Moline’s Spotlight Theatre Cancels The Rest of Their Musicals for 2020
“The Wedding Singer” this past February was the last musical at the Spotlight Theatre, 1800 7th Ave., Moline. Because the Illinois phase 4 reopening guidelines limit indoor theaters to a maximum of 50 patrons, the young theater can’t present any more musicals this year, as it plans to reschedule the rest of its 2020 season for 2021.
“We had in our minds, our big hope that it was going to be 50-percent capacity,” co-owner Brent Tubbs said Wednesday of the state announcement June 26. “That was just like a punch to the gut.”
As Circa ’21 recently announced that it would remain closed until the fall because it didn’t make financial sense to present big musicals to small crowds, the Spotlight is postponing its planned “The Addams Family” in October and “The Sound of Music” in December” until 2021, along with its previously postponed “Oliver,” “Tarzan” and “Evita.”
Circa’s Rock Island dinner theater has a seating capacity of 334 at tables, and Spotlight can seat over 540 in the former Scottish Rite Cathedral, including floor seats. Under Illinois’ phase 4 restrictions, theaters must limit guest seating to 50-percent capacity or 50 total, whichever is less. Moline’s Black Box Theatre, which only has 60 total seats, is reopening one weekend on July 16 with “The Turn of the Screw.”
“It is no secret the arts are suffering through this Covid-19 pandemic,” Spotlight co-owners (and spouses) Brent and Sara Tubbs wrote July 8 on Facebook. “As a performance venue and theatre, we have been without revenue for nearly 5 months now with no relief from the city, state, or federal level as a for-profit theatre. Devastating enough to any business, we were just entering our second year of business and were just starting to see the top of the hill financially.”
Brent and Sara Tubbs met Broadway playwright David Henry Hwang this ;past February at Augustana.
With the announcement of the state’s phase 4 reopening, “to say we were disappointed would be an understatement,” they wrote. “In the new guidelines, gyms and fitness centers can open at 50%, and we are not even allowed to operate at 10%. With the limitations set forth by the Governor, it does not make sense for us to continue with our season as planned.”
“Trying to wrap your head around it, what the logic is — considering gyms and fitness centers can be open at 50 percent, where everybody is breathing heavily, sweating, while we would have people simply sitting in the seats with masks on,” Brent said Wednesday. “We can’t even operate at 10 percent.”
At the same time Gov. J.B. Pritzker limited what Illinois theaters could do, he has excluded theaters from seeking Covid relief funding, Brent said. There is a new business interruption grants program, known as “BIG,” to make $60 million available for 3,500 businesses that experienced losses or business interruption because they closed or severely restricted their operations as a result of Covid-19.
Businesses eligible for BIG include restaurants and bars; barbershops and salons; health and fitness centers; as well as businesses located in areas which have had reports of recent property damage due to civil unrest.
The Spotlight pays its staff (directors, choreographers and crew), but not performers, and since they’re considered contractors and not full-time employees, the theater wasn’t eligible for federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, Brent said.
“We’re kind of falling through the cracks a lot, as a for-profit theater,” he said. “A lot of arts grants don’t apply. From the time we opened, that was the structure we had in mind. We have the event center, besides just the theater, with weddings, rentals. We didn’t want to go through that route, with a nonprofit and a board.”
“Matilda” at the Spotlight
Since opening its first major production in fall 2018, the Spotlight’s biggest-selling show was “Matilda” in August 2019, which had its largest audience of 500. That musical also had over 30 in the cast.
The theater had to put non-refundable deposits down to secure the rights for all its 2020 season, Brent said. They will have to confirm from the rights holders to secure performance dates in 2021. In their place this year, the Spotlight plans to do two smaller non-musical plays in September and October.
“With all the plans in place, we are confident that we will be able to do this in a very safe way keeping our actors, crew, and audience members safe with our largely-spaced facility,” the Tubbs said on Facebook. “Detailed instructions about entering and exiting the building will be included with every ticket purchase; signage will be placed throughout the lobby detailing safety measures, as well as sanitation stations placed throughout the building.
“Additionally, seating will all be spaced 6 feet apart with every other row blocked off,” they wrote. “Ticket sales for all events will be capped, and with our large seating area, we are very confident that we will be able to space everyone out, adhering to the guidelines.”
Summer camp, improv comedy coming
They will host a summer camp for 4th-to-8th graders Aug. 3 to 15, serving 30 kids in two groups of 15, Brent said. The show theme is “Heroes and Villains,” their performance may be limited to families and possibly could be live-streamed, he said.
Stolen Set Improv
An improv comedy veteran, Brent is also launching a new group — Stolen Set Improv — with Bob Kelly, Megan Warren, Amelia Fischer. They’re planning performances Aug. 29, Oct. 10 and Nov. 14 at the Spotlight.
“Shrek Jr” at the Spotlight
The theater also is planning to do “pop-up” plays, where it will bring a 30-minute version of “Alice in Wonderland” to private residences or other organizations in the Quad-Cities. That will include an eight-person cast, mostly students, he said, with a suggested minimum purchase price of $200. They are booking Aug. 2-Oct. 30; call 309-912-7647.
The Tubbs and the theater building owners have been in touch with Moline Mayor Stephanie Acri, who recently toured the Spotlight, to make their case about reopening under more flexible conditions. They also plan to work with state officials, Brent said.
“While this pandemic has been a giant boulder that has knocked us back down to the bottom, we will continue to climb,” he and Sara wrote. “We will continue to be a beacon of entertainment and hope in light of all this. We have been here with
“Shrek Jr” at the Spotlight
you, and for you from the time this all started by offering free online live Q & A videos with working professionals, access to a free family-friendly improv comedy show performance, a free live online cabaret, and online classes.”
“We, as a family-owned business, and a local struggling business, ask for your patience with ticketing,” they wrote, noting they will honor any ticket purchase from this season (excluding “The Wedding Singer”) for any other performances. “If you are a season-ticket holder, your season will transfer over to next year. Times are tough for everyone right now, but ticket refunds at this time would ensure our inability to reopen.”
“The Spotlight will shine again. Together as a community we will help each other through an unprecedented time, and our goal has always been to entertain and inspire, and hopefully escape if even for a couple of hours.”
The Market, on the building’s second floor, has reopened, and its hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Friday; 10 to 4 Saturdays, and noon to 4 on Sundays. For more information, visit themarketajourneytojoy.com/. For more on the Spotlight, visit thespotlighttheatreqc.com.
