Valley theater’s fall production suffered an early death after multiple members of the cast contracted Covid-19.
By: Kaia Mann, Editor-in-chief
Valley theater’s production of “Night of the Living Dead” flatlined after several cast members contracted Covid.
The play, initially scheduled for nine performances over a two-week run at the department’s new home, the Emerson Theater in the Theater68 Arts Complex, ended six shows short. The 50-seat theater potentially left 300 tickets to rest.
“Ultimately there was enough illness within the cast that we felt that it was the safest and most responsible thing to call the show, “ said the director Mathew Mccray. “We were still able to get in about half of our performances and we were still able to strike the show (remove the show from the theater) as a company and we will do a final debrief day.”
The play, an adaptation of the 1968 movie of the same name, came in at just over an hour, featuring blood, guts and action-packed zombie scenes. There are currently no plans for the play to be rescheduled.
Shortly after the cancellation, the department released a statement on their instagram sharing they were “saddened” by the news but proud of all the hard work from the cast and crew. They concluded the statement saying, “It was a pleasure to have these students, and the faculty and staff have been honored to have them.”
COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County have been steadily rising, with the current seven-day
average at 55 new cases per day, bringing the total for 2024 to 86,783. In the theater industry, COVID-19 safety remains an ongoing and growing concern worldwide, with an increasing number of productions being canceled due to illness.
“Macbeth” starring David Tennant at the Harold Pinter Theatre met a similar fate to Valley’s Night of the Living Dead, with its performances canceled just two hours before the call for “places” leaving eager audiences disappointed.
“Unfortunately it’s not the most uncommon thing,” said Mccray. “The field of theater and live events are still wrestling with how we do this safely and reasonably, and unfortunately sometimes fate intervenes and throws us a curveball.”
Covid safety in theater was top priority in the beginning of the pandemic, but as years passed most precautions have been pushed to the sideline, with many theaters no longer requiring vaccines or masking. For equity theaters, a rigorous schedule of testing is still mandated according to the Actors’ Equity Association guidelines, yet community colleges and theaters, such as the Emerson, are not required to follow these precautions.
The department is positive about the future of Valley theater, excited to utilize everything they learned this year in the spring production. While awaiting the new theatrical spaces promised in the Valley Academic and Cultural Center, all classes and performances will still be held at Emerson Theater.
“It was the right call for the safety of everyone involved,” said Alana Malcolm, who played Judy. “Of course it breaks my heart. Everyone worked so hard on the show, and we were all so excited to share it with people, but I feel so proud to have been a part of this process with all the wonderful cast and crew mates.”
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