SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. â One year ago tomorrow, March 12, 2020, New York State shut down all theaters. Eight days later all non-essential businesses were also closed.
All edicts were issued on a temporary month-to-month basis, that kept getting extended. Though many businesses have opened, albeit with restrictions, theaters and other entertainment venues have remained closed.
There were a few outdoor productions last summer and fall. Barrington Stage Company and Berkshire Theatre Group made Pittsfield, Mass the center of the theater universe by producing shows outside under a tent. They were the only Actorsâ Equity approved productions taking place in the country.
A year without gathering; what does it mean?
Tony Pallone
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Casey Polomaine of Albany Barn during Fusion, an annual fundraising event
that was held virtually for the first time in January 2021. (Courtesy: Albany Barn)ProvidedShow MoreShow Less
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produced by Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York. (Provided)ProvidedShow MoreShow Less
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theatrical performance. From left, actors Diaka Kaba Hill and Siobhan Shea. Photo by
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challenge of maintaining emotional connections during the COVID era. (Provided)ProvidedShow MoreShow Less
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musician Zack Cohen. Photo by Emily Curro.Emily CurroShow MoreShow Less
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Theatre s Models of Perfection created by Katie Pedro, co-directed by Niya Colbert and
Troy Foundry Theatre slates virtual gala details
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Morgan Heyward of Illuminate Theatre will create a performance piece for Troy Foundry Theatre s Thank You for Not Coming digital gala on Feb. 27, 2021. (Provided photo.)Provided photoShow MoreShow Less
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Iniabasi Nelson, left, and Angelique Powellin in Troy Foundry Theatre s world premiere of Models of Perfection. (Photo by Richard Lovrich for Troy Foundry Theatre.)Richard Lovrich for Troy Foundry TheatreShow MoreShow Less
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4of8From left, NiyaColbert, Meg Rumsey-Lasersohn and Andrew Carroll in Troy Foundry Theatre s world-premiere production Yellow. (TFT publicity photo by SarahPezdek.)Sarah Pezdek/Troy Foundry TheatreShow MoreShow Less
Public health, the theater among HVCC lecure series topics
Jan. 23, 2021
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Dorcey Applyrs, Chief City Auditor of Albany. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)Lori Van Buren/Albany Times UnionShow MoreShow Less
2of3Troy school superintendent John Carmello speaks to the Times Union Tuesday morning Dec. 3, 2013 regarding the school technology bond vote in Troy, N.Y. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)SKIP DICKSTEINShow MoreShow Less
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TROY Voices: A Library Lecture Series, presented each semester by Hudson Valley Community College, will this round include 50-minute talks streamed live online. All are welcome to attend. See www.hvcc.edu/voices.
The Politics of Public Health
This is the time of year usually allotted to Top Ten lists. Who in 2020 had ten live entertainment experiences?
If you put a positive spin on things, it was a great year. About half the shows I saw were top ten worthy. But it is less impressive if you consider that instead of the nearly 100 plays I see a year, this year the total was only 19.
Thatâs because theaters shut down on March 12, making for a 10-week season. Whatâs remarkable is more than half the titles on the Top Ten List were shows I attended after the shutdown. A time in which no one expected theater to happen.