Bakersfield Community Theatre proves the show must go on despite the COVID-19 pandemic

The Bakersfield Community Theatre is performing the one-act play "Inaccurate Conceptions" Friday via Facebook Live after COVID-19 forced them to cancel in-person shows.

MANY PERFORMANCES... BUT THEBAKERSFIELD COMMUNITY THEATRE ISPROVING THEWORLD IS A STAGE... AND THATINCLUDES YOUR BEDROOM ORKITCHEN.23ABC'S KALLYN HOBMANN JOINS USLIVE FROM SOUTHBAKERSFIELD -- WITH HOW THETHEATRE IS ADAPTING TOHELP STILL GIVE LOCAL AUDIENCESA SHOW... KALLYN.THE BAKERSFIELD COMMUNITYTHEATRE WOULD HAVE BEENWRAPPING UP THEIR 92ND SEASONRIGHT THROUGH THESEDOORS THIS WEEKEND IF STATEGUIDELINES REGARDINGCOVID-19 HADN'T SHUT DOWN IN-PERSON PERFORMANCES.BUT THE SHOW MUST GO ON...VIRTUALLY."I MISS THE STAGE LIKE CRAZY, BUTI'M GRATEFUL THAT WE'RE ACTUALLYABLE TO DOTHIS."DEVA WILOTCH IS ONE OF THE FOURBAKERSFIELD COMMUNITY THEATERMEMBERS I SPOKE WITH ABOUT THEIRUPCOMINGVIRTUAL PERFORMANCE.

WILOTCH HASBEEN ACTING FORABOUT FIFTEEN YEARS... BUT SHEHAS NEVER PERFORMED FROMHER HOME... UNTIL NOW"I'VE ALWAYS CLAIMED I'M NOT ACAMERA ACTOR.

I'M A STAGE ACTORSO THIS IS.THIS IS VERY DIFFERENT."WHEN STATE GUIDELINES PUT AN ENDTO LARGE IN-PERSONEVENTS... ARTISTIC DIRECTORREBECCA WORLEYSAYS THE THEATER WAS DEVASTATED"WE THRIVE ON PERFORMING.

WE LOVETO BE ONSTAGE.

WE LOVE TO BE INFRONT OF AUDIENCES.

I THINK THEHARDEST FOR US IS TO SHUT DOWNAND NOT HAVE THAT ENVIRONMENT."BUT THIS FRIDAY... THE THEATERWILL BE PUTTING ON A VIRTUAL..FACEBOOK LIVE..

PERFORMANCE OFTHE ONE ACT PLAY "INACCURATECONCEPTIONS""WE PICKED SEVERAL PLAYS THATADHERE BETTER TO DOING IT ONZOOM BECAUSETHERE'S NOT NECESSARILY PHYSICALCONTACT."DIRECTOR TIM FROMM SAYS ALLREHEARSALS HAVE TAKENPLACE OVER ZOOM... AND THE CASTIS IN CHARGE OF THEIROWN COSTUMES.WHILE THEY RECOGNIZE THEPOSSIBILITY OF TECHNOLOGICALPROBLEMS... THEY HAVE HIGHHOPES."I'M DOING ALL THE TECHNICALASPECTS OF THESE SHOWS SO KNOCKON WOODEVERYTHING WILL GO NICE ANDSMOOTHLY."STILL..THERE WILL BE A RECORDEDVERSION OF THE SHOW POSTED TOFACEBOOK IN CASE SOMETHING GOESWRONG.THE THEATER PLANS TO FURTHERNAVIGATE THETECHNICAL ASPECTS OF VIRTUALPERFORMANCES.ACTRESS HEATHER MCCARTHY SAYSTHEY HAVE TWOMORE PLANNED IN THE COMINGMONTHS."IF THIS IS HOW WE HAVE TO DO ITFOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE THEN,YOUKNOW, COUNT ME IN."THE SHOW WILL BE STREAMING LIVEON THE BAKERSFIELDCOMMUNITY THEATRE'S FACEBOOKPAGE.USUALLY THE THEATER MAKES MONEYBY SELLINGTICKETS.

BUT FOR NOW THEY AREACCEPTING DONATIONS AT B-C-T STAGE DOT ORG.YOU CAN VISIT TURN TO 23 DOT COMTO ACCESS BOTH THOSEWEBSITES.FOR NOW... IN SOUTHBAKERSFIELD... KALLYN HOBMANN...23ABC..

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