Coronavirus wreaking havoc with arts and entertainment schedules, events

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, March 18, 2020

A number of entertainment venues and groups had canceled meetings and events prior to Gov. Jay Inslee’s executive order to limit the size of large gatherings to just 50 people.

Inslee’s declaration on March 15, which also temporarily shut down restaurants, bars and entertainment and recreational facilities, spurred other groups to announce they would cancel or postpone a number of activities for the foreseeable future.

Olympic Theatre Arts

Olympic Theatre Arts’ annual Shakespeare Renaissance Faire, slated for three performances (March 27-29), has been postponed, along with a number of events and performances.

“While there hasn’t been any outbreaks in Clallam County (so far), the safest course of action is to close venues with large number of patrons, including restaurants, bars, theaters, churches — the list goes on,” OTA representatives said. “This has been a difficult decision to have been enforced, but will hopefully stem the spread of the fast-moving virus.”

Here’s a list of OTA’s modified events:

• “The Tangled Webs of William Shakespeare, Shakespearean Renaissance Faire,” scheduled for March 27-29: Postponed. News on future dates will be forthcoming as soon as possible.

• First Friday, April 3: Canceled. Comedian Melissa Klein will be rescheduled for a later First Friday date.

• OTA Children’s Theatre, class session for Jellybeans (ages 4-8): Postponed. There are two classes remaining, including the Showcase presentation.

• OTA Children’s Theatre, class session for Young Thespians (ages 8-18): Postponed, to be restarted to coincide with the Renaissance Faire’s future dates. Instructors will send emails weekly with further information.

• OTA Children’s Theatre Spring Workshop, scheduled for March 30-April 3, the workshop for Young Thespians (ages 8-18) has been canceled.

• “A Facility for Living,” On the main stage, scheduled for May 1: Pending; updates forthcoming as they become available.

For more information, contact OTA staff at 360-683-7326 or office@olympictheatrearts.org.

Seven Cedars Casino

Following suit of a number of Washington state and region tribes, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe announced on March 16 they would close Seven Cedars Casino, home to a number of regular and guest music and entertainment acts, through Tuesday, March 31.

“As a sovereign nation, healthcare provider and one of the largest employers on the Olympic Peninsula, we are working diligently to develop responsible plans to keep our people and our community health and safe,” tribe officials said in a statement on March 16.

“We will continue to evaluate the situation and consider additional recommended measures throughout this rapidly changing crisis,” tribe officials said. “This is a difficult time for all of us and we are working hard to ensure everyone’s health and safety. In the meanwhile, please be kind and understanding to each other and help one another. We will get through this together.”

See www.7cedars.com or www.facebook.com/7cedars for more information.

Traveler’s Journal

Evenings of stories and anecdotes of adventure across the nation and globe, the annual Traveler’s Journal series has been canceled before its first presentation.

The eight-part series was scheduled to kick off March 12 with “Paddling the Entire 1,243 miles of Columbia River for Kids” (presenter: John Kuntz), but organizers canceled the event with concerns about spreading the COVID-19 coronavirus growing in the community.

“Many of these presentations will be re-scheduled for 2021,” Brian Anderson of the Peninsula Trails Coalition said today, March 13.

The annual series traditionally takes place over eight consecutive Thursdays in the late winter/early spring, hosted at the Guy Cole Event Center at Carrie Blake Community Park. Money raised is used to buy project supplies and food for the volunteers working on the Olympic Discovery Trail.

For more about the series, call Arvo Johnson at 360-301-9359.

Sequim City Band

The Sequim City Band’s rehearsals on Wednesday evenings has been suspended until further notice.

For more information, see www.sequimcityband.org, email to scb@sequimcityband.org or call 360-207-4722.

PA Symphony

The Port Angeles Symphony’s events, including the Ballet Workshop’s 50th Anniversary Ballet Gala on Friday, March 20, and the Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra concert on Saturday, March 28, are to be rescheduled, symphony representatives said on March 13.

“For the health and well-being of our community members, and in response to today’s proclamations by the state governor, the Port Angeles Symphony will be postponing its upcoming events until further notice,” conductor/director Jonathan Pasternack said last week. “Please stay tuned for plans going forward, including new dates for our performances.”

For more information, contact the Port Angeles Symphony at 360-457-5579 and pasymphony@olypen.com, or see portangelessymphony.org.

Rock, Gem & Jewelry Show

The Clallam County Gem & Mineral Association has decided to cancel the club’s annual Rock, Gem & Jewelry Show set for Saturday and Sunday, March 21-22, in Port Angeles.

“Protecting our community is important and to help in the containment of the virus we have made the decision to cancel (the show),” club representatives said last week.

Fourth Friday Readings

The monthly Fourth Friday Readings event set for March 27 has been cancelled. The event was scheduled to feature author Lisa Preston, followed by 5-minute open mic readings. A representative from The Lodge, which hosts Fourth Friday Readings along with a number of other local groups, said the facility is not having community groups meet there with the current community health issue in flux.

Fourth Friday Readings organizers said they are rescheduling the event.

Email to Heidi@olypen.com for more information.

Woodturners club

The Strait Turners Woodturning Club has canceled the group’s Tuesday, March 31 meeting.

“We are going to skip our end of March meeting to be cautious and avoid placing anyone at risk in the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation,” group members said last week.

“We simply do not know what the local situation will be in terms of hard evidence of COVID-19 presence by the end of March but it is unlikely to remain constant with today’s conditions. We will continue to assess the situation for April and urge you each to take personal care as the situation develops.”

For more about the group, see www.straitturners.org.

Blue Whole Gallery

The Blue Whole gallery closed Monday, March 16, and will be closed through Saturday, April 4.

“At that time we will inform further action,” gallery representative Ryoko Toyama said.

See bluewholegallery.com.

JFFA

The Juan de Fuca Fundation for the Arts (JFFA) has postponed a performance of Collision of Rhythm set for Sunday, March 29; the new date is Sunday, Oct. 4. The location remains the same: Port Angeles Performing Arts Center, 304 E. Park Ave.

JFFA has also canceled the April 11 LED Dance performance of “Jabberwock”; no make-up date has been annpunced as of early this week.

Tickets are still available for both Blues is a Woman (Friday, May 8) and the 27th Annual Juan de Fuca Festival (May 22-25) at jffa.org; get tickets at Dungeness Kids Co., 163 W. Washington St., Sequim, and Port Book and News, 104 E. First St. Port Angeles. JFFA’s 2020-2021 Season Concert Series subscriptions will be available mid-May.

“Postponing or canceling any performance is an extremely difficult decision to make, but we know it is the socially responsible thing to do in order to best serve our community, JFFA executive director Kayla Oakes said.

“As this situation evolves we will communicate clearly and directly about our plans to continue to offer world class music, theater and dance performances in the safest possible environment. It is impossible to postpone or cancel performances without creating serious and lasting hardships for our organization and the wonderful artists that we present. We humbly ask for your patience and support during this incredibly challenging time.”

See jffa.org for updates.

Music at Wind Rose

Wind Rose Cellars has canceled all live music for the month of March, owner David Volmut announced.

“If all goes well, we intend to reinstate our live music program on Friday, April 3,” he said.

See windrosecellars.com.

Cats Meow music

The Cats Meow Swing Band is suspending its regular Tuesday evening (6:30-8 p.m.) dances at the Port Angeles Senior Center until the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic runs its course or tapers off to an acceptable level of risk, group member Joey Lazzaro said this week.

“We look forward to seeing all our regular dancers back again after this virus runs its course,” he said

Spring concert

The Peninsula Singers Spring Concerts, “The Magic of Musicals: Broadway Favorites,” scheduled for April 17-19, has been postponed, organizers announced.

“As we come together to keep you as safe as possible, we are going to re-schedule our Spring Concert for a later date,” Karla Messerschmidt Morgan said. “We can’t wait to lift our voices in song for you.”

See peninsulasingers.org for more about the group.