AUSTIN, Texas — COVID-19 has brought the curtain down on shows across the country and put those who work backstage, like set builders, and costume and prop makers out of work.

"A lot of us thought ’that’s never gonna happen. It’s so huge,’" said stagehand Rachel Magee.

Magee was ready to earn some serious cash during South By Southwest but the coronavirus pulled the plug on the big show.

"From there it became a domino effect, " Magee said. "To see everything grind to a halt is just nothing that any of us could have ever imagined."

Bill Blome is an audio/video technician and is used to working big shows at the Austin Convention Center.

His wife also works behind the scenes. For them, no shows mean no work.

"We sort of have this over-arching question in our heads, ‘What are we going to do because we don’t know when the work is gonna come back,’" Blome said.

Blome says it could be several months before he works again.

Rachel Magee comes from a theatrical family, so for her the show must go on, even in this new normal.

"Until we all feel that it is safe to gather in a crowd, we’re kind of stuck, " Magee said.