Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic arts organizations have scrambled to survive. Whether pivoting to streaming productions, performing outdoors and socially distanced, scrounging for Federal and State financial assistance and sheer determination, performing arts are starting to emerge some stronger, some diminished and sadly some gone foreever. As 2021 continues more organizations are returning to performing in their indoor venues. Yes, a few were able to do so in 2020, but 2021 promises a wealth of choices for audiences clamoring for live performing arts. With the announcement that Broadway will be back in September 2021 and more organizations preparing to resume seasons with subscription plans, the arts are proving resilent and about to emerge like Brood X cicadas, singing and dancing to the rooftops that they are here and they want you, their audiences to come back.
The question remains is that audience ready to return. Some elements of pandemic performing arts will no doubt remain. Organizations such as the National Theatre of Great Britain's NT Live filmed productions will probably become a regular feature of American companies, provided that those that are union can strike bargains with those unions. Casts and crews will continue to take precautions so that they stay healthy. Audiences may have a mixture of masked and unmasked patrons of the arts based on comfort level. The important thing is that these organizations get supported by their communities.
The Thespian decided to put her money where her megaphone is and attend a performance of Manassas Ballet Theatre's Giselle at the Hylton Performing Arts Center located on the Prince William campus of George Mason University. The audience was small and took a while to warm up only starting to applaud the dancers when Kaitlin Frankenfield made her entrance in the title role. Once they started responding the flood gates opened with a warm reception for this well produced production.
The lead dancers, including the aforementioned Ms. Frankenfield, Joshua Burnham as Count Albrecht, Ahmed Nabil as Hilarian, and Hannah Locke as Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis danced with grace and as much skill as you might find in any major regional ballet company. There may have only been 12 wills, and this was a village that included actual children dancing, reflecting both the ability to showcase some of the younger dancers from their school, but also the theatrical reality that this little village should have children present. Giselle's mother cannot be the only mother in town. The music was recorded and contained a few audible applause breaks. Recorded tempos did affect the timing of a few ending poses for the soloists. Yet, for a pleasant 2 1/2 hours on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, the Thespian cannot think of a better way to enjoy a classic ballet performed by a professional dance company in her own backyard.
Executive Director Mark Wolfe spoke before the second act. He said proudly that the steps Manassas Ballet Theatre took during the past 14 months meant that they never cancelled a production, pivoting to streaming, and no dancers were laid off. He promised that in the next season their live orchestra will return. It simply wasn't possible to have 30 musicians socially distanced in the pit.
The Thespian will return to Broadway and the Kennedy Center and a myriad of performances in 2021. Please, please, please when you decide to see theater or dance or concerts or whatever strikes your artistic fancy consider attending your local arts organizations' offerings. Whether community or professional, classical or classic rock, high school musical or national tour the arts are ready to welcome you back. Accept the invitation.
Manassas Ballet Theatre is the resident ballet company of the Hylton Performing Arts Center located on the Manassas Virginia campus of George Mason University. Giselle was performed live May 14-16, 2021.
Both cast A and cast B performances will be available for streaming on vimeo.com beginning May 29, 2021 for 30 days. Please visit www.manassasballet.org for information on purchasing streaming tickets and for their 2021-2022 season.
