"This is Drama Masks, a Bay Area performing arts column from a born San Franciscan and longtime theatre artist in an N95 mask. I talk venue safety and dramatic substance, or the lack thereof. As I write this, I have SomaFM's "Jolly Ol' Soul" channel playing in the background. The local indie radio network starts broadcasting its Christmas channels soon after Halloween, because why wait 'til Black Friday when the entire economy is already geared up for the big day beyond it?"
"Even without that cynicism, I'm willing to admit that even I can find some solace in the season. More importantly, I recognize the need for it after this shitty year. This time last year, we were all still suffering from the PTSD of the election and trying to prep ourselves for all the worst possible scenarios. Do-nothing Democrats had failed to act or put in safeguards that would derail the rise of fascism, but at least there were some institutions in place that they were happy to stand beside."
The Bay Area performing arts scene is experiencing significant strain, with more than half of companies closing and many productions cancelled. Venue safety concerns and masked artists reflect ongoing pandemic and security anxieties. Political instability, oligarchic power, and visible armed presence have intensified public fear and eroded institutional protections. A series of scandals and destructive events over the past year have compounded cultural and economic pressures. Early and pervasive holiday broadcasting offers modest comfort for some audiences. Financial losses, cancellations, and weakened institutions threaten the long-term viability of local theater.
Read at 48 hills
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]