The Huntington Theatre Company announced this week it will not return to the stage until 2021, and will lay off the majority of its staff in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Michael Maso, managing director of the Huntington, told Boston Public Radio on Thursday the public health restrictions to protect people from COVID-19 have hit performing arts houses like his especially hard.
"The fundamental aspect of what we do is bring people together for this communal experience, and it became just clearer and clearer over time that the notion of large gatherings that we require to do theater just isn't going to happen in the near future," he said. "Just imagine trying to rehearse a play with social distancing. Right now there's not a single professional production of theatre rehearsing in the country because the actors' union has made it very clear to us it's not safe to do that."
Maso said the theatre company will adapt and experiment with concerts on stage or digital productions, but it will not be the same thing people are used to.
