This is one featured story from the August issue of YC360. To read the full issue, click here.

   Many of us measure the pandemic in terms of darkened storefronts and quiet downtowns. But at Prescott’s largest building, the sleepy demeanor is just a façade. Inside, Yavapai College Performing Arts Center remains a hive of activity as it cleanses, retools and prepares for the curtain to rise again.

The Wake of the Lockdown

   “We’re doing very well, and learning this is all about being flexible.” YCPAC Managing Director of Operations Helen Stephenson said. “Though we don’t care for the circumstances, we all see the time as a gift to catch up on things that had been put off for a long time.”

   That included reaching out to patrons about refunds. Twenty-three shows had to be postponed or cancelled after mid-March – a total of 6,142 tickets. Stephenson and Artistic Director Dr. Craig Ralston didn’t want PAC patrons to learn about cancellations from a stranger. “We made a lot of calls,” Stephenson said. “People wanted someone to talk to. It made the process longer but it was as much about communicating as about refunds.” Many donors generously turned their refunds into donations.  

   YCPAC’s remaining full-time staff continues live-streaming Cornerstone Church’s Sunday services. And PAC Technical Director Mitchell Pietz and Stephenson have hosted Social Distance Dinner Theatre –  streamed movies with a local ZOOM talkback – since March. The PAC produced and directed many of the College’s virtual events, including last spring’s Commencement, and this month’s Convocation.

The Inevitable Question

  YCPAC has also used its “downtime” for a makeover. New curtains replaced the worn, dust-sotted ones that draped the stage longer than anyone can remember. New lights, a new projector and new lenses have been installed. Every one of the PAC’s 1,030 red velvet seats has been steam-cleaned. Working from the Event Safety Alliance’s Guide for Reopening, the crew has conducted safety checks and workshops; Front of House Manager Susan Youngblood has configured different seating charts to accommodate social distancing guidelines. And the facilities staff has adapted lobby, restrooms and concession areas to meet or exceed safety and hygienic guidelines. Website upgrades, maintenance and staff training projects are ongoing.

   Which leads to the question: “When will the PAC reopen?” With the virus still present locally, the date remains a moving target. “We are going by the College leadership direction,” Stephenson says. “Current social distance requirements only allow us about 240 seats. There will still be new systems and procedures in place when we reopen. It may be very different.”

   Even so, she said PAC staffers look forward to the night they can unhook the velvet ropes.

   “Oh, we will be back! We are already working on some wonderful ideas! It’s time to get creative – and creativity is where the arts shine!”