A panel of professional performers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic joined Congress member Charlie Crist Wednesday to announce support for the Save Our Stages Act.
The bill would provide relief to independent venues around the country that’ve been forced to close or limit operations during shutdowns.
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The White House listed ending the COVID-19 pandemic as a first-term accomplishment Tuesday, but for the millions still out of work, like those in the performance industry, there’s only one response to that assertion.
“It’s just kind of absurd,” Katie Talbert said.
Adapt and overcome
A St. Petersburg-based singer-songwriter and talent booker, Talbert lost a massive portion of her income once bars and restaurants shut down. She then converted part of her home into a studio to continue booking artists and started DTSP Live: Saved by Streaming. Since March, she’s streamed nearly 150 performances where out-of-work musicians can earn money from crowdsourced tips.
“Given the struggle that so many musicians are still facing, given that budgets are consistently being cut for performers on a daily basis, even today, it’s kind of ridiculous to say that we beat the pandemic because that’s just not the case,” she said.
Talbert is one of many performers who’ve worked to keep arts alive in an increasingly virtual world.
Matthew McGee, an actor representing freeFall Theater Company on the call, said up until March 13 he’d worked consistently in Florida theater and film since 2001. He, too, knew he’d have to be creative to survive the pandemic.
“I felt like the pandemic is a wave,” he said. “I could either can let it crash down on me or ride it the best I can.”
He’s also a drag performer and was able to link with a company doing virtual shows. For someone used to the energy of live performance though, it’s not the same.
“I miss the interaction of live performance,” McGee said. “There’s really nothing like it, being in the room with everyone else.”
freeFall, too, has been able to adapt. The company now offers drive-in performances, but performers and venues are still losing money as the pandemic continues with record number of cases still being reported and the uncertainty of future shutdowns looming.
An impossible choice
And even as things slowly open up performers report that they are being asked to perform in unsafe conditions. Often being asked to play inside of packed bars.
Kasondra Rose, a singer, said 90-percent of her income came from live performance before the pandemic. She’s now had to accept that performing live won’t be part of her life for a while.
“There are musicians who are being asked to gig in unsafe conditions,” she said. “They are out of unemployment, they are out of savings, they are almost out of their home. What are they gonna do?”
Rose said some venues are going through great pains to allow performers a safe space to play live, but there’s not enough work among them.
What brings us together
For some though, work is just not possible. Saoirse Ibarguen was among the thousands of Disney employees recently laid off despite repeated promises that work would return as soon as two weeks after the initial shutdown.
She said the losses aren’t just felt by performers themselves, but the people throughout the country and world who enjoy live performance. Even places like Disney World, where she performed, are no longer the same.
“It’s completely dead and I think that’s what our society and our community feels like. Because we don’t have that life force, that beating heart that is our arts and entertainment. It’s what brings us together.”
And it’s not just the performers themselves who feel the effects of shutdowns. The support staff at venues, like custodians, servers, and technicians, are all out of work.
The Save Our Stages Act would grants of up to $12 million for venues to use for payroll, rent, personal protective equipment and other costs. Congress member Crist said it’d also put protections in place to ensure the money went to independent venues in the most dire need of assistance.
Crist said he’s hopeful to gain traction for the legislation, even as relief talks continue to be pushed until after next week’s election.
“I’m an optimist,” he said. “I’m extremely hopeful that once we get past the election, we have an opportunity to get back to Washington and hopefully get something through and get something done that gives people relief because they need it. People are hurting. I heard it in your voices today.”
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