Leisure venues throughout Sonoma County have been scrambling late Monday to postpone and reschedule occasions within the subsequent 4 weeks, responding to the newest native restrictions on giant gatherings deemed too dangerous by county well being authorities amid an unprecedented spike in instances linked to the omicron variant.
It was a sequel to the in a single day reshuffling that hit playhouses, live performance venues and symphony halls amid the primary shutdown orders almost two years in the past in the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
Beginning at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, indoor gatherings of greater than 50 individuals and outside gatherings of greater than 100 are banned for 30 days, in response to dramatically rising COVID-19 case charges within the county. Meaning live shows, theater performances and extra are on maintain, for now. (Exemptions have been granted for some faculty, office and non secular gatherings, in addition to museums, malls and eating places.)
For the humanities and leisure world, it was a pointy reversal after months of gradual restoration, with dwell exhibits gaining steam and extra scheduled live shows and performances than a yr in the past.
Many venues have been nonetheless working by means of backlogs of previous occasions.
Now, they’ll be shelving or pushing off plans till not less than mid-February, leaving an already susceptible, however necessary slice of the native financial system as soon as once more in a pandemic limbo.
On the 1,600-seat Luther Burbank Heart for the Arts, the brand new restrictions will have an effect on 10 upcoming large-scale occasions, mentioned Rick Nowlin, its president and CEO.
“Though the long-term influence of COVID has been devastating on dwell efficiency, the well being of our group is paramount, and all of us at LBC will proceed to play an element in serving to to maintain individuals protected,” Nowlin mentioned in a press release.
“We are going to instantly start working to postpone and reschedule, or cancel when there isn’t any different different, 10 large-scale occasions scheduled between now and Feb. 11,” he added.
Individuals who have tickets for upcoming occasions, estimated to be 5,400 patrons, ought to anticipate emails and cellphone calls from Luther Burbank Heart and will verify the middle’s web site for updates.
Anita Wiglesworth, vp for applications and advertising at Luther Burbank Heart, famous the venue already has been coping with a pileup of rescheduled occasions as a result of pandemic. The newest order shall be one other hit.
“This may have an effect on occasions that have been rescheduled beforehand because of COVID and at the moment are offered out,” she mentioned.
Even earlier than Monday’s announcement from the county, the Santa Rosa Symphony was pressured to pivot in the course of a sequence of live shows over the weekend and into Monday evening because of a optimistic COVID-19 take a look at and an publicity affecting performers.
Saturday evening’s present, that includes the symphony with pianist Olga Kern and the debut of a brand new work from composer Gabriella Smith, went on as deliberate on the Inexperienced Music Heart.
However live shows on Sunday and Monday have been considerably downsized; Monday’s to only three musicians, after a brass participant revealed an publicity to somebody who had examined optimistic for COVID-19 and a string participant reported testing optimistic for COVID-19.
“As a consequence of excessive warning and concern for our musicians, we now have launched all orchestra members from performing tonight,” symphony President and CEO Alan Silow mentioned in a letter, despatched earlier than the county’s announcement in regards to the new restrictions, to ticket holders for Monday’s live performance.
The symphony’s subsequent live performance, scheduled for Feb. 12-14, shall be after the top of the 30 days of the brand new restrictions. It can characteristic an all-American program and the Black pianist Florence Value performing Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.”
The Misplaced Church, an intimate venue in downtown Santa Rosa with an eclectic lineup from singers to magicians, has been dogged by pandemic restrictions because it opened in the course of the well being disaster.
A lot of the artists set to carry out this month have both canceled or postponed their exhibits as a result of rise of COVID-19 instances, mentioned Josh Windmiller, improvement director for The Misplaced Church, Monday afternoon.
To this point, the Jan. 15 look of musicians Kendra McKinley and Tay and the Janglahdahs, in addition to a Jan. 23 efficiency by singers Emma Noren and Nat Lefkoff, have been canceled.
Misplaced Church Operations Director Michele Kappel mentioned she’ll be working to postpone, slightly than cancel, January and early February occasions.
“Many people are asking ourselves, ‘Is it the best factor to do to nonetheless collect?’” Kappel mentioned. “We’re rolling with the punches. We’ve been by means of it as soon as; we’ll do it once more. We wish our audiences to remain protected and our artists to really feel comfy performing.”
Right here is an preliminary checklist of canceled leisure occasions, as of Monday night. Verify on-line at pressdemocrat.com for added cancellations and additions to this checklist by means of the week.
Cinnabar Theater: The final three performances of “Cyrano” are scheduled for this Friday to Sunday. Govt Director Diane Dragone mentioned the 111-seat theater is contemplating continuing with the performances, however capping ticket gross sales at 50.
Epicenter: A consultant from the sports activities and leisure middle didn’t reply to an inquiry Monday.
Graton Resort and On line casino: The sold-out Jan. 15 efficiency by comic and actor Cedric the Entertainer has been rescheduled to March 19.
The Misplaced Church: The venue is working to postpone January and February occasions; some exhibits have been canceled.
Luther Burbank Heart: Suspending, rescheduling or, if needed, canceling 10 large-scale occasions between now and Feb. 11
Mystic: A consultant from the live performance venue didn’t reply to an inquiry Monday.
Phoenix: A consultant from the live performance venue didn’t reply to an inquiry Monday.
sixth Road Playhouse: A consultant for the small theater didn’t reply to inquiries Monday.
Even earlier than the county issued the brand new restrictions on Monday afternoon, employees at a number of venues introduced closures, many in response to the fast unfold of the omicron variant. These included:
Petaluma Historic Library & Museum: closed from Jan. 10 – 31
Sebastiani Theatre: John McCutcheon efficiency postponed from Jan. 10 to June 6 and Bedouine and Shannon Lay postponed from Jan. 14
Sonoma County Philharmonic: Winter live shows for Feb. 5 and 6 postponed, to be rescheduled at a later date
