The theater shutdown due to the Coronavirus isn't only affecting Broadway and off-Broadway, it's also having a major impact on smaller businesses that rely on the theater industry for their livelihood. On Stage host Frank DiLella spoke to the owner of one affected company, Broadway Workshops, to find out how he is coping with the shutdown.
"We've been around for 13 years and, and we've never felt anything like this," said Marc Tumminelli, owner and founder of the performing arts education company, Broadway Workshops. "We do summer intensive productions, one-day workshops, master-classes. We work with virtually every big Broadway star who comes in and teaches these kids. So we're a pretty busy company normally." But for the unforeseeable future, Broadway Workshop will be anything but busy.
"A huge part of our business is that we work with student groups that come to New York. They see a Broadway show and they have a workshop with a cast member of a show. We normally do between 3 and 400 of those a year, and they all happen in the months that we're looking at right now in March, April and May. And we have virtually lost all of that business," Tumminellisaid over a skype interview with On Stage host Frank DiLella on Monday.
Tumminelli's company also serves as an extracurricular program for kids where they take part in annual spring musical. When the mandatory Coronavirus shut down went into effect last week, Broadway Workshop was getting ready to present "Chicago." Now Tumminelli'sapartment is full of costumes and props as everything has been put on hold.
"They all arrived this week, sets have been rented, so I'm trying to work out all of those things so that we can continue to do this show. Everything's up in the air because nobody knows when kids are going back to school and when it's going to be safe to have them in a rehearsal studio," Tumminelli said.
With all of his programming cancelled, Broadway Workshop has lost upwards of 100 thousand dollars and that's a lot for a small arts organization. Tumminelli says this is only the beginning: "We began the conversation about laying off people today, and that for me is really the hardest part. We're a small company, we're me and two other full-time employees, so it's like a family. We have a lot of other teachers that work with us, but the three of us create all of this programming and we are a part of each other's lives, and that I can't pay them is really heartbreaking situation."
Tumminelli says he's staying positive and is being proactive. He applied earlier in the week for financial assistance through the city. "I filled it out this morning. It was very easy to fill out, which always makes me a little nervous, and from what I read about that grant that it will cover percentage of our staff fees," Tumminelli said.
As for his recommendation for helping out other small arts programs like Broadway Workshop?
Tumminelli said perhaps consider donating: "$10 to $5 will make a really big difference I think in this time."