The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way all of us are going about our lives. We are trying to adjust to the “new normal” brought about by the need to limit the spread of disease through social distancing. We must all help to “flatten the curve” and that includes making hard decisions about activities we have looked forward to for months. It is with heavy, but hopeful hearts, that we announce the postponement of the Blue Light Players’ 2020 production of Roald Dahl’s Matilda: The Musical. With Michigan’s stay-at-home order extended through April 30, we are unable to perform Matilda as scheduled (April 23-26). It is not possible to provide the rescheduled dates for the production, as schools will be closed through the end of the academic year, and possibly all summer long for public events and performances like ours.
We want our cast, crew, and audience members to be safe, and postponing the show is the best way to do that. Those who had already purchased tickets to Matilda: The Musical have received a refund. We know that many people are struggling financially right now, and we wanted to return our patrons’ money in a timely manner. Rest assured that we do plan to reschedule our production, and we hope our patrons will purchase tickets at that time. We continue to rehearse online and we are providing no-cost educational opportunities to our cast members during this time of uncertainty. We hope to share some of our rehearsals and class projects with our audiences! Please continue to watch for us online.
We appreciate everyone’s support and regret that we had to make this decision. It was not made lightly. We are an organization that strives to give back to the community. With the coronavirus pandemic, our mission to support the families of law enforcement officers injured or killed in the line of duty has expanded to include officers who lose their lives to COVID-19. It is with great sadness that we announce we have already lost one Michigan officer in the line of duty due to COVID-19. Detroit Police Captain Jonathan Parnell’s End of Watch occurred on March 24, 2020.
Postponing our production means we will incur significant additional expenses and potential lost revenue. However, the board of directors has decided to personally cover those expenses so that the show may go on and the Blue Light Players may continue to give back to their community. We pride ourselves on being a community theater that exists to give back to the community. If you have questions about our organization, please visit our website at: www.bluelightplayers.com or send us an email at: [email protected] We cannot exist without the support of our patrons and the community in which we reside. Thank you for your continued patronage and we look forward to seeing you in a seat at an upcoming show at a time which is safer for everyone involved.