Whether you relate to Silver Spring Stage as an artist, subscriber, member, donor, volunteer, or audience member you have a stake in our future as an organization. We’ve missed seeing you over the past six months, but we’ve been very busy working through a cascade of existential issues. Now it’s time to lay it all out for you. That’s why we are inviting you to our virtual Town Hall Meeting, October 10, 2020, 3:30-5:00 pm.

At the meeting, we will share how we are responding to Covid-19 and addressing diversity and anti-racism, as well as our plans for the 2020-21 season and, most importantly, our financial status. We hope to see you at this unique event, we need the help of every person in our extended community to help us through this challenging time.

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81930817204

Keeping Everyone Safe
COVID-19 requires a radical rethinking of how we approach every part of the creative process we use at Silver Spring Stage. Since our shutdown in March we have been working to develop the policies and procedures we need to ensure that all our artists and volunteers stay healthy. At the town hall you will learn more about this critical preparation as we gradually begin to reopen.

Expanding Our Reach, Embracing Our Community
In June we posted a statement on our website and social media outlets expressing support for the Black Lives Matter movement. We were rightly taken to task for that by several of members who challenged us to address our own biases and lack of diversity. Since then we have set out a multipoint plan to do just that, addressing shortcomings in our recruitment of volunteers, engaging in anti-racist training, and creating new policies and procedures. Hear some of the details at the town hall.

Going Virtual
After several months of struggle to find a way forward, we decided in September that we would have to go virtual for the foreseeable future. At the town hall you will learn more about exciting plans for our 2020-21 season to include four full-length plays, as well as our plans for streaming content that will be available starting this month. You will even get a preview of our first offering in this realm. We hope to bring our streaming subscribers’ new content at least every two weeks throughout the year.

The State of the Stage
The Stage has trod along for years, scraping by, managing to avoid complete disaster. It has usually been your generosity that saved us. We are deeply grateful. Now, though, COVID-19 has challenged us in new ways and raised the bar for our survival. We have hung on so far by withholding rent payments since May, but that bill will eventually come due. And our lease will expire on December 31, 2020. So far, the landlord has repeatedly said “we want to work with you keep you in your space” but made no serious commitment to do so. With the future as uncertain as it is now, our revenues are difficult to predict, but at the town hall you will hear our best guess for our financial picture through the end of the 2022 season.

Theatre Family
We recognize that these are unprecedented times for live theatre and challenging for the all of us who love theatre. While we are being honest and transparent, we want to end this message on a hopeful note. From ancient to modern times, theatre has brought people together to be moved, humored, and/or distracted even for just a few hours. It makes us a family. We are a resilient and resourceful theatre family. We look forward to seeing you at the town hall. From the 19th century, theatre folk have this anthem: the show must go on.

A message from the Maryland State Arts Council

Our 53rd Season