Feds give $23M to 22 Lancaster County venues hurt by the pandemic, including Sight & Sound, AMT and Fulton
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Sight & Sound, American Music Theatre, Fulton, 19 other entertainment venues hurt by pandemic get $23M in grants
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Brandon Martin describes the past 10 months for himself, his employer and his industry in a single word â bleak.
Martin, director of operations for American Music Theatre, has seen the formerly thriving business battered by crushing punches from COVID-19, the same as many similar venues have suffered.
With the theater temporarily closed to help fight the spread of the virus, nearly all of AMTâs 40 full-time employees have been laid off, except a handful in the box office who are working part time to answer inquiries from customers.
Not only is no revenue coming in, $1.2 million in ticket refunds have gone out so far. Meanwhile, the costs associated with its 1,600-seat facility on Lincoln Highway East â insurance, real estate taxes, maintenance â continue unabated.
Editor s note: If you had to pick one word to describe the world of theater in 2020, that word might be âpivot.â
With a few local exceptions, Lancaster County theaters closed in March and have not reopened since. Many have found ways to connect with audiences online, through virtual performances â live or recorded.
This year, at least the early months of it, may find theaters continuing to pivot, as they adjust to whatever restrictions â indoor closings, reduced audience capacity, masking and social distancing requirements and more â the government and infectious-disease specialists may suggest or impose.
So theater companies are building flexibility into the 2021 season schedules they re announcing.