What's next in store for Whanganui theatre?

The Merry Wives of Windsor, the production for next year's Shakespeare in the Park, now has a cast, thanks to auditions held on Zoom. Photo / Getty Images

Comment:

What's next? We don't know. I guess it all depends on what alert level we find ourselves in and the restrictions therein.

On August 21 and 22, I was going to help Karen Craig with the auditions for her planned 2022 Shakespeare in the Park production, The Merry Wives of Windsor. Of course with the lockdown announcement on August 17, those face-to-face auditions didn't go ahead but resourceful Karen conducted her auditions on Zoom. "I now have a cast," she told me. When can rehearsals begin? Who knows?

Likewise, the cast and crew of The Phantom of the Opera have had to suspend rehearsals. The production is now postponed until April and I really sympathise with all involved because it's so disappointing.

Will Repertory Theatre's Direct Hit go ahead in October? I hope so! We've been planning a really exciting Christmas play for the children this year so I do hope we can go ahead with it because I was so looking forward to a fun production.

It's largely up to us isn't it? We've got to obey the rules, wear our masks, wash our hands and keep our distance. We've got on top of this insidious virus before and we will do it again.