By: Amanda DiNatale | Staff Writer
As every performer can testify, these last couple years of canceled, masked, and modified productions have granted a newfound appreciation for live theatre. Despite the ongoing threat of the pandemic this semester, Salve students and faculty have worked dutifully to adapt to safety regulations and get performers back on stage as quickly as possible.
The first production of the semester was Spoon River Anthology, put on by the Main Stage Theatre Company in late October. While it was still not indoors, Spoon River was able to take place unmasked with a live audience, using makeshift sets on Gerety lawn. This production was a huge success, allowing anyone with a lawn towel or chair to experience the innovative stage under the stars. In fact, given the complex staging of the play – which involved multiple storylines and concurrent scenes – the multiple outdoor stages might have ultimately been better suited to the production than a single stage indoors.
Another triumph this semester was the Voices in Harmony concert put on by the University Choir and the a capella groups on campus. While still masked, this concert was permitted to be inside beautiful Ochre Court, in front of a live audience. For those family and friends who couldn’t make the performance, there was an option to tune into an Instagram livestream on the @salvereginamusic page.
This was much appreciated by viewers at home. Dianne Philbrick, who tuned into the broadcast, remarked, “I was extremely impressed both with the talent of the singers and the sound quality of the streaming experience. Even though we were hundreds of miles apart, I felt a real connection, and it was a thoroughly satisfying and delightful event!” For both in person and virtual viewings, the concert marked a step not only towards a world without COVID-19, but also one that can benefit from the innovation arising during the pandemic.
Most recently, the Salve dance company, Extensions, put on their “Portals and Passages” showcase at the Casino Theatre. Given how expressive and active the art of dance is, the group was thrilled to receive the news that the school and RI state guidelines would allow them to perform without masks after receiving a negative COVID-19 test.
According to co-captain Morgan George ‘22, it was a major adjustment to get back to not wearing masks. This change had a significant impact on performance, because “there is a whole other story that is told behind a dancer’s expression and it can be extremely difficult to relay that information when you have a mask on.” The audience also got to benefit from this vision of pre-COVID-19 life; the performers hoped that “[the audience members] were able to escape the reality of our crazy world for the hour and a half.”
Coming up this weekend are both the Salve Dance Club show, Ultra, and Stagefright’s Guys and Dolls. While there is uncertainty about safety measures after a spike in cases following Thanksgiving break travel, performers are still hopeful that the productions can be done without masks after receiving a negative COVID-19 test.
For Guys and Dolls, director Grace Farrow, ’23, has faced the difficult job of directing while keeping expectations realistic and spirits up. According to Farrow, “Having most of the actors able to perform without masks is not something I had assurance was even possible when this process began, but I could not be more thrilled about it. So much expression is lost when you cannot see half of the face, and more than that, it brings a sense of normalcy that we have all been greatly lacking the last year or so. There is nothing like performing in front of a live audience. In my opinion, theatre is not theatre without the relationship between actors and the audience. It is the live audience that makes the show truly come alive.”
As seen by the excitement by both cast and crew alike, the theatre department is so fortunate to have the opportunity to perform in nearly normal conditions. As a fourth-year member of theatre at Salve, and the president of the Stagefright Theatre Company, Skyler Lasit, ’22, has experienced the full impact of the pandemic on the theatre and dance department.
Lasit reports that, “Coming into this year was exciting but also nerve-wracking. The performance arts groups at Salve had no idea what to expect when getting ready for our seasons. Stagefright was absolutely thrilled to hear how we would be allowed to perform maskless; it truly feels like a step towards normalcy. Masks have really made our jobs as artists extremely difficult. Last year we had to find several new ways to adapt into the new life we were forced into so suddenly, but everyone’s adaptability and resilience throughout these years in COVID has been remarkable. I couldn’t be more proud of the hard work and dedication from our cast and crew to put this show up.”
Updates about performance regulations are still forthcoming, but there is no doubt that the performers will continue to prepare for the shows that they have worked so hard on over the semester.
No matter the verdict on masks, just within these last two years, such incredible progress has been made. Through creativity, determination, and love of the art, Salve’s faculty and student performers have found new ways to get back to the stage. These adaptations are not only ideal for the theatre and dance department, but also for the greater community. As an imperative part of human culture, performing is about forming connections, passing on stories, and bringing entertainment. Performances touch people.
Phil Marino, a virtual viewer of the chorus concert agrees: “As our nation still adjusts to the new reality of life in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing us to stream this musical concert has brought a much needed joy to us during these still trying times.”
Farrow added that, “I hope that when people leave after the production, they take away a feeling of happiness and joy. I want most for people to leave feeling a little lighter and fulfilled from seeing a performance of lively song and dance.”
Performances bring us together to share in happiness, compassion, and creativity. This unity is a critical demonstration of strength, saying that the show will go on.
Guys and Dolls opens at the Megley Blackbox Theatre tomorrow night, December 3, at 7PM. Tickets are sold out for this show, as well as the December 4 night show and the December 5 matinee, but tickets are still available for December 4 at 2PM here.
The Dance Club’s show, Ultra, opens in Rodgers Recreation Center on December 4 at 6PM with a minimum $1 donation, and continues December 5 at 2PM, asking $5 per ticket.
