Tulsa Theatre Postponing Upcoming Season

TULSA, Okla. - Theatre Tulsa is postponing their upcoming season until July 2021 due to coronavirus concerns.

They will be finishing their current season that has four shows left, and then closing the doors for the winter.

The 98th Theatre Tulsa season was set to begin in August 2020, but ill now have to wait. The current 97th season will slowly premier their last shows throughout the summer and fall months of 2020.

Theatre Executive Director Jarrod Kopp said they are currently working on way to keep both the show casts and audiences safe. They don’t have any official plans yet but are looking into several options.

“Whether that’s taking temperatures of cast, hand sanitizers, hand washing instructions, or mandatory masks,” Kopp said.

He said they will also be washing costumes every night, sanitizing all props nightly, and limiting cast close contact as much as possible during rehearsals.

As far as the audience goes, Kopp said they may have to limit ticket sales to only half. The theatre holds a little over 400 people, but they may limit seating to about 200 as a precaution.

“I think the desire is there to come back,” Kopp said. “We just need to make sure we can show that we are taking steps to mitigate any sort of risk to them.”

On March 13, “A Little Night Music” made its debut. On March 14th, the City of Tulsa shut down many places due to the growing concern of covid-19. That shut down cancelled that show indefinitely. That performance will be one of the shows that will go on later in the summer to finish out the theatre’s 97th season.

“A Little Night Music” Director Jeremy Stevens said he is excited that the show will eventually go on, so he is urging his actors to keep their skills sharp.

“I text them saying things like go over your lines, act two scene three was a booger last time we did it. I try to keep it light and positive,” Stevens said.

One of the actors in the postponed March show said he was disheartened when the show was first cancelled but is looking forward to performing again.

“It’s a little heartbreaking, you spend two months almost every day, practicing the stances, memorizing, rehearsing,” Robert Young said. “I am excited to finish it the way it should’ve been.”

Along with “A Little Night Music”, there will be three other shows performed sometime over the summer and fall as allowed. Those shows are “Matilda”, “Our Town”, and “Frozen Jr.”.

If you would like to support the theatre while they are closed due to coronavirus, you can head to their website at theatretulsa.org to make a donation.