COVID-19 Update, April 10, 2020: Optimism: True or False?

Greetings from New York, the city that has more cases than any nation on the planet: tinyurl.com/yx4wzzto.

The number of deaths worldwide approaches 100,000: tinyurl.com/wdp4dym. The president wants to reopen the country in two weeks: tinyurl.com/rfxp3l3. Dr. Anthony Fauci speaks out against coronavirus conspiracy theories: tinyurl.com/srhjjvh. And the governor of Florida falsely claims that COVID-19 doesn't threaten children: tinyurl.com/vbt2kxy.

Mark Harris wonders what happens to a Broadway starved for tourists and investors: tinyurl.com/sqezc2q.

But Matt Wolf sees London's playhouses bouncing back, post-pandemic: tinyurl.com/v4bycu5.

You can still make nominations for the NAMM TEC Awards, thanks to an extended deadline of August 31: www.tecawards.org/call-for-entries.

Broadway theatres took part in the Light It Blue initiative in New York City on April 9. Those theatres with remote access to their marquees and digital billboards dimmed their lights and activated digital marquees with messages of encouragement for health-care workers, first responders, and essential employees: www.pix11.com/news/coronavirus/lightitblue-initiative-sends-public-thanks-to-those-on-the-front-lines.

Helping out/mobilizing:

The Roadie Rescue Campaign, created to provide relief to eligible freelance professionals, has raised close to $70,000 in donations to date, both through direct contributions to the GoFundMe campaign started in its name and to a special Show Makers Symposium [pending 501(c)(3)] fund set up in the name of the Roadie Rescue Campaign. The contribution milestone was achieved by major contributions from three donors. Kim and Tom Scholz, multi-instrumentalist founder of the American rock band, Boston, made a $50,000 campaign contribution to Roadie Rescue managed by Show Makers Symposium. Take1 Insurance made a $10,000 contribution directly to the GoFundMe campaign. The goal of the campaign is to raise $250,000 in donations to provide relief to eligible freelance professionals affected by the coronavirus pandemic due to event cancellations. The campaign is initially being sponsored by Alive Risk, Clair Global, the Event Safety Alliance, Griffin360, Merch Roadie, Show Makers Symposium and Take1 Insurance, with other companies expected to join the cause. www.roadierescue.com.

The Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation has created an emergency assistance fund to help members in need: tinyurl.com/uxhen37.

ViacomCBS has launched a $100 million fund to provide support to the crew members, actors, and filmmakers whose livelihoods have been impacted by the production shutdown: tinyurl.com/rga526s.

Training:

Sensaphonics, in-ear monitoring specialist firm is offering free email consultation with Dr. Michael Santucci, the company's founder and president, for music industry professionals. Dr. Santucci is a globally recognized expert and advocate in hearing wellness for musicians. Each day during April, Dr. Santucci will reply personally to hearing health questions from pro audio and music industry workers who are sidelined during the coronavirus pandemic. Questions can be submitted at: sensaphonicsaudiologist@gmail.com.

Shure has expanded its learning offerings. Check them out at tinyurl.com/rga526s.

Company reports:

TAF (Truss Aluminum Factor) writes that it "is well aware of the world-wide situation with the COVID pandemic and that is why, based on the company's long experience in manufacturing temporary structures for event industry, we would like to take part in the fight against it. We can offer our skills and production capacities in order to help to save lives. We are able to produce and deliver temporary units from trussing structures for whatever purpose is needed, from mall (10' x 10') units to large-scale temporary tents, roofs, or halls. We can accommodate the structures with proper covers to ensure their complete functionality in both indoor and outdoor installations." www.trussaluminium.com/

Cancellations/postponements:

Lincoln Center has cancelled its summer programs, including Mostly Mozart, Midsummer Night Swing, and Lincoln Center Out of Doors: tinyurl.com/v5mggnd.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic has cancelled the rest of its season; the fate of the Hollywood Bowl summer seasons remains up in the air: tinyurl.com/rrrfzcx.

Disney puts a stop to UFC's plan to stage an event on tribal land: tinyurl.com/r2a7h8n.

Universal Studios is keeping its theme parks closed through the end of May, at a minimum: tinyurl.com/v9re85w.

New entertainment options:

Irish Repertory Theatre is providing more online programming. Meet the Makers is a digital series of conversations with scholars and Irish Rep artists discussing their work and theatre in general. Follow the hashtags #IRTMeettheMakers and #IrishRepOnline for Meet the Makers updates and new videos. All videos will also live on Irish Rep's website: www.irishrep.org/meetthemakers.

Check out New York Philharmonic concerts on demand at nyphil.org/playson.

Playwrights Horizons today launches Soundstage, an original anthological series of scripted short fiction works commissioned from a wide range of playwrights. Episode 1, by Heather Christian, is out, Episode 2, by Robert O'Hara, is out next Thursday, April 16, and subsequent episodes will be released biweekly thereafter, with Jordan Harrison's on Thursday, April 30, and Qui Nguyen's on Thursday, May 14. Playwrights creating later episodes include Kirsten Childs, Milo Cramer, Jeremy O. Harris, Lucas Hnath, Carlos Murillo, Jenny Schwartz, and Kate Tarker. Episodes run 15 - 40 minutes in length and are available for free to listeners on all major podcasting platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher.

See the Vakhtangov State Academic Theatre of Russia's production of Anna Karenina at tinyurl.com/tq6dsbd. This portal provides other examples of Russian theatre productions.

WP Theater has announced that the third biennial Pipeline Festival will continue virtually, with #pipelineonline. Originally slated to begin performances on March 26, each of the festival plays will now be featured weekly by WP Lab Artists in weekly emails and on WP Theater's Instagram @wptheater, through April 24.

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