Players postpones ‘Seussical’ due to coronavirus threat

Siri Kanter '20, Paper Opinions Editor|March 11, 2020

Owen Keveaney ’20, Colin Konstanty ’22, Tomaso Scotti ’20 and Ben Zack ’21 rehearse a scene together in the Black Box Theater. Performances were previously scheduled to take place on March 13 through March 21.

Staples Players’ spring show, “Seussical,” has been postponed in response to growing public fear surrounding the outbreak of COVID-19.

Productions were initially slated to take place on March 13, 14, 15, 20 and 21. There will be a show for the parents of the actors on March 11 and 12, and general performances have been rescheduled to April 24, 25 and 26. In the event that future circumstances regarding the virus continue, Players will be recording upcoming performances as an alternative.

Sam Laskin ’20, President of Players, said that he asked for the administration to not preemptively cancel the show.

“It was a devastating blow to hear about this decision,” Laskin said. “The 45-member cast and equally-sized crew have been working since early January to get this show ready, and to be postponed just three days before our scheduled opening was very upsetting.”

According to an email sent out by Principal Stafford W. Thomas Jr. on March 11, updates about the status of pre-bought tickets are still to come. Thomas also noted that the administration followed similar precautions throughout the state, including the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference canceling state tournaments earlier this week.

“Obviously, this is a difficult decision,” Thomas said in the email. “There was truly no other choice.”

Sammy Guthartz ’20, a cast member, shared Laskin’s disappointment but commends the administration for prioritizing safety.

“I think the decision to postpone the show was definitely rational,” Guthartz said. “[W]e knew it was the right decision to make. Although I had a feeling this was going to happen, it was still very hard to hear coming from our director officially.”