Cancellations mount for Charlotte arts groups due to order over mass gatherings

Editor’s note: This story was published on March 12. Since then, many arts groups have canceled shows and organizations have postponed large events. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper issued an executive order on March 14 prohibiting any public gathering of 100 or more people. Information in this story was accurate as of March 12.

Many of Charlotte’s performing arts groups have said they’re moving ahead with their shows, despite, Gov. Roy Cooper urging people not to gather in groups of 100 or more to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Arts leaders say they’re keeping close watch of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, which by Friday afternoon had 17 confirmed cases in North Carolina, a number that is expected to grow.

Officials have said two people in Mecklenburg County and one in Cabarrus County had tested presumptive positive for COVID-19.

In New York City, all Broadway shows have shut down until April 12, spelling death for some shows that will never be able to re-open due to finances.

This weekend, Charlotte Ballet opens its run of “Sleeping Beauty” at the Knight Theater and the Charlotte Symphony performs the soundtrack to “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” at Belk Theater.

Both are Blumenthal Performing Arts Center venues, which have added hand sanitizing stations to public areas, increased the use of anti-virus cleaning products and canceled post-show stage door visits and autographs, said spokeswoman Rebecca Bereiter.

Beretier said Thursday that the Blumenthal has received “minimal calls” from patrons wanting to cancel. Some shows offered to school groups have been postponed or canceled due to travel restrictions put in place by school district officials, she said.

Several Blumenthal performances or events scheduled for later in the spring have been postponed or canceled, including comedian Trey Kennedy’s scheduled Friday night performance at McGlohon Theater and writer Ronan Farrow’s March 28 appearance.

‘Hour by hour’

At Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, audiences will still be able to see the final weekend of “Grimmz Fairy Tales” and auditions for upcoming productions are still on, said managing director Linda Reynolds.

But Reynolds said theater leadership is taking it “hour by hour” in deciding what steps to take in response to the pandemic.

“We’re sitting on that knife blade of being responsible and making good decisions, and trying to move forward,” she said.

Canceling productions and programming for a non-profit theater company like the Children’s Theater “would be absolutely massive,” she said, because of the investments and ticket revenue that would be lost.

On Friday, Central Piedmont Community College canceled its Sensoria festival scheduled for March 27-April 5. The annual event celebrated culture, arts and design, leadership, science and technology.

Also Friday, Theatre Charlotte announced it is delaying the opening of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” until April 16. It was slated to open March 20.

Theatre Charlotte Executive Director Ron Law said the delay also pushes back the following show in the lineup, “Dreamgirls,” which will now open May 29.

On Thursday, the Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte announced that it is postponing the opening of “One Man, Two Guvnors,” which was slated to run from March 26 to May 2.

Actor’s Theatre leaders say they now plan to open the show April 30 and run it for four weeks.

This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 5:45 PM.