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[Editor's note: As with any stories about the COVID-19 pandemic, this story has been overtaken by events. Since we published it, all of the organizations and the Wisconsin Film Festival have announced cancellations.]
The spreading coronavirus is taking its toll on the Madison arts and culture scene. In wake of UW-Madison’s cancellation of face-to-face classes, events of more than 50 people, and severe restrictions affecting collegiate sports tournaments, the city’s arts and cultural organizations are in a state of turmoil. As part of Gov. Tony Evers’ March 12 declaration of a state of emergency, Wisconsin’s Department of Health secretary advised cancelling events of more than 250 people. Groups large and small have announced cancellations in the past 24 hours, while others have embraced a wait-and-see attitude. Meanwhile, venues have done everything from posting hygiene notices in theater restrooms to cancelling concerts and performances outright.
Thus far, organizers of the Wisconsin Film Festival, which is scheduled to begin April 2 and screens films in several campus venues, has not announced that it is cancelling. But event cancellation notices are flooding in from others, and calendar editor Bob Koch is continually updating the events calendar on isthmus.com.
The Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra has cancelled, postponed or changed the venue for all nine of its remaining concerts this season, several of which take place at Capitol Lakes and Oakwood Village University Woods senior living facilities. This included a March 13 performance with members of Madison Opera.
The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art has canceled its March 13 reception and artists talk for its exhibit Uncommon Accumulation: The Mark and Judy Bednar Collection of Chicago Imagism, as well as all other weekend events. The galleries and museum store will remain open, according to spokesperson Marni McEntee.
The Chazen Museum of Art on the UW campus is bound by university restrictions and has cancelled all public programs and group tours from March 14 through April 12, according to spokesperson Kirstin Pires. “The museum is still open, and we hope that it might provide a moment of respite for people during this time — as long as they don't come in groups,” she says.
Others have been forced to take more drastic steps. The Wisconsin Union Theater, located in the Memorial Union on the UW campus, is cancelling three concerts between March 13 and April 10, in response to the university’s mandate. Gone are scheduled Shannon Hall performances by George Hinchliffe’s Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain (March 27) and Grammy Award-winning classical violinist Gil Shaham with pianist Akira Eguchi (March 28). Jazz group The Christian Sands Trio, scheduled to play two concerts April 9 and 10 in the Play Circle, also has been cancelled.
“We are still evaluating the financial impact of these cancellations and determining next steps,” says Memorial Union spokesperson Shauna Breneman. “Ticket holders will be contacted when more information is available.”
The Japanese drum troupe Yamato will perform as scheduled March 12, she adds.
UW Cinematheque has cancelled its film screenings through April 12, and hopes to resume on April 17 with its programming.
Other organizations are proceeding with caution. Overture Center for the Arts has no plans to cancel any of its scheduled performances, according to a notice on its website posted on March 12.
Classical music ensembles are still planning concerts as well. “We are pretty fluid in our plans for the remainder of the season, and will follow the guidelines of state and local health officials on large events,” says Joe Loehnis, CEO of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, one of Overture’s resident companies, which has four remaining concerts this season. “In the meantime, we are advising all stakeholders — including musicians and audience members — to wash their hands and stay home if they feel sick.”
With two concerts left in its season, the Madison Symphony Orchestra finds itself in a similar position, says spokesperson Peter Rogers.
“It’s a little early to tell what effects this has had on our recent concert attendance,” Rogers says. “We are in conversation with Overture Center for the Arts and our colleagues at other resident companies to assess and appropriately respond to what is a very fluid and dynamic situation.”
Madison Opera, which has two scheduled performances of Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld on April 17 and 19, is taking a similar approach, according to a posting on the company’s website. “At this time we are planning to keep our regularly scheduled programming,” the notice says, but “we are prepared to make decisions in response to changing conditions.”
The state of Wisconsin recommends canceling all events that attract more than 250 people to avoid the spread of the virus. Madison Opera, Madison Symphony Orchestra and Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra attract well in excess of that amount, as do most other performances at Overture Center
Local theatrical troupes that call the Bartell Theatre home do not exceed the state’s recommended numbers for gatherings. Thus far, they are reporting minimal disruption in ticket sales thus far and have no plans to cancel remaining shows for the season, unless conditions radically change. “I haven’t noticed people cancelling their tickets, and Expecting Isabel actually had a pretty good turnout last weekend,” says Jan Levine Thal, artistic director of the Kathie Rasmussen Women’s Theatre. “On the other hand, sales after this run are pretty dismal, so who knows?”
“Our next production is in late April, so the coronavirus is definitely on our minds,” says Benjamin Barlow, spokesperson for Strollers Theatre. “Our audiences are generally older, and those over 50 are uniquely susceptible to severe complications from COVID-19. I expect this caution will be reflected in lower attendance.”
