THEATRE

The coronavirus pandemic has put many cultural activities in jeopardy, including the art of theater. It has taken extraordinary and out-of-the-box thinking to keep the arts alive when people are reluctant to go out.

The director of Anything Goes likens her cast to athletes as the Covid-defying production opens.

DETROIT – You can attend the inaugural season of the Obsidian Theatre Festival from the comfort of your own home. When the COVID pandemic led to live performances across the world being shut down, it wasn’t just the actors who were sidelined. John Sloan, III, is the Producing Artistic Director of the Obsidian Theatre Festival. He said when live theater shut down it made him rethink theater. The Obsidian Theatre Festival is available for anyone to watch the original productions.

More often than not, the arts are the first thing cut, but one program in Detroit has solved that budget problem. The Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit on Antietam Avenue has educated an estimated 10,000 young people since it was founded. National philanthropic organization The Lewis Prize for Music awarded three grants in 2021 to support the arts for young people. Competing against hundreds of programs across the country, the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit earned a $500,000 grant spread over the next three years. More information on the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit can be found on its official website here.

DETROIT – When one thinks of the opera, images of a parking garage are unlikely to come to mind, but some unexpected creativity during the pandemic allowed people to experience the opera from their vehicle. This proves it: When you can’t pack people into a theater, you find another way to perform. Michigan Opera Theatre opened its season in late December this way. Each act performed on a different level of the opera house garage. Watch nextREAD: Michigan Opera Theatre names Yuval Sharon new artistic director

DETROIT – The coronavirus pandemic has led to unexpected creativity. Did you ever think you’d see an opera staged in a parking garage? The Michigan Opera Theatre opened its season as a drive-thru experience. It was a first for Detroit and proof that creative minds can’t be stopped -- not even for a pandemic. READ: Michigan Opera Theatre welcomes new artistic director Yuval SharonWatch the video above for the full report

AMC Theatres, the countrys largest movie theater chain, says while it will implement other sanitation and safety measures, masks will not be required when theaters reopen. Adam Aron, chief executive of AMC Entertainment Holdings, said the company did not want to be drawn into a political controversy." We thought it might be counterproductive if we forced mask wearing on those people who believe strongly that it is not necessary, said Aron. AMC is implementing its AMC Safe and Clean health and sanitation program that will include:Capping theater attendance at 30%Cleaning theaters after every movieLimiting the concession stand menuImproving the theater ventilation systemsAMC has 600 theater locations in the U.S. Meanwhile, medical experts and doctors are calling for people to wear a mask in public whenever its not possible to practice social distancing -- staying 6 feet apart.