Mill Mountain Theatre and the Roanoke Children’s Theatre aren’t letting COVID19 shut them down. Both have scheduled their summer camps and classes, though MMT is going virtual.
RCT plans to hold its first summer camp June 22 at its outdoor facility at 622 Campbell Avenue in Roanoke. Brett Roden, the theatre’s producing artistic director, says, “We have a gazebo and large lawn at that facility, which is near the Jefferson Center, and we will hold the camp outdoors.” The camp schedule runs through August, says Roden, and after June 22, they will run as they normally do, both inside and outside.
Mill Mountain Theatre, meanwhile, plans to hold virtual classes and camps this summer. Says Producing Artistic Director Ginger Poole Avis, “Like everyone else in the country right now, we do not have a crystal ball. We are following the reports and updates from the Governor daily and will continue to adjust as needed. We will continue to give updates and make adjustments. We will go to virtual classes and camps until further notice.” The classes will be held via Zoom and other means, says Avis.
The theater staff of Avis, John Levin and Larry Kufel has been working daily and three members of MMT’s education staff have been brought back to work for classes and camps. Avis says, “We are still holding board meetings, board committees are still working and we have established a task force of executive board members that meet once a week. All of these meetings are either conference calls or Zoom meetings.”
The remainder of the staff is on furlough and, says Avis, “They all are receiving unemployment and the Care Act weekly. We also received the PPP Loan and several of the Disaster Relief Grants and will be phasing back staff. They will still be working remotely until the bans have been lifted. The safety of our incredible staff is our top priority.”
The following MMT productions have been canceled: “Cinderella,” “Treasure Island,” “The Diary of Anne Frank,” and “The Cake.” “Polkadots: The Cool Kids Musical” is still on the schedule, though there is no determination of when and how it will be produced. Those with tickets for the canceled shows may exchange them for future shows. An MMT press release stated, “As we did with ‘Dreamgirls‘ and ‘Cabaret,’ we humbly ask that you consider your ticket purchase to be a donation to MMT.”
Avis says no plan has yet been established for auditions for next year’s season of productions. “We are not sure [what we will do] yet. Video submissions are already a very current means for casting. I can see this having a big swing. But in person is always preferred if possible.”
Avis says that financially, “We are vetting every decision we make to protect our reserves. These are very hard, but necessary decisions. MMT has been healthy and operating in the black for the past eight seasons. We are hopeful and will continue to do our best. Everyone has been very understanding and supportive as we navigate the times.”
About the Writer:
Dan Smith is an award-winning Roanoke-based writer/author/photographer and a member of the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame (Class of 2010). His blog, fromtheeditr.com, is widely read and he has authored seven books, including the novel CLOG! He is founding editor of a Roanoke-based business magazine and a former Virginia Small Business Journalist of the Year (2005).
