LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — It was announced this week that Broadway's shutdown is extended through Labor Day. While Kentucky is far from NYC, we get a taste with touring shows that come to the Lexington Opera House. However, local shows have also been canceled or postponed because of COVID-19.
When the opera house shut its doors in March, staff members worked quickly to get in touch with ticket holders.
"Some events just had to go away, including two of our Broadway Live productions, which they were touring. Those tours had to end," said Luanne Franklin, the director of performing arts. "We lost a number of local art organizations' events, a number of concerts. Some of those have been rescheduled, but some of them had to be canceled."
Franklin says most of the employees have also been furloughed.
While the show can't go on right now, the Opera House is scheduling tentative future dates.
"We get calls every day from those who use our venue and want to know, can they hold dates for the future? Yes, you can, but pending the mandates that may be coming down the road," said Franklin.
While theaters won't reopen as soon as other businesses, Franklin faces no shame in being last.
"Those who've gone before us will have learned lessons, and we will learn from them," said Franklin. "We will take from that. We will apply that so that we can provide a truly safe atmosphere for both our patrons and our artists who perform there and our staff."
You can still get a small theater fix by looking up at the inspirational quotes and lyrics that come across the house's marquee.
