HIGH POINT, N.C. — Live performances in theaters are slowly making a return despite Gov. Roy Cooper’s recent cutback on indoor gathering limits.
High Point Theatre will be the first live performance center in the state to reopen its doors this weekend. The High Point University Community Orchestra is set to perform November 15 and 16 at 7:30 p.m. The theater’s last live performance was March 12.
Theater Director David Briggs says, “To watch the orchestra members play, wearing masks, is certainly a unique experience.”
Briggs is looking forward to the reopening, although there will be major changes for audience members and performers. On Tuesday, Cooper announced new limits on indoor gatherings, knocking the limit from 25 people to 10 people. After meeting with High Point city attorneys, the theater is cleared to have an in-person audience of up to 25 people. Before, the theater was set to accommodate 100 patrons, instead of filling all of its 900 seats.
Each party must reserve tickets before the show. Seats will be sanitized before and after each show. People can scan their tickets on their phones to limit contact with ushers.
For performers, orchestra members wear special masks while playing to ensure their safety. They also sit 8 feet apart for safe social distancing. High Point University student and French horn player, Dakota Tameling, says all performers are overcoming the challenges.
He explains, “There’s been a lot of challenges that we’ve worked through, a lot of new techniques that we’ve learned. I think the entire performing arts community has sort of come together to figure those out.”
No matter what, the show must go on. High Point University will live stream Sunday night’s performance in full on its website. Monday night’s performance will be recorded as well.
Our team reached out to Durham Performing Arts Center, Blumenthal Performing Arts in Charlotte, and Raleigh Little Theater. All venues have held recent events virtually, without in-person audiences.
