Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the rapid spread of the virulent omicron variant has caused many performing arts organizations in Orange County to temporarily close down their venues and postpone performances.
Performing arts venues and organizations such as the Frida Cinema, Soka Performing Arts Center and the Pacific Symphony orchestra have been forced to postpone or cancel their scheduled shows due to the spread of the virus.
The Frida Cinema, located in Santa Ana, decided to close its doors to the public on Jan. 14. The venue’s anticipated reopening date is Jan. 28 with a rescheduled run of Pedro Almodóvar’s Spanish-language drama “Parallel Mothers.”
However, reopening the cinema will be contingent on whether COVID-19 cases decrease by late January, according to the venue.
“Of course [we] will be keeping an eye on local hospital patient rates to ensure it is sensible to [reopen], and we will keep you posted on our website and social media, as well as through our newsletters,” Frida Cinema Founder and Executive Director Logan Crow said in a message on the cinema’s website.
In an attempt to create a safe environment and continue showcasing films, the cinema has reopened their drive-in. Details regarding upcoming showtimes and ticket details can be found on EventBrite.
In Aliso Viejo, the Soka Performing Arts Center had originally planned to open for its 10th anniversary on Jan. 9 with a performance from pianist Emmanuel Ax. However, the surge of COVID-19 cases has caused the center to postpone the opening.
The center hoped to reschedule its reopening to Jan. 22 and feature performer Kojiro Umezaki as a special guest. Instead, they were forced to postpone the event for the second time this month.
“This pandemic has continued to change every plan and course we set,” Soka General Manager Renee Bodie stated. “With the safety and well-being of our patrons, students, staff and artists as our first priority, we have made the difficult decision to postpone performances.”
The center intends to reopen on Feb. 26 with a performance from rock band Los Lobos; however, it remains unclear whether there may be a third postponement.
As for the Pacific Symphony orchestra who performs at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, it was announced on Jan. 19 that they would be unable to appear at the Lunar New Year Concert scheduled for Feb. 5 in Costa Mesa. It was stated that the orchestra’s vocalists would be unable to rehearse or perform while wearing facial coverings.
The orchestra still plans to perform some shows scheduled for late January with very strict public health protocols in place. After that, some performances will be postponed until as far as June.
OC performing arts organizations have posed a commitment to ensuring that their staff, performers and audience remain safe during the rise of the omicron variant. The situation is expected to be constantly monitored, and it is anticipated that venues and organizations will gradually reopen once deemed safer for public health.
Alexia Hawley is a City News Intern for the winter 2022 quarter. She can be reached at adhawley@uci.edu.
