COVID-19 Update, April 8, 2020: Critical Data Emerges

Out of the rush of events, patterns are beginning to emerge: The coronavirus is killing twice as many men as women (tinyurl.com/qrf3vrt), air pollution is linked to higher death rates (tinyurl.com/vvand6c), and Black Americans are affected at an alarmingly high rate: tinyurl.com/tlufyo6.

Back where it all began: Wuhan tentatively returns to life: tinyurl.com/sg6kkem.

Could the toll of the pandemic ultimately be less than feared?: tinyurl.com/w5dxq2g.

But the pace of deaths in the US remains unabated: tinyurl.com/ujtmk5y.

Broadway will remain shuttered until June 7: tinyurl.com/vv3zmun.

As Disney stock slips, Executive Chairman Bob Iger floats the idea of temperature checks at the theme parks: tinyurl.com/wjmet73.

In what will surely not be the last such case, Costa Cruises has been hit with a lawsuit over its handling of the coronavirus: tinyurl.com/srdy57d.

Indeed, the cruise industry is in rough waters: tinyurl.com/ue7k3um.

Survival tactics: Artistic directors of Southern California theatre companies discuss how they are weathering the crisis: tinyurl.com/ta9t8nz.

"The Ultimate Fighting Championship plans to hold a pay-per-view event on tribal land in Central California this month," The New York Times reports, "an attempted end run around widespread federal and state guidelines against holding large gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic," according to three people familiar with the decision: tinyurl.com/wzv6lg2.

New York's Drama Desk will announce its nominations on April 21, based on the assumption that the New York theatre season ended March 13. Plans are in place for a digital announcement of the winners on May 31, pending the situation in the city at the time: tinyurl.com/rq5l285.

The Obie Awards are going digital, too, and the money saved from producing the ceremony will go to artists: tinyurl.com/tsk9nf2.

Williamstown Theatre Festival teams up with Audible for a remarkably creative solution to the question of its upcoming summer season: tinyurl.com/vwt5e96.

Whatever else happens, the Cannes Film Festival will not be digital: tinyurl.com/rlkxddw.

Losses: Legendary singer-songwriter John Prine: tinyurl.com/txpgxwo. Hal Wilner, noted music producer: tinyurl.com/sqwlvpr.

Sidebar: R. Kelly's request for prison release, because he is at risk of contracting the coronavirus, has been denied: tinyurl.com/vxyvplh.

Mobilization continues:

All Bandit Lites offices have made available to local governments and hospitals, power distribution systems, IT data distribution systems, and portable structures and lighting, completely free of charge. Bandit has also made available, free of charge, its Nashville rehearsal facility, Venue One, for use by any artist that needs a place to perform a live stream event during this critical time: tinyurl.com/vs32bkv.

In seven days, Lady Gaga has raised $35 million for World Health Organization's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund: tinyurl.com/w26blmx.

HireArtists.org is a new service designed to activate and support the talents of artists currently in isolation. The commission-free marketplace allows accomplished, dedicated practitioners from across the arts to monetize their knowledge and offer services both creative and practical, including visual art and performances, classes and coaching, and assistance with everyday or professional tasks such as personal organizing, IT help, video editing, and more. For example, theater artist Sibyl Kempson offers "Foraging for Edible and Medicinal Plants" via FaceTime or Skype from Upstate New York, longtime Blue Man group member Peter Musante teaches no-equipment-needed "Drum Lessons for Beginners," while seasoned stage and event manager Katherine Shelton ("Stage Manager For Your Brain") draws from her fast-paced, detail-oriented training to create systems that individuals and businesses can use to nimbly navigate the new Zoom order. Nourishment in many forms abounds: "Cooking Class in English with a French Accent," taught by beloved Brooklyn-based impresario Lucien Zayan (The Invisible Dog); private trauma and tension release sessions from New Orleans-based filmmaker and choreographer Meryl Murman; "Restorative Contact for Couples," by the practice's creator Gabrielle Revlock. Creative entertainment and education for children and their parents and caretakers is already well-represented -- with live animation lessons, puppet making, tele-therapeutic art classes, and more -- and sure to expand. hireartists.org/

Twitter's Jack Dorsey is donating $1 billion to coronavirus relief: tinyurl.com/v2ews2h.

Educational opportunities:

Ashly Audio's Ashly University, a series of training webinars available for free online, is now open for signups. Multiple classes and training sessions will be available each week on a variety of subjects related to Ashly solutions and how they improve outcomes for end users across multiple verticals. Classes are available to everyone, and sign-ups are available now at tinyurl.com/ty65vbb.

Chauvet Professional has added a new Thursday Tech Talk Series to its extensive training library to help lighting designers and programmers acquire new skills and sharpen existing ones. The series will be streamed every Thursday at 2:00pm EST (7:00pm GMT) on Facebook Live, Instagram Live, YouTube Live, and LinkedIn Live. Conducted by Chauvet Professional product managers, Thursday Tech Talks will feature "How To," "New Tech," and "Design Tip" formats covering a wide-range of lighting and video wall subjects. The recorded sessions will also be available anytime at tinyurl.com/rabv8lz.

Harman's next webinar, "Line Array Calculators III Basics with Chris Gavin - Session One," will be held Thursday at 10:00am, CDT. Register at tinyurl.com/umgld7h. Register for Session Two at tinyurl.com/vu5d96x. A webinar on "JBL Intellivox Loudspeakers - Beam Shaping Technology" will take place Friday at 11:00am. Register at tinyurl.com/svy9gw9.

Martin by Harman is hosting "P3 Training - Basic to Advanced" on April 13 at 10:00am CDT. Register at tinyurl.com/w8smrho. A lighting programming workshop, hosted by lighting designer Susan Rose, takes place April 16 at 11:00am CDT. Register at tinyurl.com/wvxj7w5. "Club Level Touring," hosted by designer Eric Price, is set for April 24 at 1:00pm CDT. You can register at tinyurl.com/wamujnm.

New webinars from NAMM: "Sales & Marketing in the Time of COVID-19 with Marcus Sheridan: Part 1: The Virtual Business," is the first of a three-part series beginning on Friday at 10:00am PT. Register at tinyurl.com/vd25vzq. "NAMM COVID-19 Small Business Relief Webinar Part IV: Independent Contractors and Gig Workers" takes place Friday at 12:00pm PT. Register at tinyurl.com/u4t63f7.

News from industry companies:

DAS Audio reports it is hanging tough: "At DAS Audio, a family-run business, we have ruled out implementing a redundancy program for our more than 150 workers worldwide. The firm's management team, chaired since its foundation in 1971 by Juan Alberola Calabuig, has announced that 'We won't lay off employees, we will get through this together.' DAS Audio is in a position to face industry shutdowns due to the COVID-19 virus until at least June 30th, after which we will continue to take the necessary steps to protect the interests of our employees, collaborators, distributors, and partners worldwide. The road to recovery will not be easy or immediate, but we will get there."

Cancellations and postponements:

The national tour of The Band's Visit is on hiatus until July 26.

The national tour of The Book of Mormon is closing.

The Broadway revival of How I Learned to Drive, at Manhattan Theatre Club, is postponed until next season: tinyurl.com/rmw6zrq.

The announcement of the Pulitzer Prizes has been postponed until May 4: tinyurl.com/vdhu4yu.

Summer NAMM is off. C.F. Martin, NAMM chair, and Joe Lamond CEO, write. "After speaking with so many of you and closely following the latest news regarding the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, we have made the difficult decision to cancel Summer NAMM, scheduled for July 9 - 11 in Nashville. We sincerely recognize the importance of this annual mid-year gathering for our industry. However, the current circumstances make it impossible to hold the show or to undertake the many months of careful planning and preparation that are required to create a secure and organized event."

More entertainment:

The acclaimed, if short-lived Broadway musical Bandstand will be available for streaming April 10 - 17. The price is $6.99, with a portion of the proceeds going to The Actors Fund, in support of its coronavirus relief efforts: tinyurl.com/wf9crp6.

French speakers, take note: The Comédie Française is now streaming its productions: tinyurl.com/vow3bh8.

PBS is now streaming its Great Performances series for free: tinyurl.com/sfgny92.

Temple Emanuel Streicker Center will commemorate Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) with the PBS/WNET film of Jeff Cohen's acclaimed drama The Soap Myth. The staged "concert reading," starring seven-time Emmy Award and five-time Golden Globe Award winner Ed Asner and four-time Tony Award and two-time Emmy Award nominee Tovah Feldshuh, is available now to stream for free via WNET's ALL ARTS platform at allarts.org/programs/house-seats/the-soap-myth-xplvfu/

The streaming service STAGE is now offering some titles for free: tinyurl.com/vyzwob9.

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