At a press conference on Friday, April 9, 2021, the Firehouse Stage shared information about a crowdfunding campaign to raise a tent for summer performances.
The pandemic has taken many aspects of normal life from us. The arts and entertainment sector has felt the impact significantly, with in-person shows transitioning to online-only performances. While theaters across New York are currently permitted to open at 33 percent capacity, a crowd of only 100, with proper social distancing, are allowed. Outdoors, however, an audience of 200 is permitted.
For Naima Kradjian, CEO of the Schorr Family Firehouse Stage and the Goodwill Theatre, which is currently undergoing a renovation, this sparked an idea. “For a lot of us, shutting down theaters has meant shutting down fun,” said Kradjian. “We’ve all had to make do with virtual programming and Zoom events, and it just isn’t the same as being part of a live crowd. We want things to be live and in-person again. But many people don’t feel safe being in crowded indoor places yet. We have the solution: outdoor performances.”
The theatre announced, during the conference, the commencement of a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds to install a 40-by-90-foot outdoor theatre tent for the summer season. The tent will be installed in the parking lot of the Firehouse Stage building and will cover both performers and audience members while offering a socially distanced outdoor entertainment destination for audiences of all ages this summer. “The addition of the outdoor tent this summer is our way of saying, ‘rain or shine, we’ve got you covered’ – both literally and figuratively, as we’ve thought of every possible precaution to make the summer season as safe as possible,” said Kradjian.
The Goodwill Theatre has been working with officials from the Village of Johnson City and Town of Union to secure permits. Funding for the tent, electrical work, and initial paving have been secured from donations by IBM and Matco Electric. The crowdfunding campaign is a key component to close the funding gap needed for the remaining expenses, including paving the ground beneath the tent, installing security fencing, and purchasing additional equipment. Corporate sponsor M&T Bank has pledged to match up to $15,000 of donations made to the campaign, which has a goal of $20,000 by April 30.
Programming the tent is slotted to begin May 14 with a performance from pop trio the Uptown Girls. Donations can be made at: https://bit.ly/goodwilltent