This pandemic has taken away one of the pillars of theatre, bodies in spaces. Our industry relies on the magic created by a room of people. Point blank. It is why we aren’t in film or radio dramas (until now of course). As I was brainstorming for this, I was watching the screensaver float old pictures of me working on shows. Smiling faces, hugs, production photos of a cast singing. A time from before. We all know this feeling, I don’t need to tell you the facts or the figures of how much this sucks.
So this page is dedicated to artists I have found who are also struggling – a memoriam to the time lost and a vision board for the future. Feel free to listen to the playlist I curated as you scroll through – it was inspired by nighttime bus rides through an empty theatre district. Find it at the end of this page. I am constantly adding to this page and if you know some art that you would also like to share, hit me up in the contact section of the website!
Art for Arts Sake
“Quarantine”
By Patricia D. Gao
What if I just want to be
In the same room as you?
Keeping up conversations
Is not my strong suit, I am better at
Breathing when I hear you breathe
Typing at my laptop while you’re
Biting your pen and flipping pages
Or scrolling through your phone
Laughing occasionally
You’d ask to open my window
As it’s gotten too hot
I’d stretch out on the carpet
If I needed a break
Silence on a video call means
It’s time to hang up
But if you were here
We’d have the kind of silence
One would never want to leave.
My friendship with you
Is better side by side, not
face to face.
SDSU THEATRE 