Doug Shapiro-standardized patient

New York-based actor Doug Shapiro, a regular at The Barnstormers Theatre in Tamworth, has been working as a standardized patient and corporate role player. (COURTESY PHOTO)

On March 12, Broadway went dark. At a time when events were just starting to be canceled across the country, it was a shocking indication of the severity of the growing COVID-19 pandemic and a massive blow to New York City’s artistic community.

“Many colleagues of mine have been left in a stagnant position of unemployment for over half a year,” said New York-based theater director Jake Dunham, a 2010 Fryeburg Academy graduate. “Theater relies on audiences, massive gatherings, and not only are we unable to have that right now, but there is no definitive date of when we may have that again.”

Kate Gustafson-What’s in the Woods

Kate Gustafson, a 2009 gradute of Kennett High School, and Michael Dominguez Bedoome in the short horror film “What’s in the Woods?” which was finished before the pandemic. The film was a finalist in the Oregon Scream Week Horror film festival and official selection in the Hollywood Florida film festival. (COURTESY PHOTO)

Arts In Motion-Children's Summer Camp

Arts In Motion Theater Co. hosted an outdoor children’s theater camp at The Christmas Tree Farm Theatre at the Fryeburg Fair grounds in Fryeburg, Maine, this summer. (LISA DUFAULT PHOTO)

8-27-2020 Bakersfield Mist

June Desmond (left) and Kim Lajoie star in M&D at the Eastern Slope Inn Playhouse's production of "Bakersfield Mist," which was produced as part of M&D's Summer Slam Series. (LISA DUFAULT PHOTO)

Unmarried Man

A screenshot from a staged reading via Zoom of "Unmarried Man," a new play by Alice Nora and Emmy Kuperschmid and directed by Emilie Jensen, a 2011 graduate of Kennett High School. (COURTESY PHOTO)

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