When New Stage Theatre opens its 56th season with the hit Broadway musical “Little Shop of Horrors” on Oct. 5, numerous measures will be in place because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The hope is that accommodations based on one’s comfort level being part of an audience plus an upbeat show filled with loveable characters including the meek floral assistant Seymour Krelborn, who stumbles across a new breed of plant, will convince supporters to choose a night out at New Stage instead of spending it at home on the couch with another Netflix show.
“The hilarious and quirky story, upbeat doo-wop, rock and Motown music and loveable characters, deliver the kind of satirical fun and enjoyment audiences might be ready for,” said Francine Thomas, artistic director at New Stage, which is located at 1100 Carlisle St.
“‘The Little Shop of Horrors’ is one of those musicals that came out and has never gotten old.”
New Stage supporters were surveyed and based on those results, six of the 12 performances are for audiences that are fully vaccinated against coronavirus, said Dawn Buck, managing director at New Stage.
Performances on Oct. 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 are for a fully vaccinated audience. Proof of full vaccination with a physical or digital copy of a vaccination card and photo ID will be required for just those performances and each audience member must wear a face mask during the performance.
A physically distanced performance is scheduled on Oct. 13, and it, too, requires each audience member to wear a mask.
Audience members who are not vaccinated, prefer not to show their vaccination card or want to bring children who are too young to get vaccinated can opt for no vaccination requirement performances on Oct. 5, 7, 9, 13, 15 and 17. Audience members must wear face masks at those performances, too.
“For all of our performances, in accordance with the Jackson mask mandate, everybody has to wear a mask,” Thomas said.
In response to the coronavirus, no paper tickets are being issued. A ticket holder will receive an email with a ticket that they can either print or pull up on their cell phone so it can be scanned at the theater, Buck said.
“It’s not new, but new to our Jackson audience,” she said. “If by chance, they show up and can’t find it, we’ll have a list.”
Season tickets are being issued by Flexi Pass Coupons.
“You call into the box office, choose a performance and choose your seat,” Buck said. “It keeps us more fluid and flexible.”
New Stage communicated its efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus before cast members were selected.
Actors who auditioned for the show knew they would need to be vaccinated to be in the production, Thomas said.
“It’s a choice that people knew before they auditioned,” Thomas said. “We were upfront before the audition.”
The entire company – staff included – is vaccinated and the 26-30 core company members each take an at-home test for coronavirus each week, Thomas said.
Cast members will not wear face masks while performing but they have worn masks during rehearsals and follow strict set guidelines for when they are in the building, all meant to prevent spread of the virus.
“We had to develop all of these protocols to submit to Actors Equity, our union,” Thomas said.
Browyn Teague, production manager at New Stage, was trained as the COVID safety manager along with Thomas as the backup COVID safety manager.
New Stage employees have taken part in numerous Zoom and online calls with other theaters across the country about coronavirus safety protocols, Buck said. “We’ve gotten a lot of input,” she said.
Decisions regarding preventive measures are based on long discussions, mandates from Actors Equity Association, recommendations from the Mississippi Department of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the city of Jackson executive orders.
The ventilation system at New Stage has been checked and upgraded air filters have been installed and the theater lobby and the Hewes Room spaces will be equipped with hand sanitizer stations.
New Stage tested the water with some coronavirus safety measures during its in-person summer camp that included six performances of “Shrek, Jr.,” Buck said.
The intention is that the measures will make people feel comfortable enough to return and enjoy a live performance.
“We want to ease people’s minds and make coming back to the theater an enjoyable thing they want to do again,” Buck said. “We want to get people in the habit of coming back to New Stage.”
“Little Shop of Horrors” is scheduled through Oct. 17, with curtain times and dates for performances at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and at 2 p.m. on Sunday. The musical is recommended for ages 12 and older due to language and inuendo.
Ticket prices are $35 with discounts available for students, senior citizens, military members and seniors. Tickets can be purchased at the box office, located inside the Jane Reid Petty Theatre Center, charged by phone by calling the theater at 601-948-3533 or ordered online at newstagetheatre.com.
