Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts to Remain Closed Through September 23; Virtual Programming Announced

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills will not open its two indoor theaters - the Bram Goldsmith and the Lovelace Studio theaters - prior to September 1, 2021, but will be presenting a robust mix of virtual programs.

Read their statement here:

A Community Update from The Wallis

To Our Wallis Family:

We hope that, amidst the backdrop of our unusual landscape right now, you have been able to enjoy The Wallis' many recent digital offerings over the past few weeks, such as the livestreamed performances of Romantics Anonymous from the UK and Hershey Felder's George Gershwin Alone from Italy as well as the virtual showcases for GRoW @ The Wallis' Staged Stories and Beyond Words. For us at The Wallis, they have been our salve. With fall upon us, we thought it was important to update you regarding our current plans.

Last July 30, we shared with you our intended programming for the coming year, full of hope that we would be able to invite you back to our stages in some manner. But we have now determined that The Wallis will not open its two indoor theaters - the Bram Goldsmith and the Lovelace Studio Theaters - prior to September 1, 2021, due to the current state of the viral pandemic, local and county health and safety regulations and significant economic sensitivities. Naturally, this is heartbreaking for all of us, but we do not foresee a viable way to make indoor live performances work safely and economically at this time.

However, our decision does not mean that The Wallis will be inactive or unimaginative while our theaters remain closed! On the contrary, we will continue to provide a robust mix of compelling virtual programs, both artistic and educational, as well as opportunities for meaningful patron engagement.

Right now, we are dedicating significant time, energy and enthusiasm to the production of our virtual benefit set for December 3, The Wallis Delivers: DreamBuilders, complete with remarkable honorees, stellar artists, tireless chairs and incredibly talented hosts. Sponsorship letters will soon arrive in your mailboxes with details about this momentous occasion.

You can also visit TheWallis.org/TheWallisDelivers for further information. We look forward to celebrating with you and ensuring that The Wallis can re-open with strength and financial resources firmly in place.

What's more, The Wallis is bolstering its co-produced and presented artistic digital offerings, which have been received by our audiences with great enthusiasm. Among numerous highlights, we are presenting later this month a limited digital engagement of Wiesenthal, Tom Dugan's critically acclaimed one-man show that was a sold-out hit in our 2015/16 Season, and a four-part digital series featuring esteemed violinist Vijay Gupta, a MacArthur Fellow, pianist Suzana Bartal and cellist Peter Myers performing acclaimed composer Reena Esmail's Piano Trio. Additionally, we are reimagining The Sorting Room Sessions as new digital content with a series of made-for-streaming performances featuring a range of exceptional artists.

GRoW @ The Wallis continues to thrive with its new virtual classrooms and wide array of programs for people of all ages, remaining an especially important source of arts education and human connection during this time of isolation. The fall sessions of its popular Staged Stories and Beyond Words programs sold out with a long waiting list in less than a day. Staying connected with our School Partners is also a priority, so we have pivoted to offer customized programming and arts education support to a number of our local partner schools to help address the specific needs of each of them.

Planning is also in the works to design a creative space on our beautiful Promenade Terrace where we hope to receive the green light to offer safe public gatherings for a variety of live activities. And The Wallis has just partnered with the City of Beverly Hills and TZ Productions on an outdoor visual art installation slated for November that will surely become a destination for the entire community.

As unbelievably challenging as these past many months have been, everyone at The Wallis continues to look for opportunity and positive momentum to stay closely connected with all of you. The Wallis remains your cultural hub even as our doors remain closed ... for now.

- Your Friends at The Wallis

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