Macon theaters, music venues carefully scheduling new events during COVID-19 pandemic

By Michael W. Pannell For The Telegraph

August 28, 2020 7:00 AM

No secret: going out for public entertainment isn’t the carefree affair it was, but with caution and innovation many local venues are stepping toward a new normal, whether reopening or creating ways to engage their audiences.

Without dipping into the what-should-people-do-not-do debate, here’s what folks at several entertainment spots are thinking and doing these days:

First, today’s the big day a number of first-run movie theaters reopen for regularly scheduled showings. If all goes as planned, AmStar on Zebulon Road and Warner Robins’ Houston Lakes Cinemas plan on opening and Centerville’s Galleria Mall Cinemas look to reopen Sept. 3 according to websites for parent companies AmStar Cinemas and Georgia Theater Company.

On the bill are shows like “Bill & Ted Face the Music,” “Troll’s World Tour,” and Russell Crowe’s new “Unhinged.”

Is there significance in the titles? I don’t know, but some seem fitting.

It almost goes without saying COVID-19 health precautions and requirements are in place for the movie houses and to varying degrees all other venues as they apply. CDC guidelines are in play including social distancing, the general use of facemasks and heavy doses of handwashing and facility cleaning, especially for high use areas.

The Grand Opera House plans events

The Grand Opera House took a lead and reopened in early August with a public showing of “The Muppet Movie” and several Macon Film Festival films in mid-August.

Joe Patti of The Grand said today they’re showing “The Need for Speed” today, a film largely shot in Macon years ago. The Grand schedule is showing more and more events as August ends and September begins but still, the impact of the pandemic is strong. He said the live Sept. 10 show “The Black Jacket Symphony: The Beatles’ ‘White Album’” was just canceled by the touring company this week.

Even so, innovation steps in and Patti and The Grand team are organizing “Broadway Does Southern Rock: A Cabaret” for Sept. 12 outside their theater on it’s westside fire escape with guests seated in appropriately spaced groups in the adjacent parking lot.

Patti said for their indoor shows computerized ticketing automatically places purchasers in specific, socially distanced seats.

“But we want to make some things available for people not comfortable gathering inside,” he said. “The Sept. 12 show won’t be a drive-in performance but use the open outdoor space and have a rain date we hope we won’t need.”

The Grand has set a screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” again this year for Oct. 30.

Patti said with normal seating capacity around 1,000, COVID-era seating is reduced to around 200. That’s 200 more or less depending on how people are grouped. He said the number shifts depending on how people are seated. For instance, a family buying tickets collectively can sit together versus a bunch of individuals buying separate tickets requiring buffer zones.

With larger seating capacity, venues like The Grand and movie theaters can reduce capacity and remain potentially profitable. While all operators said they placed the safety of the public, staff and performers as the priority, some venues acknowledge their smaller auditoriums make profitability less likely and that’s a factor.

Theaters using virtual performances to connect

Richard Frazier of Theatre Macon and J.P. Haynie of Macon Little Theatre said their smaller theater’s seating with reduced COVID-19 capacity makes it hard to pay licensing fees for plays and still cover operating costs, like the added demands of constant cleaning.

Each has said they don’t foresee in-house performances until 2021 but each has already used virtual ways to engage audiences and each are planning more.

Haynie said MLT is looking at virtual and potential outdoor events and creative outdoor holiday shows while Frazier said his theater company has an online presentation of a complete performance in the works.

“We’re planning a lot of alternate programming but tickets go on sale Sept. 2 for our Sept. 17-20 online production of ‘Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,’” he said. “We’re using a four-camera setup to make it a conglomeration of stage and film rather than shooting the stage flat with just one camera.”

Gina Ward of the Douglass Theatre acknowledged its seating capacity ranges between The Grand and the community theaters and said the Douglass has begun booking live entertainment as well as starting online presentations such as “A Night at the Douglass” presentations that are available on their website.

Music venues largely awaiting the return of live music

It’s worth mentioning music venues as well, at least in part. There’s really not much live entertainment to speak of. One of downtown’s mainstay venues, The Hummingbird Stage & Taproom’s, indicates on its website there’s no live music but the taproom and its events continue under COVID rules. The same indication is true for JBA, however DJs are there from time to time. Hubble Beasley of the Hargray Capitol Theatre has said the music showcase is temporarily closed, likley until 2021. The Hargray Capitol is taking part in special and online events such as concerts originating from Mercer University’s Capricorn Sound Studios.

The Society Garden, which enjoys the benefit of being an outdoor music and gathering spot, has been scheduling live performances for more than a month.

And of particular note, the Macon Film Festival continues through Aug. 30 with online presentations, live fulldome screenings at the Museum of Arts and Sciences and wrap-up festival award presentations online.

Tickets for online presentations are still available and can be bought a la carte: film-by-film or film block-by-film block.

There’s obviously more places doing other things so keep tabs on their websites, Facebook pages and here for ongoing information.

Contact writer Michael W. Pannell at mwpannell@gmail.com.