Curtains down: Valley Youth Theater cancels shows through the holidays due to COVID-19
PHOENIX - There’s an old saying in show business - that the show must go on, but that was before the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
With COVID-19 cases still high across Arizona, the Valley Youth Theater in Downtown Phoenix is closing the curtain through the holidays.
The theater already had to cancel its Halloween schedule. They had hoped to bounce back with the production of Winnie the Pooh during the holidays, but the pandemic had other plans.
The theater's panel of physicians think it is still too dangerous to pack unmasked, unvaccinated children on the same stage.
"We felt that we need to do everything we could in order to keep children safe and not add in the spread of COVID-19," said Valley Youth Theater Producing Artistic Director Bobb Cooper.
Cooper, who has been with the theater for 25 years, says COVID-19 has cancelled 11 productions in 18 months. They will continue to hold virtual productions, lessons, and occasional outdoor events, but before the show goes on here, it will be safety first.
"Valley Youth Theater is a magical place, and we are still making magic, given the circumstances we are in, but we will be back, better than ever," said Cooper.
The theater is hoping to put on a production of Sleeping Beauty in February 2022.
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