Chicago's Community Theatres Make Plans For a Post-Pandemic World

According to The Chicago Tribune, two community theatres in the Chicago area are making plans for a post-pandemic world.

"Currently, the Albright is using the time away from the stage to focus on making improvements to our space," said Katy Steele, actor and Publicity Manager for Albright Community Theatre in Batavia. "For example, we're converting one of our back rooms (previously used for storage and extra rehearsal space) into a black box theatre that can be used for workshops and more stylized or intimate productions."

In addition Three Brothers Theatre in Waukegan is also making plans

"We will be announcing a series of radio/podcast plays in two weeks as well as a series of streaming one-person plays," said Josh Beadle, the theatre's executive director and founder. "Our hope is to reopen in February 2021 with 'The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged).'"

Albright Community Theater is also hoping for a return in early 2021, and they've started a GoFundMe campaign. Up first on the theater's scheduled for next year is "So Glad We Had This Time ... Apart," a collection of sketches from "The Carol Burnett Show."

Steele is sure that Albright will be able to bounce back.

"The Albright Community Theatre first opened its doors in 1974 with a membership of five people and an audience of eight," she said. "We've persisted through eight relocations, a devastating fire, and a name change to become a well-loved fixture of our Batavia community."

Read more on The Chicago Tribune.