ABRAMS, Wis. (WFRV) – The coronavirus COVID-19 has claimed the rest of the season for Abrams Spotlight Productions community theater.
Canceled are “My Fair Lady” and “Elf the Musical.”
“My Fair Lady” was originally scheduled in March. The famed musical was re-scheduled for September. “Elf the Musical” was scheduled for December.
According to an email to patrons:
“It is with great sadness that we made this decision, but we know it’s the right decision in order to protect the health of our cast and crew, our volunteers and our audience,” said Bill Koehne, president of Abrams Spotlight Productions, Inc. “We look forward to reopening the theater to the community in 2021 to provide live performances once again.”
The message to patrons goes on to say, “Abrams Spotlight Productions has always been your theater – the people’s theater – and with your continued commitment, we will continue to celebrate our craft, our creativity and our achievement. The world is performing an unfamiliar production with an uncertain curtain call right now, and every performer knows that it takes patience, resilience and determination to keep going. When we return to the Abrams stage, it will be a celebratory moment and an uncompromising statement about the collective spirit of who we are as a theater community.”
The troupe performs in Nancy Byng Community Theatre, a converted church.
While attempting to keep the theater going, the troupe conducted virtual auditions for its attempted production of “Mark Twain’s The Diaries of Adam and Eve,” which also was canceled.
One of its successful productions was “Escanaba in Da Moonlight.”
The troupe will announce its 2021 plays at a future date.