Local theaters hopeful amid news of vaccine, COVID relief

Local theaters hopeful amid news of vaccine, COVID relief

Theatre Three in Port Jefferson hasn’t been open since March, but news of a vaccine is keeping them hopeful and more relieved than before. Photo by Julianne Mosher

By Leah Chiappino 

Despite being among the first to shut down, and likely the last to open, local theaters have managed to sustain themselves throughout the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to community support.

Theatre Three, Port Jefferson

Theatre Three in Port Jefferson hasn’t been open since March, but news of a vaccine is keeping them hopeful and more relieved than before. Photo by Julianne Mosher

On March 15 last year, Theatre Three in Port Jefferson had to close production of its musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and “Hansel and Gretel” in the children’s theater.

At the time, the Port Jeff performing arts center was two weeks away from its touring season, a week away from technical rehearsals for the musical “Steel Magnolias,” and in the middle of the dramatic academy for winter/spring, all of which were shut down indefinitely, and have not yet reopened. 

Since its closing, the theater has taken in little revenue, yet still manages to give back to the community through their virtual Off-Stage/On-Line series, which features short plays submitted by playwrights, performed over Zoom and posted to the theater’s website and social media every Sunday night.

Submissions receive a $25 stipend, and actors donate their time performing. Theatre Three also launched the “StoryTime at the Playhouse” series, which streams performances for children live into classrooms, directed by the theater’s artistic director, Jeffrey Sanzel. 

Theatre Three also maintained its 35-year-old tradition of performing “A Christmas Carol” starring Sanzel as Scrooge, though this year it was filmed in advance and posted online.

The theater has relied on private grants, savings and donations, as well as a PPP loan, to remain afloat. 

Vivian Koutrakos, managing director, said that the fact the theater was having a strong year before the pandemic helped its financial situation. 

In celebrating its 50th anniversary, Theatre Three showcased productions such as “Jekyll and Hyde” and “Driving Miss Daisy,” both popular and lucrative shows.

In addition, they prepaid the royalties for upcoming shows such as “Grease” and because the building is not being used, other expenses have dropped.

“We’re not using our electric — we got that down to a really decent amount and we have a very small mortgage on the building,” Koutrakos said. “There’s not much else other than water and obviously, our insurances, but most of our insurances will come back to us because there is no workers’ comp. There is no liability. There’s nobody in the building, really. So, we’re OK.”  

Koutrakos added the community has been generous in donations. 

“We have an amazing executive board of directors,” she said. “They will never let this theater close, under any circumstance.”

The theater is waiting for the go-ahead from New York State so it can reopen. 

“I don’t know how much longer we would have lasted without a vaccine. It really is a beacon of light and hope,” Koutrakos said. “It’ll probably be almost a year-and-a-half [from being closed] once we open.’’ 

Upon reopening, the theater will honor previously held tickets, recast actors if they are available and plans to continue to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

John W. Engeman Theater, Northport 

File photo

According to one of the co-owners of the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport, Richard Dolce, it is in a similar boat to Theatre Three.

On the day that Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) issued an executive order mandating theater  shutdowns, the cast of their upcoming show, “Sister Act,” was set to arrive to rehearse.

The Engeman was able to benefit from a PPP loan in April and has relied on reserve funds, allowing it to keep its full-time staff of 16, who Dolce said are mainly answering customer calls and doing mechanical maintenance. 

The theater offers classes in professional theater, acting and musical theater. It resumed some individual lessons in person in the fall, but as COVID cases began to rise in the area, it has since shifted to a virtual format. 

Even with the virtual course offerings, Dolce said the theater is making “well under 10%” of its normal revenue. He added that while he did not think the theater can sustain its current operations without additional relief for “much longer,” he expects that it will qualify for funding from the Save Our Stages Act, a provision in the recent COVID-19 relief bill passed by Congress that provides $15 billion in funding for entertainment venues. 

“We’ve been talking to Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-NY3) and other representatives to get something done for the live independent venues and they were able to come through,” Dolce said. “Hopefully that will enable us to weather this for a little bit longer, because we were the first ones to close and we will be the last ones to open.”

While the governor’s office did not respond to email requests for comment, Cuomo indicated during his State of the State address Jan. 12 that “we cannot wait until summer to turn the lights back on the arts and provide a living wage for artists.” He also announced New York Arts Revival, a public-private partnership series of pop-up performances across the state, hosted at state parks, other state properties and “flexible venues,” set to begin Feb. 4.