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norfolk — In the early pandemic days, we often retreated to our screens searching for entertainment that would make us forget why we were inside in the first place.
As an unfortunate result, it’s been a year since we’ve attended in-person performances.
Experiencing Zoom fatigue? You’re not alone.
That’s why Old Dominion University’s theatre and opera programs are opting for an old-school approach to their first production in a year, “Working: A Musical.” It is based on a book of the same name by Studs Terkel.
The two groups are taking their performance outdoors for a drive-in theater experience at Brock Commons, located on Norfolk’s West 47th Street.
Katherine Hammond — an associate communication and theatre arts professor and the musical’s director — said she and other members of the creative team were brainstorming how to safely bring back live performances when the drive-in idea struck.
“The first question was how much it would really cost to get a radio transmitter,” she said.
Turns out, they’re pretty affordable, she said, and having the transmitter will allow them to broadcast the musical to viewers in the cars on 91.7 FM.
Screens placed around the outdoor theater will show the performance in real-time, too, with help from Norfolk’s Warehouse Theatre.
“We’ll have all the safety protocols in place, but if you want to watch the show with your windows up, you can hear it still,” she said.
Then the group had to decide what the production would be.
“We went with ‘Working’ because we wanted to do something that was kind of a celebration instead of highlighting how much pain we’re all in being apart,” Hammond said.
The musical tells the stories of essential workers, she said, and the character’s experiences resonated with the team.
Hammond said coming together for rehearsals, which took place mostly online and then moved safely indoors, was both wonderful and difficult for crew members.
“We’re actors and we want to come into the space and collaborate and be together, but we also knew that the only way we could do the show was by not doing that,” she said.
Masks and sanitation stations became the norm, of course, and once indoors, they had to keep a close eye on the clock. Once an hour, the crew and all actors would have to turn on HEPA filters and wait outside while fresh air could circulate.
“People used to take smoke breaks, but now it’s HEPA breaks,” she joked.
Thankfully, the outdoor performances will alleviate that need.
Ready for the live show? The performances, which run Thursday to Sunday night at 8 p.m., are free, but you’ll need to register online to ensure there’s space for your car. You can do so by visiting ODUartstix.com.
Limited outdoor seating will also be available on the sidewalk in front of the stage at Brock Commons, Hammond said, and those spaces also need to be reserved.
Weekend Scoop
Get more info about “Working: The Musical” online at ODUartstix.com.
Amy Poulter, 757.446.2705, amy.poulter@pilotonline.com
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If you go
What: “Working: A Musical”
When: Thursday through Sunday, 8 p.m.
Where: Old Dominion University’s Brock Commons, West 47th Street
Tickets: Free, but must be reserved ahead of time at ODUartstix.com