Comeback for the Arts
Fort Worth's Bass Performance Hall to start limited reopening in early 2021
Bass Performance Hall management has revealed plans for a phased reopening beginning in early 2021, almost a year after the coronavirus pandemic forced the venue to close its doors.
According to a November 17 release, the plan will combine streaming opportunities with limited-capacity, socially-distanced general admission performances.
Bass Hall will remain closed through February 2021, but will reopen in March to offer limited on-stage streaming/recording opportunities without audiences. In April and May, they will start to offer select limited capacity performances with up to 100 ticketed patrons with general admission, socially distanced seating.
A Bass Hall spokesman revealed no specifics as to what type of programs will be offered when the hall reopens. The current Bass Hall calendar lists performances by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra in January, February, and March, but since the orchestra has moved all of its fall performances to Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum, those concerts will likely be moved, as well.
Additionally, the performances of Jimmy Buffett's Escape to Margaritaville, which had been scheduled for April 6-11, have now been canceled, as has a concert by Suzy Bogguss at McDavid Studio on May 15.
Any plans for June or beyond will come at a later date, although the organization has the goal of putting on full capacity performances later in 2021, they say. All of the plans are subject to change given the ever-evolving COVID-19 pandemic.
"As the owner and operator, we have a social responsibility to be a community partner in reducing the spread of COVID-19 and flattening the curve of this pandemic,” said Dione Kennedy, president and CEO of Performing Arts Fort Worth, Inc., in a statement. “Additionally, we have a personal responsibility to protect the health and safety of our staff, volunteers, patrons and tenants. We look forward to working with our resident companies and other local organizations as we work toward limited capacity performances in the second quarter of 2021.”
The national tour of Hamilton had previously been rescheduled for January 18-February 6, 2022.
Following the announcement from Performing Arts Fort Worth, Fort Worth Opera said that they will not hold any live performances at Bass Performance Hall in the spring due to the limited capacity.
The Fort Worth Opera Festival normally takes place in late April/early May; only allowing 100 audience members would not accommodate all of those who still had tickets from the postponed 2020 festival, they said.
