Dallas theatre production shut down due to COVID-19 outbreak among cast and crew

Firehouse Theatre’s “Back to the 80’s!” revue

A Dallas theatre’s 80’s themed musical revue has been shut down due to a COVID-19 outbreak among its cast and crew. According to a source, 17 individuals connected to the Firehouse Theatre show have tested positive. There are at least 27 people working directly on the production.

What makes this situation more noteworthy is that the Firehouse Theatre was one of the theatres to drop their Actor’s Equity(AEA) status in order to skate around the required safety protocols the union requires in order to resume performances with union employees.

In an email sent to patrons on October 21, the company communicated that "Late yesterday, we were informed that some individuals involved with our production of Back to the '80s have tested positive for COVID-19. To ensure the safety of our artists, crew, and audience members, this weekend’s performances of the musical are canceled. All ticket holders will be contacted by our box office for a full refund.”

Those who tested positive include the cast, band, crew, and Firehouse staff, with more results pending.

According to local news, a source connected with the show says that “regular testing was never suggested by the directing team or anyone from Firehouse, and that social distancing or masks/PPE were not required during the rehearsal process or performances.”

These measures are the main requirements under AEA’s protocols. If the theatre had agreed to and carried out these measures, this outbreak might have been prevented as evidenced by theatres who have adhered to the protocols and have reported no positive tests.

The source added,

"The original idea was to keep the show blocked with social distancing in mind, and then let the cast come together for the finale (the prom) and have them wear masks and gloves," says the source. "The problem then was that over time, there was more and more blocking that was taught without social distancing in mind, with the knowledge and intention that the cast would not be wearing a mask or gloves for those scenes.”

A musician for the show also commented on social media,

"They went through the rehearsal process without problems. Same for the times the band was there, masks all around and everything felt good. When we moved to the outdoor venue that's when everything changed. The large dressing room space, going down to the stage, on and off stage: no masks. Except the band. We were masked the entire time from when we got to the venue to when we left. But whatever rules were in place for the cast stopped at that point. That is where the trouble was, no masks once they got to performance time.”

Nor director Nick Hill or Firehouse Artistic Director Derek Whitener have commented on the situation.

This follows the news earlier that a community theatre production in Nebraska resulted in over 20 positive tests. Also in Texas, the Granbury Theatre Company had to shut down its production of Legally Blonde when there was a COVID-19 outbreak among its cast and crew.

Given what we know about the spread of COVID-19, it astonishes me that theatres think they can stage productions with no safety protocols and not think that an outbreak is possible. Even though it was before we know what protective measures would help, the reported positive tests of 75% of the Broadway cast of Moulin Rouge! should be evidence enough of how fast this virus can spread in a theatre situation.

I find it tragically ironic that a theatre that didn’t want to adhere to the union’s safety protocols, so much so that they left the union, now find themselves in a terrible situation which could have been prevented if they followed those same safety protocols. There are a lot of questions the leadership at the Firehouse will be facing about this failure and I hope an investigation will occur. If that means that Hill or Whitener never work there again, so be it.

I fully understand the desire to return to normalcy. I fully understand the desire to return to the stage. I fully understand that paychecks are needed. But there isn’t a theatre production, nor meager paycheck to go with it, that is worth putting yourself and your families at risk right now.