Layoffs start at Shaw Festival in aftermath of pandemic
One of the last remaining professional theatre companies in Canada to avoid layoffs in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has buckled.
Shaw Festival in Niagara-onthe-Lake, which has continued paying its 400 members through the theatrical shutdown, has laid off 20 part-time and seasonal workers. Others who cannot work “at distance” for their jobs have had their wages cut by 25 per cent, said executive director Tim Jennings in a statement.
For now, employees who can still work from home, including the acting ensemble who are still rehearsing this year’s plays, will continue to receive 100 per cent of their pay.
But, as of Friday, the company has instituted a two-week notice to terminate their contracts for this season, which Jennings hopes to extend each week “as we explore every possible new program and idea to keep us all under the same umbrella.”
Unlike Shaw, Stratford Festival immediately laid off nearly 500 people in March. The company has cancelled all performances to the end of May.
Shaw Festival has extended its cancellations to June 30, wiping out three months of the season and about 180 shows.
Performers have been using the video conferencing platform Zoom to continue rehearsing with each other.
Only one show has been cancelled outright, a production of “Mahabharata” which was to be a collaboration with Toronto’s Why Not Theatre.
Should the pandemic be prolonged, Jennings said other shows could end up part of Shaw’s 2021 season.
In the meantime, the company is facing “more difficult measures” as the season continues to languish.
“These decisions have been incredibly difficult and we hope we are able to provide the softest possible landing for everyone in the Shaw family.”