With Sumter gatherings, events canceled, arts communities feeling COVID-19’s impact

Restrictions put in place due to the coronavirus pandemic, some self-imposed, affect not only businesses, charities and social and religious entities, but also arts organizations.
While many local arts organizations are autonomous, Melanie Colclough, executive director of the Sumter County Cultural Commission, is at the forefront of much of the area’s art and other cultural events.
As of midweek, Colclough said concrete plans for the commission and Patriot Hall had not been confirmed; however, she said with “April and May being the busiest time of the year, we’ve already rented Patriot Hall on several dates.” (Patriot Hall is a performance venue that operates under the auspices of the commission.)
“If they cancel, we’ll refund their money. Patriot Hall is a business, also a facility for taxpayers,” Colclough said, “and it’s near the end of the fiscal year.”
She’s trying not to “look too much on the downside. We’ve had a strong year.”
Because the commission is a primarily county-funded organization, she doesn’t anticipate any layoffs or severe setbacks.
“I’m really concerned more about public safety,” Colclough said. “The health of the community is more important. Hopefully, we’ll be a stronger commission and have the opportunity to host more events this year.”
Two other arts groups have their headquarters and venues in the Sumter County Cultural Center on Haynsworth Street — the Sumter County Gallery of Art and Sumter Little Theatre.
Karen Watson, executive director of the gallery, said decision-making is a primary concern.
“It’s so hard making decisions on projects when things are so uncertain,” she said.
She gave a current example.
“We are bringing the exhibition ECOS in on April 16,” Watson said. “It was on exhibit in Charleston, but the Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs is closing it down. We got an emergency call from the organizer asking us to come get it. She needed us to pick it up immediately, so we’re going down to pick it up.”
She said the exhibition is still scheduled to open April 16, “but we will not have a reception that night. We hope we’ll be able to have a closing reception on June 19. Hopefully things will work out.”
A notice on the gallery’s website reads that it is closed to the public indefinitely.
Eric Bultman, executive director of the Sumter Little Theatre, said SLT is currently deciding on postponements and cancellations. Already, “The Hobbit,” originally scheduled to open March 26, has been postponed until late April, depending on circumstances with the coronavirus.
“People on stage as well as the audience could be in danger of getting or spreading the coronavirus,” he said. “Our concern is not creating an unsafe environment. We have to respect the schools’ decisions and the state of South Carolina.”
Carmela Bryan and Michael Duffy are involved in some way in almost every production at Sumter Little Theatre and have been for years. Bryan has been preparing for the production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” she said, for more than a year.
“To be honest, I’m a little down,” she said. “We’re used to having 25 people in our home all the time.”
Bryan said the people she knows through SLT comprise the couple’s main social group, as well as those with whom she often works.
“We eat and play together, as well as rehearsing. Our home is like an open house all the time,” Bryan said. “Michael said we’ve never been so lonely.”
A native of Italy, where the coronavirus is ravaging the population and just surpassed China’s death toll, Bryan keeps in touch with family and friends there.
“We’re (the U.S.) where they were a few weeks ago. We took two weeks off from rehearsals (she is directing Jesus Christ Superstar) to assess the situation; now we’re sequestered for an indefinite time,” she said. “Jesus Christ Superstar was supposed to start May 28, and we were well along with rehearsals. Now, we don’t know when we’ll be able to stage it.”
In addition, she said, SLT has already paid $5,000 for the rights, scripts and music for a limited time.
“This could be a big financial loss for the theater,” Bryan said. “We don’t know if we can get an extension, because I can’t get in touch with anyone in New York to find out.”
She emphasized that “we will do this show. I don’t know when, but we will do it.”
She doesn’t want anyone to get or spread the virus, she said, so she understands the restrictions. So what are she and Duffy doing to pass the time?
“We’re scrubbing our house,” she said.
Heading onto North Main Street, the Sumter Opera House is busy this time of year, Operations Manager Ellen Jansen said. She and Cultural Manager Seth Reimer are busy trying to reschedule events that were slated to happen now through April. April events include violinists Mystr and comedian Jeanne Robertson.
Already the appearance of comedian James Gregory has been moved to May 9, Jansen said.
“At this point, nothing has been canceled,” she said.
She’s hoping none of the performers will be unable to reschedule.
“Any time you have cancellations at this level, it’s always a financial setback,” Jansen said. “Hopefully, we can set new dates. It depends on how long this goes on.”
She said those already holding tickets to events that will be moved to a future date can choose to have their tickets honored on the new date or to have their money refunded.
“A few meetings and rentals could be canceled,” she noted. “This is how things stand now (as of March 18). Things are changing day to day, but we will wait until we hear from the city or state to plan beyond April. We are trying to limit the number of people who come in.”
Meanwhile, the opera house is urging people to call or go online with any concerns. Call (803) 436-2616 or visit www.sumteroperahouse.com.
Disappointment came through the phone clearly in Sumter County Museum Executive Director Annie Rivers’ voice as she talked about the schedule changes necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are canceling the entire Inspire! Festival,” she said. “It’s a big fundraiser for us, so it will be a big setback.
“We were really looking forward to it. We’ve met every month for the past 1½ years to plan the festival.”
No doubt the loss of Inspire!’s 11-day celebration of food, arts and music in Sumter will disappoint patrons, as well. The event, a collaboration of the Sumter County Museum, Temple Sinai Jewish History Center, art gallery, opera house and other community members, was to be the second-annual Inspire! Festival honoring the late Roger Ackerman, a philanthropist and avid arts lover and supporter. Included among the events were music, art, gourmet foods, drama, exhibits and more.
Rivers noted that the museum itself will have no staff cuts.
“They’ll come in to work as long as they’re well and feel comfortable,” she said.
The museum will be closed to the public until the end of the month (at least), Rivers said.
No decision has yet been made for the annual Shrimp Feast on April 23.
“It’s also,” she said, “one of our biggest fundraisers.”