Impending snow storms and icy conditions meant Endangered Species Project decided that they needed a snowcheck. Rather than risk either their actors or their audience for a free performance of Holiday tonight (Jan. 16), they're postponing until Jan. 30.
In an email alert sent this afternoon, ESP says that the reading of Holiday will take place at a venue to be announced later this month.
Yesterday, Sunday matinees let audiences head home early. Monday is a dark night for most theaters. So the winter storms hitting Seattle haven't shut down any major shows yet. Also, with streets ranging from iced over to barely damp, it's hard to predict where and when an audience will have trouble coming in.
It's rare for a storm to stop a performance entirely. Most theaters take the same attitude as Seattle Repertory Theatre: if the performers can make to the stage, the show goes on.
In the rare case of a cancelation, the theater's Box Office staff will attempt to phone as many people as possible. If you haven't given them your phone number or you're unsure, check websites, Facebook pages, or Twitter.
Even when Taproot Theatre suffered catastrophic smoke and water damage during the Greenwood arson fires, their staff still reported back to their audiences through their social media pages. Snow won't stop theaters from getting the word out.
Remember too that most tickets are bought on a nonrefundable basis. If you truly can't make it to the show, the theater might be able to switch you to another night if you're a subscriber. If you're a single ticket buyer, ask about donating your ticket back to them. You get a write-off and they get another ticket to sell for those who slog to the show.
Fo those who live in walking distance of a Seattle theater, snow days or evenings can be magical times to visit. Usually you can pick up an extra ticket without a problem, audiences are in a cheerful "we made it" mood, and the actors are truly appreciative of the support. Downtown or the Seattle Center look especially sparkly when covered with a layer of the white stuff and you can always pretend you're going to a show in New York or Chicago.
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