SCOTTSDALE CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS offers full schedule By Michelle Glicksman
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lthough its season lineup is different than originally planned, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts still has an extremely robust 2020-2021 calendar, with numerous in-person performances as well as live stream options. When it became apparent that the fall season would continue to be impacted by the virus, the Center worked quickly to reschedule many of the national artists who had been scheduled to perform then to spring dates. And then, as Managing Director Meribeth Reeves explains, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts’ leadership chose to look at the silver lining. “This has opened up a greater ability for us to work with Arizona-based artists,” she says. “It’s part of our mission to support artists in Arizona, and since there aren’t any travel issues for them, we were able to move many of them into the fall slots that were vacated by touring artists.” Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is one of the few venues in the Valley that is able to offer not only digital and live stream content, but also be able to open with such a full inperson schedule. “It’s still full of a wide variety, from dance to world music, to classical, to Broadway, to a great family series. There’s a lot still happening in-person,” says Reeves. She explains that of the reasons the Center can
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offer so many in-person performance options is because of the size of its Virginia G. Piper Theater, which seats 853. Performances that were slated to be held in the location’s smaller venues were moved to that theater, with only approximately 100 tickets available per show to allow for social distancing (masks will also be required, with ADA exceptions allowed). And, some artists will offer two smaller shows rather than what was previously one larger show. To make the performances available to a larger audience, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts will also draw on one of its new skills— and one it plans to continue indefinitely—live streaming. The organization began to live stream over the summer, as well as develop digital content and virtual opportunities. “That was where our team really learned to create high-quality digital content,” Reeves says. “In the process, we’re also now able to use that along with many of our live performances, which gives us the great opportunity to have more accessibility to our performances. We’re really excited for the potential of this and where it can take us in the future. It’s a way we can be inclusive, inviting, and engaging for our entire community. “So, if people want to come in and see shows live, in a socially distanced theater with their masks on and following safety protocols, we welcome them. If they’re not ready, there will be live streams available.”
