02/10/2021
Bristol Valley Theater, the Finger Lakes’ award-winning live, professional theater will reopen for live performance in summer 2021. The Naples theater, who was forced to close its doors for live performance in March 2020 due to the Covid 19 pandemic, will host a free online event to announce details of this summer season. The online season announcement event will reveal the plays selected for production, as well as the planned changes in the programming, new measures designed to ensure the safety of both artists and patrons. The online event will be free to watch and will stream live on Saturday, February 27th at 7 pm on YouTube, BVT’s Facebook page or at bvtnaples.org. It will be available to view at any time after on Bristol Valley Theater’s YouTube Page.
“We are grateful and humbled by the support that we’ve received from our patrons, donors, and colleagues during this challenge, which continues to affect not only the arts community but all of us,” says Bristol Valley Theater Executive Artistic Director Karin Bowersock. “It’s because of that support that we’ve been able to continue operating and retain our staff as we come up with new strategies and practices and to be able to return to live performances. We are confident that our 2021 plan will continue to live up to the high caliber expected of BVT, but also be safe, healthy, and in compliance with the most up-to-date standards for our patrons and staff alike.”
The online announcement event will feature descriptions of the six plays that will be presented at Bristol Valley Theater’s new outdoor performance space from June through the beginning of September of this year, as well as an outline of the necessary changes for health and safety standards, ticketing, and exchange policies. The event will also feature appearances by actors who will be seen this summer, including a special musical performance by long-time BVT artist Michael Radi.
There will also be opportunities to support BVT throughout the night, with a chance to win prizes from local retailers. Every $25 donation will earn supporters a raffle ticket to win prize baskets from Hollerhorn Distilling, Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, Olde Country Store and More, Main Street Wine and Liquor, Arbor Hill Brew and Brats, and others. Donations can be made leading up to and throughout the event.
Since their closure to live performance in March 2020, Bristol Valley Theater has continued their performances through the BVT at Home series: six online events including four new play readings, a fully staged one-woman show filmed on location in New York City during lockdown, and two musical cabarets featuring over 50 Bristol Valley Theater artists. In the fall, BVT produced four episodes of Mystery Radio Theater to stream online and hosted a socially distant drive-in concert. Throughout the year, they have conducted online sessions of their usual Acting for Kids classes for area young people.
Subscriptions will go on sale on March 8th, and individual tickets will go on sale April 3rd. Subscriptions and tickets can be purchased online at www.bvtnaples.org or by calling the Box Office at 585-374-6318.
