Shaw Festival members get $8,000 boost from guild
the Shaw Festival remains hopeful for a 2020 season to start in August, it has received an $8,000 boost to its Artist and Artisan Support Fund from The Shaw Guild.
The guild is a volunteer group of more than 340 members which supports and promotes the festival, pitching in more than 13,000 volunteer hours every year. They are often seen greeting patrons on show nights, scanning tickets and leading backstage tours.
Guild president Laurie Harley said with COVID-19 cancelling the first four months of the season so far, “company members of The Shaw need the support of the community.”
The money raised will help cover artists’ costs during the pandemic as well as provide temporary employment for Shaw actors and muaration,” sicians as education and community outreach specialists. It will also help “fill in the gaps” government support cannot.
The Shaw Festival was supposed to start preview performances in early April before the province ordered all theatres closed because of COVID-19. Since then, the company has cancelled the season in chunks rather than pull the plug on the entire 2020 campaign.
All shows to the end of July have been cancelled so far, affecting the opening of major productions such as “Gypsy” and “Charley’s Aunt.”
Shaw Festival executive director Tim Jennings said the “unwavering support” from the guild is important during the current crisis.
“Their contribution will assist us in caring for our company members and allow us to continue connecting with our supporters and patrons during this time of sepas he said.
With the company’s three stages still dark, some company members will perform for the online cabaret “That’s Shawbiz” this Friday at 8 p.m. It can be viewed on the Shaw
Festival’s Youtube page.