Magic Theatre Postpones Taylor Mac's JOY AND PANDEMIC

As Magic Theatre (Sean San José, Artistic Director and Kevin Nelson, Managing Director) monitors the recent surge in COVID-19 cases and the continued rise of variant strains, the theatre and the playwright, Taylor Mac, have made the difficult decision to postpone the upcoming world premiere of JOY AND PANDEMIC until a later date. While health and safety are primary concerns for reopening, the thematic elements of the play would not be well served by the current surge.

Playwright Taylor Mac shares, "although it pains me to postpone the premiere of JOY AND PANDEMIC, timing is everything. Unfortunately, with the rise of infections, this is not the time to engage whole-heartedly with the themes in this work. Our hope is that time will come soon."

Magic's Artistic Director Sean San José states that "like everyone, we were too hyped to get back together--to gather together again, and too ready to re-open with a deep, smart piece by the genius Taylor Mac. It was also a beautiful bridge to be directed by Loretta Greco, connecting her amazing reign at Magic to this new era.

We are praying for extra vigilance, common sense, and hopeful health for all as this is, as Taylor Mac has reminded me, a time for 'radical empathy.'

This piece WILL be premiering at Magic, but with the uncertainty around variant strains, we cannot fully embrace the resonance in the work. We need proper reflection time for this piece to be rightfully presented.

In the meantime, we are finalizing programs, projects, and plans to share with you all - more of the new age to come here at Magic. We are blessed to be here in the Bay, where we can still share work in safe and inspired ways. Shortly, we will make a larger announcement of our upcoming season of works.

Feel free to write to me directly with any questions or ideas and stay safe, fam"