Stage Setters (C-19)

Subleasing spaces has grown increasingly difficult over the past few years, and the Rhode Island Youth Theatre has moved around for main stage venues. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has caused many venues to limit or even close facilities for rentals, and in some cases, rental fees have become too expensive. For the past three years, the Park Theater in Cranston has been our venue for big shows. This facility provides a professional setting and state of the art technology for RIYT’s apprenticeship training program at a price we can afford. The Park Theatre has, however, been struggling financially for years, and then COVID-19 hit.

For the next year or so, theatre will look different, and RIYT likely will not be producing any large shows. The theatre has formed partnerships with two town recreation programs for small late August programs and will work with schools next year when shows can once again be performed. But even once a COVID-19 vaccine is available and the entertainment/theatre industry revives - will they have a space?

To address this problem, the Rhode Island Youth Theatre must:

• Find potential spaces to host performances
• Assess the pros and cons of potential locations, such as hours of operations, costs, social distancing requirements; as well as remote performances
• Identify different business strategies and ways to generate revenue to maintain the theater’s operations (virtual theater, outdoor venues with seats 6-feet apart for social distancing, etc.)
• Determine strategies to let the community know about new locations or new virtual programs?