We officially have not done a show since March 16th. And this is certainly the longest I've ever gone without stepping on a stage since starting magic.
Now I will admit we are finally starting to see a few friends around the US get back to doing very small shows that are nothing like we've done before (I'll get to that in a minute) but South Carolina still hasn't opened theaters and it's looking like it won't happen anytime in the near future. Myrtle Beach where we live is just a hot mess right now. It's a hotspot for the virus because it opened very quickly and everyone from all over have come here because there are no rules or hasn't been about masks, social distancing, quarantining, etc.
Edit: As I'm writing this, Myrtle Beach just passed to require face masks in public effective as of Thursday night. It's about dang time!! 😷
As a "non-essential" worker we have had a LOT of time on our hands. And we took this time to really reflect and ground ourselves as who we are and what we want to be as people and performers. Honestly we've had too much time but that's okay too. We personally needed to slow down. Needed a reset. We spend so much of our time constantly working between creating, rehearsing, marketing, and just stressing about what's next for us.
I truly hope if you had time off that you slowed down. That you really did take in the time that we don't normally have. Set down your phones and soaked in some quality time with the loved ones you were quarantined with and were productive in ways other than work. For us we started taking outdoor dates, exploring hiking trails, spending real quality with the animals more than usual. We went on adventures. We've worked a lot on our house. Things that normally are on the back burner we took the time to do.
As of right now we don't know what's next. This has been the most confusing, uncertain time we have experienced. And the entertainment industry is at a loss.
Broadway is closed until 2021, Cirque du Soleil filed for bankruptcy, Feld Entertainment laid off 90% of their employees. Entertainment is not okay. We've already seen theaters and venues shut down and performers moving locations. This will take seemingly forever to feel normal again. To crowd bunches of strangers sitting side by side in a room together.
Virtual shows are the new normal. And so many have had to make the transition to something they never planned just to survive. Virtual shows personally haven't been an option for us. We honestly didn't realize how long this would last so most of our props and all of my makeup and hair stuff have been locked up in the theater since the shut down. And back in November when we had our van broken into they stole all our equipment that we would need to put on a show. Also it's just not something we feel like we would be good at. We perform for live audiences and we didn't want to put something out there that wasn't the best it could be. But with that being said, it has worked out for a lot of our magician friends and we have loved getting to watch people perform that we normally don't get the chance to!
But when magic shows do come back, what does that look like? We have to social distance, no audience volunteers on stage, and still no meet and greet. We had started the social distancing of audiences in the theater and no meet and greet already back in March when all of this started but no volunteers will be a new thing for us.
As most of you know we were suppose to be putting in a brand new show on April 1st. This was hands down the most excited we have been about new routines, costumes, music and it didn't get to happen. And now it won't for a while.
We have a no physical interaction volunteer show mapped out. But it's a combo of years past because so much of our new magic needed people up onstage and we are so sad about that. All of that work for the past year, because we do start planning out new shows a year in advance, has gone down the drain. The new show and marketing campaigns literally went out the window.
In a tourist town like ours, our peak season is summer. Memorial weekend to Labor Day weekend. July is here. Summer is already almost halfway over. But don't you worry, the beaches are plenty packed. Like I said Myrtle Beach is a hotspot, people are not letting a global pandemic rob them of a vacation. But they can't see any shows while they are here.
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| Latest cancellation extension from the theater |
But for everyone what a safe reopening looks like is very different. The big problem with theaters reopening right now isn't the actual show, it's very easy to distance people in a super sanitized auditorium and keep them safe. It's the whole lobby aspect, everyone shows up at the same time, goes to intermission, restrooms, gift shop, concession at the same time and all file outside through the same doors at the same time. It's like herding cats. And at the end of the day, you can suggest and try to persuade people as much as you want to follow the rules but it still doesn't always happen.
The hardest part of all of this has truly been not performing, not having an outlet. During stressful or hard times we can usually just perform extra hard and leave it all out there and the stage and honestly sometimes give the audience an even better show than usual.
It's been a big adjustment in our household not having that. And truly finding ourselves outside of being entertainers. That's always been such a huge part of our being. Our normal everyday is preparing for the next show, talking constantly about it, we never stop thinking about it. And honestly our relationship had started to suffer for that. We were putting the magic first, so having it forced out of the forefront was a blessing in disguise.
Overall to everyone reaching out asking if we are okay, we truly do appreciate it. We have been very blessed during this despite it all. We have so many magic peers who haven't been as fortunate as us because we aren't just self-employed anymore while working at the theater. We have never been more thankful for our path and where we are right now.
We do miss performing. The butterflies we get before we appear at the top of the show. The sound of applause. The adrenaline of nailing a super physical illusion. The hugs and words of praise we receive after the show. Our fans who come and see our show time and time again and somehow never get sick of us. We do miss you.
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| Art by Jeff Rogers |
But one day we will be together again. One day when it's safe.
So in the meantime please wear your mask, make smart decisions, and if you know an entertainer, reach out and give them a virtual hug. They really do need it.
