUNTY, W.Va. — The goal is to resume Theatre West Virginia performances with adjustments because of the coronavirus pandemic as early as this fall in Raleigh County.
“We know we’re going to have to change some of our structure,” said Scott Hill, Theatre general manager.
“But we’ll be hopeful to bring the arts to southern West Virginia again just like we’ve done for the last 59 years.”
As of now, all summer shows at Cliffside Amphitheatre at Grandview Park are canceled.
Shows previously scheduled for June, July and August included Alice @ Wonderland, Phil Dirt and the Dozers, Honey in the Rock, Hatfields and McCoys, Godspell and Rocket Boys: The Musical.
“We can’t have our typical plays because you can’t social distance during the Hatfields and McCoys feud and that’s what we do,” Hill said.
Refunds were planned for already-purchased tickets or members.
Originally, Hill said they had decided to stage shows in the coming months with the audience seated in every other row and separated by family or other known groups. Concession items were going to be switched out with extra hand washing stations available.
“We were good at the top at the house, but then it seemed like it was going to come back around and bite us on the stage,” he said.
“You can fake a fight, but you can’t not touch people when you’re doing that. Without contact, it’s harder to get your emotions across to the guests in the audience.”
Since 1961, Theatre West Virginia has been staging shows.
Going forward, different plays could be selected in the time of the coronavirus, said Hill, with consideration of the space needed to protect performers who come from other parts of the country.
“That’s what got us was the social distancing between our cast members,” he said.