Live stage performances return with Thalian Youth Theatre’s ‘Anne of Green Gables’
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Live performers return to the stage with Thalian Association’s Youth Theatre presentation of Anne of Green Gables.
Performances are planned for the Second Street Stage at the Hannah Block Historic USO Building with a limited live audience March 19 through March 28; the performances will also be streamed online March 26 through March 28.
Under Governor Roy Cooper’s most recent executive order, which eased more COVID-19 restrictions, the state now allows 30 percent indoor occupancy at venues like theaters.
“We were so excited to hear the governor’s announcement to allow us to come back,” said Susan Habas, Executive Director of Thalian Association Community Theatre. “So, we could technically have a few more than 50 in the audience but we feel very safe setting our audience at 50. Because we do have movable chairs, a family could call in and order three or four tickets and we could group their chairs together and then have the 6 feet of social distancing. So, it’s really very safe. We changed from our typical musicals to plays because they’re just easier to produce in the time of Covid and without all the singing.”
Baylee Allen, who is portraying Anne Shirley, said the performers will wear face shields during the shows.
“I would do anything to have theater back,” she said. “And it’s here!”
And Allen is delighted to play the lead role in the show.
“It’s so wonderful,” she said. “Whenever I heard that they were doing Anne of Green Gables, I thought I must try out. So, I studied and studied and I watched all these different things and I said I need to be in that. It’s such a woman empowering role and I tried my hardest in my audition and it happened and it’s just so wonderful.”
Tickets are available at thalian.org or by calling 910-251-1788.
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