Chesapeake Shakespeare Shows Canceled

Chesapeake Shakespeare has cancelled performances due to COVID-19.

The following statement has been released:

We have all watched this current public health crisis unfold with great concern for our loved ones, our neighbors, our staff and artists, and the patrons and students we serve. On Thursday, March 12, 2020, both Maryland Governor Larry Hogan and Baltimore City Mayor Jack Young called for a ban on gatherings of 250 people or more.

Thankfully, our theater configuration has allowed us to already take steps to reduce seating capacity to below 200 in order to promote social distancing. However, we recognize the importance of doing our part to help "flatten the curve," and after this weekend, we will be suspending remaining performances of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). Further ticket sales have been suspended for this weekend's performance and we will be switching to an open seating plan to encourage further social distancing through Sunday's performance.

For any patron who has tickets to a performance March 13-15, we want you to feel safe and comfortable, and encourage you to make the decision to attend based on what you feel is best for your health and well-being. Our staff is still taking extra measures to clean and sanitize all surfaces, and we have plenty of sanitary supplies on hand. If you choose to use your tickets this weekend, you do not need to take any extra steps at this time. However, if you do not feel comfortable attending your ticketed performance, please take care of yourself and review the options outlined below.

For any patron who has tickets to a performance March 19-29, we are very sorry we won't see you in the coming weeks and we ask for your patience as we first coordinate with audiences who have tickets for this weekend. You will receive an email with next steps, and we have several options available to you which will also be outlined below.

While we are sorry to have to shutter such a fun-and funny-show at a time we could all probably use a bit of levity (and we do hope to find some way to remount it later this season), we are confident this is the best decision for the well-being of our patrons, and our staff and artists. We would like to ask for your help, in turn, to ensure the well-being of CSC during this uncertain time.

Given current school closings, we have also had to suspend all student matinee performances in March of Romeo and Juliet, but are optimistic we can keep the Studio up and running, as class sizes are limited. We hope you will consider all the options outlined below and stick with us through this unprecedented time. We do not take these decisions lightly, especially given the immense social and economic impact of arts and cultural institutions having to go dark.

We know you have a lot on your mind at this time, so rest assured, if you're unable to contact us right away, we will reach out once the dust has settled. We thank you for your continued support of CSC, its staff, and its artists during this time, and we very much look forward to seeing you soon!

Be safe and be well,

Lesley & Ian

OPTIONS FOR TICKET HOLDERS*

We are currently extending several options to our patrons with tickets for Complete Works, including:

• Donate your tickets back to CSC to help provide much needed fiscal support for our artists who rely on your patronage now, more than ever.
• Exchange your tickets to an upcoming performance of Hamlet or Much Ado About Nothing.
• Exchange your tickets for an account credit towards single tickets or a subscription for our soon-to-be-announced 2020-2021 Season.

Our Box Office Staff is responding to phone calls and emails as quickly as possible to assist patrons with moving tickets and to ensure all your questions and concerns are addressed. Should you require a ticket refund instead, our Box Office is prepared to assist you.

CONTACTING THE BOX OFFICE

As you can imagine, we are experiencing extremely high call volume at this time. We will be extending Box Office Hours through Monday in order to assist patrons with tickets for Complete Works. Phones will be open:

Friday, March 13 until 5 pm
Saturday, March 14 from 12 pm - 5 pm
Sunday, March 15 from 10 am - 12 pm
Monday, March 16 from 12 pm - 5 pm

Phone lines are regularly open from 12 pm - 4 pm, Tuesday through Friday.
Our phone number is 410-244-8570.

If you do not need further clarification on your ticketing options or would like to schedule a callback, it is easiest on our staff for you to email boxoffice@chesapeakeshakespeare.com with your preferences and a good time for one of our staff to contact you in the coming days.

* Please note this policy only affects our current show, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). We will continue to keep abreast of developments to assess and address any changes for our upcoming productions of Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing at PFI Park this summer, so we are making the most timely and effective decisions for all.

To post a comment, you must register and login.