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The show must go on, even in the thick of the coronavirus pandemic — and if the audience can’t come to the artists in this time of social distancing, the artists will put their work up online.
Here is a sampling of what Utah arts organizations are doing to bring content to their audiences online:
• The Excellence in the Community concert series will live-stream its Wednesday jazz concerts from the Gallivan Center in downtown Salt Lake City — which will go on, founder Jeff Whitely promises, without a live audience at the venue. This week’s show, featuring singer Melinda Kirigin-Voss and pianist John Sargeant, will be seen Wednesday, March 25, at 7 p.m. on the Facebook pages for Excellence in the Community and the Gallivan Center. Past concerts will be archived on the Excellence Facebook page, to watch anytime.
• Edison Street Events (formerly known as The Organ Loft) is posting videos of short silent films — specifically, Charlie Chaplin’s two-reelers for Mutual Film Corporation in 1916 and 1917 — with accompaniment by Blaine Gale on the group’s mighty Wurlitzer organ. A new short will be posted every Wednesday. To sign up, go to edisonstreetevents.com and click the email address at the top of the page.
• Repertory Dance Theatre has launched a series of live classes in ballet, jazz, modern, hip hop and Bollywood dance styles. The classes, which run 15 to 30 minutes, are taught by instructors from RDT’s Dance Center, each teaching from their homes. The classes are free (for now), though donations will be accepted. Go to RDT’s website for a schedule, and for links to the classes.
• The King’s English bookstore is holding a virtual storytime on its Facebook and Instagram feeds, with picture books at 11 a.m. every morning and chapter books — this week, it’s “The Phantom Tollbooth” — at 2 p.m.
• Wiseguys Comedy Club is offering live-streamed stand-up comedy in the evenings on its Facebook page. The schedule is a bit erratic, so go to the page to find out when the comics will be performing.
• Utah Symphony and Utah Opera, whose seasons have been shut down because of the pandemic, have “listening rooms” on their websites that feature curated playlists, audio streaming, clips of performances and the “Ghost Light” podcast.
• The Utah Film Center will try a “public beta test” of an online version of its Tuesday night community screenings (held at the City Library auditorium), by streaming a program on the group’s website, utahfilmcenter.org, starting at 7 p.m. March 31. The program will feature six short films by Utah filmmakers who are members of the film center’s Artist Foundry. Viewers can chat online during the films, and submit questions via text during a moderated post-screening Q&A.
• The Provo-based streaming service VidAngel is in the midst of a free two-week offer, featuring the company’s family-friendly in-house programming — including the mini-series “The Chosen” and its “Dry Bar Comedy” series.
• If you want to capture the movie theater experience while streaming shows at home, the Water Gardens Theater in Pleasant Grove is selling bags of its house-made popcorn and kettle corn — as well as concession-stand candy — for curbside pickup. Order on the theater’s site (store.watergardenstheatres.com), park in front of the theater at 912 W. Garden Drive in Pleasant Grove, an employee will take your order or your order number, and deliver your order. The theater is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays for pickup.
If you know of other groups offering content online, send a link to features@sltrib.com.
Editor’s note: Sean P. Means is married to an employee of the Utah Film Center.
