Syracuse Stage announced Wednesday that it will postpone its productions of “Once” and “Yoga Play,” and the annual Cold Read Festival of New Plays to the 2020-21 season. 

“Once,” a Tony Award-winning musical, will now run from Sept. 16 to Oct. 4. The show centers around a love story set in the streets of Dublin. Tickets for “Once” will be on sale again July 25. 

The comedy “Yoga Play” was originally set to close the 2019-20 season but will instead replace “Eureka Day” in next season’s lineup. “Yoga Play” will now run from March 3 to March 21, 2021. The show is about a CEO of a popular athletic brand who must save her company’s image before being exposed for breaking child labor laws. 

The Cold Read Festival of New Plays will be held Sept. 22 to Sept. 27. The annual event features work from upcoming playwrights and artists as well as a featured local playwright. 

Syracuse Stage said in a press release that it will contact patrons about ticketing concerns for rescheduled shows.

“Above all, our focus is on the health and safety of our patrons, artists and staff,” Artistic Director Robert Hupp said in the release. “Consequently, we believe our amended season plan offers the best path forward for Stage and our audiences.”

Other Syracuse theater companies have not yet announced any similar plans to Syracuse Stage. Redhouse Arts Center, however, says it is planning for a few different scenarios for the upcoming season. Productions of “Fences,” which was set to run from March 26 to April 5, and “Fun Home,” which was scheduled for May 28 to June 7, have been postponed.

“At this time, Redhouse is planning for a few different scenarios for the remaining season as well as next season. We are waiting for a little more guidance on when we can reopen before committing to an updated full schedule,” Director of Marketing and Public Relations Sue McKenna wrote in a statement to The Daily Orange. “Our hope is to bring our audiences ‘Fences’ and ‘Fun Home’ at a later date. Hopefully we’ll learn more soon about when businesses can reopen.”

Redhouse has launched a few virtual events that it plans on adding to in the coming weeks. According to its website, these online events include virtual workshops for teens and adults.

Syracuse Stage says it is preparing a special virtual gathering on June 12 to replace its annual live gala, which was originally scheduled for April 24. As for the current 2020-21 shows, the theater plans to continue with its planned lineup beginning with “Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein” in October. 

“Our art form brings people together to share uplifting and inspiring experiences,” said Hupp. “We can’t do that right now. But we’re working every day to ensure that we’re ready to go when the time is right. We look forward to welcoming our friends back to Syracuse Stage.”

Published on April 16, 2020 at 7:22 pm

Contact Amy: abnakamu@syr.edu