The Wilbury Theatre Group Announces Online Programming and More

Josh Short, Founder and Artistic Director of The Wilbury Theatre Group has released the following statement about upcoming programming:

Ten days ago I reached out to let you know that we were suspending performances of our production of Miss You Like Hell and all other programming until further notice.

A lot has happened in the week and a half since we had to make that decision, and I'm reaching out again today to update you on the remainder of our season.

Here's what I'd like you know:

1) I loved Miss You Like Hell. I'm so proud of the moving production that our cast and creative team put together of this beautiful story that was so unlike anything on any other Rhode Island stage, and if there's any way to bring the production back in the next few months we will. All the artists involved were so invested and and I wish they'd had the opportunity to share their work with a wider audience. I sincerely hope you'll come see it if we're able to bring it back.

2) At this time, we have not cancelled the final show of our 2019/20 season, American Psycho. This production is not scheduled to begin rehearsals until April 22 and performances until May 21, and so, because my optimism is incurable, we're going to wait another 2-3 weeks before we decide whether to move forward with the production or explore ways of rescheduling it to later in the year.

3) Likewise, we have not cancelled the 2020 Providence Fringe Festival. Artist applications for the festival have been extended until April 15, and the festival is still scheduled for July 20-25 as planned.

4) We're holding off on our 2020/21 season announcement for a bit. With everything that's going on, we will be announcing our next season a few weeks later than expected, and will likely not be announcing until mid-April. That said, Early Bird subscriptions are still on sale and are a great way to show your faith in our triumphant return.

5) We've moved things online. The performances originally scheduled for our April 2020 Festival of New Works have been moved to our new streaming program along with our Monday night classes and some additional performances/events that we've come up with for you. I'm very proud of our company's nimbleness and willingness to pivot towards a streaming program on short notice like this, and I'm extremely grateful to you, our supporters, and our collaboration with GoLocalProv for making this exciting and innovative programming possible.

6) We aren't going away. This is an uncertain time for everyone, especially small arts organizations like ours. Rest assured though that we have taken necessary steps to minimize our expenses and we will outlast this uncertain time. Temporarily, our staff members on payroll (Christine, Max, and myself) have all voluntarily agreed to a furlough until this is over so that all of the artists from Miss You Like Hell will be paid for their work, and the company will outlast this crisis and re-open our doors to our audiences stronger than ever. We remain dedicated to finding new ways of delivering essential stories that provoke conversation and give voice to unique perspectives.

7) We need your support. In this difficult moment, we want to ensure that theatre continues to play an important role in all our lives. Imagine the art that is being and will be created that will help us better understand this moment in time. If you're able, please consider making a donation to ensure that there is support and space for the world to experience that art.

This is just the beginning. The Wilbury Theatre Group has always dreamt big, and the words from Our Mission have never resonated more strongly: We are idealistic, ambitious, and stubborn in our resolve to create theatre that entertains, enlightens, and inspires.

Art goes on, and so will we. We're all in this together, now more than ever.

I can't wait to see you at the theater again when all of this is over.

Sincerely,

Josh Short

P.S.

Our new streaming program officially kicked-off last night with a staged reading of Invoice for Emotional Labor by Christopher Johnson. If you missed it, you can watch archive videos on our website here.

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