Live Arts announces 'Forging Ahead Season'
On the eve of its virtual production of Lin Manuel Miranda’s IN THE HEIGHTS, Live Arts announced its 2020-21 Forging Ahead Season, which launches September 18. This re-imagined season presents nine months of weekly, live-streamed programming—most of it available to the community on a pay-what-you-can basis.
Making Theater Accessible
“Our aim is simple,” says Interim Artistic Director Jeremy Duncan Pape. “We want to lower the economic barriers to theater during a time of social, emotional and financial hardship in our community.”
The pay-what-you-can option is possible thanks to the generosity of season sponsors and an inventive new approach to subscription ticket sales.
“Instead of asking patrons to renew their subscriptions when the building is closed to the public, we’re inviting them to purchase digital Season Passes at roughly the same amount they invested last year,” says Executive Director Anne Hunter, who joined Live Arts in February, 2020.
“Modeled after public radio, this approach enables us to present an entire season of content to patrons while making most of that content available to the Charlottesville community,” she says.
Two Types of Season Passes
The Basic Season Pass is priced at $150 and includes nine months of weekly, locally grown programming.
“That’s five times more events than a typical season and a lot more variety—all of it available to the community without a paywall,” says Pape, the architect of the ambitious season.
The Bonus Season Pass is priced at $250. In addition to the nine months of programming, it includes tickets to live, digital performances of four full-length shows: MARAT/SADE, SWEAT, THE CHILDREN and THE ALIENS. The Bonus Pass also includes a complimentary ticket to Live Arts’ December fundraiser, A VERY SPECIAL SOCIALLY DISTANCED LIVE ARTS HOLIDAY SPECIAL.
Both SWEAT and THE CHILDREN were originally scheduled to be produced in spring 2020 but were postponed in the interest of public health.
The four full-length shows and the holiday special are available via a paywall. Individual tickets are $25 to $30 and will be available a month prior to each show.
Forging Ahead During a Pandemic
“Forging theater during a pandemic is an act of creative exploration,” explains Pape.
Given the uncertain landscape ahead, he split the season into fall, winter and spring lineups to allow maximum flexibility in programming. The fall lineup is in place. Winter and spring lineups will be expanded based on creative opportunities that emerge and patrons’ responses.
All three lineups include “featured performances” such as the Live Arts staple, LOCALLY SOURCED, and Shelby Marie Edwards’ one-woman show, LOST HOME, WIN HOME. The lineups are anchored by rotating Friday night programs:
First Fridays: Visits to local performance-based artists’ studios
Second Fridays: Radio plays with Foley sound effects artists
Third Fridays: Re-imagined coffeehouses with live performers
Fourth Fridays: Skill-building “Foundry Fridays” with makers and artisans
“Forging ahead during a pandemic is also an act of faith,” adds Hunter. “We choose an exuberant sunflower to define our season. Like this irrepressible flower, we are resisting the inclination to bow our heads in the face of strong headwinds. Instead, we are standing tall and following the sun as we invent new ways to forge theater and community in a time of physical isolation.”
Live But Digital Programming
Most fall and winter programming will be performed live but presented digitally for the safety of audiences, casts and crews. Spring programming is intended to be both digital and in-person with rigorous safety protocols in place.
“If we can’t open the Gibson theater safely, we are prepared to present all programming digitally,” Pape says.
Live Arts plans to perform its annual summer teen musical live and in-person in July 2021. Because it falls in next year’s season, it is not included in this 2020-21 season. The musical will be announced in early 2021.
For a complete listing of 2020-21 season events, visit livearts.org. To purchase Season Passes, call Box Office Manager Darryl Smith at 434-977-4177.
About Live Arts
Founded in 1990, Live Arts has been committed to “forging theater and community” in Charlottesville for 30 years. This vibrant community theater is powered by 1,200 volunteers and thousands of individual donors. It is supported by grants from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation among many other foundations and businesses that believe in the essential role of arts in community.
The 2020-21 season is generously underwritten by season benefactors Elizabeth and Joe LeVaca.