Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ETSU Department of Theatre and Dance will be hosting online events instead of in-person throughout the fall semester to maintain maximum safety.
“We’re full of mixed feelings for this year,” said Department Chair Karen Brewster. “We’re so excited about the new building, but yet concerned for the safety of students and faculty and staff.”
Due to these concerns, the department made the decision to have all events planned for the fall semester to be online and remote. Multiple readings of plays will most likely be recorded over Zoom and then posted through a third party website that is approved by the publishing company of the work.
“We just got permission a few days ago from Dramatists to do the first two readings,” Brewster said. “We have to familiarize ourselves with what they’re going to require from us in order to make this possible.”
The last production of the semester will have less limitations however, as it will be an original from the university.
While rehearsals, auditions and meetings will all be held virtually for the department, there will not be a reduction in production value or effort. Staff and faculty have been doing research into how these performances will still be of great quality and success.
“We’ve been watching a lot of professional companies that have been doing the same thing we are going to do,” Brewster said. “The conclusion we’ve come to is its not the same. Of course live is better, but there are some interesting discoveries to be made in the process of doing it this way.”
This new way of sharing their work will not only be more accessible for students, but will also help strengthen the actors’ skill set.
“We will try to make it the most of this and make it a learning experience for ourselves,” Brewster said.
Brewster noted the efforts faculty and staff of the department have put into revising this new way of performance for students involved, as well as audience members. While this change will bring new challenges, it is a necessary endeavor to be able to provide the experience students need.
“It is a little bit akin, but still unique, to film and television acting and interaction,” Brewser expressed. “There’s a subtly there that can be communicated in that way that you don’t get on stage.”
