Dragon Theatre Cancels Performances Due to COVID-19

Dragon has cancelled upcoming performances due to COVID-19.

The following statement has been released:

As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve rapidly, we're writing to you with another update. We announced a few days ago that we would be going on with performances with updated policies in place. On Saturday, March 14th the San Mateo County Health Officer issued a new order that mass gatherings of 50 or more people are prohibited, and gatherings of 10-49 people are prohibited unless they take a specific list of precautions. Given the size of our space, our own internal guidelines have been in line within the medical guidelines established for that smaller group meeting.

However, with the current County Health Officer order, and after discussion with our team of artists, we've decided to make the difficult call to suspend further performances of both The Baltimore Waltz and Confession starting on Sunday March 15th. This was a very challenging decision for all of us at the Dragon while we continue to try to balance the safety and the well being of our community against our mission as a community resource. For more information on COVID-19 in San Mateo County please visit the County Health Emergency Operations Center website at https://cmo.smcgov.org/eoc For information about "flattening the curve," which is what the health departments are now all trying to do with the restrictions on public gatherings, this is a great read: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/corona-simulator/

To the end of serving our community, we are already working with our playwrights and rights holders on other ways we may be able to share these shows with our Dragon family in digital form. We are also immediately turning our attention towards how we may be able to support our community through this time as a resource. There are still a million ways to build community through performance and storytelling, and process the world around us through that experience. And as long as Dragon is around, we will be right alongside this community to support their efforts to find understanding and unity through creative expression. Whether that is through 1 on 1 theatre experiences, using technology to distribute the work of artists beyond our walls, or whatever other brilliant solution a member of our community is devising for our current quandary and wondering what resources they could harness to make their idea a reality.

As things develop rapidly, we will be in touch, and appreciate you taking the time to read these updates. If you are curious, please check in on our website and social media channels about the status of all our programs. As much as we would like to be able to say x, y and z is suspended until this time, the truth is that the circumstances are developing too rapidly for any of us to decisively know what the new normal will be in two weeks or even two months. And in the meantime, we will keep you updated on a day to day and case by case basis. (And we promise, this doesn't mean daily wall-of-text emails to everyone. But you can expect to hear more from us if there are any changes to a program for which you have a registration or ticket. )

Finally, if you value the Dragon, do consider a donation to help us make sure we can weather this madness. On April 1, we will pay our rent of about $12,000 to have a theatre when this has blown over, and our staff will pay their rents and mortgages on their homes. We realize everyone is worried, or already getting ready for a financial struggle with what is happening right now, but any financial gifts you are able to make at this time will make a world of difference towards our odds of survival, and we promise, as always to put your support right back to supporting our local community of brilliant artists help us get through this difficult time. You can make a donation to Dragon via our Facebook fundraiser (they don't take any fees whatsoever so your online donation is maximized) at https://www.facebook.com/donate/616755669170471/

Thank you SO MUCH for all of your support and stay well!

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