COVID-19 Update: May 28, 2020: The Threshold Is Crossed

The terrible threshold has been reached: There are now 100,000 Americans dead from the coronavirus: tinyurl.com/y7pk9udo.

US unemployment reaches 40 million: tinyurl.com/ybqpwzfy.

And, the World Health Organization asserts, we're still in the first wave: tinyurl.com/y8xk96lw.

Actors' Equity announces four principles for going back to work, starting with increased testing: tinyurl.com/y8t7e85p.

Food for thought:

Could concert powerhouse Live Nation go away? And would that be a good or bad thing? A dispassionate analysis: tinyurl.com/y96pnfwz.

Anthony Fauci on how to prevent a second wave of infections: tinyurl.com/yd5579qv.

Could Six Flags provide a template for the reopening of other theme parks? tinyurl.com/y9r9fl4b.

Around the country:

In California:

The Broadway San Francisco 2020 - 2021 season starts in February 2021: tinyurl.com/y9uwbm2m.

In Florida:

Ultra Music Festival faces a class action lawsuit from fans who want refunds from the cancelled March event in Miami: tinyurl.com/yb98fjq8.

In New York:

Choreographer Mark Morris creates work for the online world: tinyurl.com/y97yubfn.

In Rhode Island:

The Providence Performing Arts Center announces its season will being in January: tinyurl.com/y8z32d7d.

In Texas:

American Airlines has a new policy, allowing those whose flights are full to rebook: tinyurl.com/ycdoqnm8.

In Vegas:

Yet again, gig workers have been frustrated in their attempts at filing for unemployment: tinyurl.com/y8jxnkxq.

And unemployment in town reaches 33%: tinyurl.com/y7csnu4o.

Around the world:

In Brazil:

As the number of infections skyrockets, the president takes no responsibility: tinyurl.com/yc8qxf6t.

In Sweden:

The government's liberal approach to lockdown has led to one of the highest per capita mortality rates in the world: tinyurl.com/y9so78kw.

In the UK:

When royalty speaks: Prince Charles warns that arts organizations need help, big-time: tinyurl.com/yauhtj8f.

Lungs, starring Claire Foy and Matt Smith, was supposed to play Brooklyn this spring. Now comes a socially distanced version livestreamed from the stage of the Old Vic: tinyurl.com/ya4vzut6.

Scheduling:

London productions of The Seagull, starring Emilia Clarke, and A Doll's House, starring Jessica Chastain, are postponed, but the stars are committed to the projects: tinyurl.com/ycb3ff7y.

For your entertainment:

NY Laughs, in partnership with The Actors Fund, the national human services organization that provides a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals, is proud to announce a special one-night-only streaming event "Laughter in Lockdown," to benefit comedians and other comedy professionals in need on Friday, May 29 at 8:00pm ET on www.nylaughs.org/lockdown. "Laughter in Lockdown" will be hosted by Mo Amer and will feature appearances and performances by Wanda Sykes, Judd Apatow, Ray Romano, Roy Wood Jr., Carl Reiner, Craig Robinson, Dave Attell, Gary Gulman, Gina Yashere, Ian Edwards, Jeff Ross, Jim Norton, Jon Fisch, Keith Robinson, Marina Franklin, Moody McCarthy, Pete Holmes, Robert Kelly, Ronny Chieng, Ted Greenberg, Sal Vulcano, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Vanessa Hollingshead, and more. Proceeds from the online event will benefit struggling comedians and comedy club professionals as part of The Actors Fund's greater initiative to help entertainment creatives in comedy affected financially due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The two-hour event will be accessible on YouTube thereafter.

Starting today, Off Broadway's Playwrights Horizons shares Episode 5 of its anthological scripted fiction podcast Soundstage: nightnight, by Lucas Hnath. Directed, sound designed, and edited by Alex Barron, nightnight takes the audience into the Space Station and mission control, overhearing ordinary workplace conflict in an extraordinary environment. The cast includes Eboni Booth, Michael Cullen, Arian Moayed, and Linda Powell. It is available on Apple Podcasts (tinyurl.com/ycr5kocs), Spotify (tinyurl.com/y9twd382), Google Podcasts (tinyurl.com/y8pfsjo9), and Stitcher (tinyurl.com/yd36yzym).

The Vineyard Theatre Virtual Variety Show show hosted, by Hunter Bell, Susan Blackwell, Heidi Blickenstaff, and Jeff Bowen streams Saturday, May 30 at 8:00pm ET. Stars include Laura Benanti, Jeff Blumenkrantz, David Cale, Victoria Clark, Billy Crudup, Rachel Dratch, Barrett Foa, Christopher J. Hanke, John Kander, Judy Kuhn, Rick Lyon, Audra McDonald, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Joe Morton, Julia Murney, Alex Newell, Kelli O'Hara, , Douglas Sills, Ryan Spahn, and Michael Urie. They join the previously announced special guests including Bill Irwin, Cheyenne Jackson, Linda Lavin, Leslie Odom Jr., and Nicolette Robinson, Steven Pasquale and Phillipa Soo, Zachary Quinto, Brooke Shields, and The Lopez Family Singers (Lindsay Anderson, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Annie Lopez, Bobby Lopez, and Katie Lopez). Access to the show is available with a donation of $25 or more made before 12:00pm ET on Saturday, May 30 through this link: donate.onecause.com/vineyardtheatre. Donors will receive a registration email followed by a pre-show email with an exclusive link sent an hour before performance time to stream the show.

Presented in honor of the frontline personnel working during the COVID-19 Crisis, this week's Heroic Performances video concert is a continuation of the Best of Boston Pops program that began earlier this month. Performers include conductors Keith Lockhart, John Williams, and Arthur Fiedler leading the Pops in some of the orchestra's most beloved musical selections. It is available Sunday, May 31 at 3:00pm EDT for free on-demand viewing. Go to www.bostonpops.org/athome. And right now, you can see and hear Boston Symphony Orchestra violinists Jason Horowitz, Lucia Lin, and James Cooke offering a performance of Bach's Sonata No. 3 in C Major. The video is currently available at www.bso.org/athome.

And, here's a great roundup of upcoming online performances: tinyurl.com/ybssgl3l.

For your pleasure:

The remarkable Captain Tom Moore, who raised millions for Britain's National Health Service, with West End star Michael Ball and the NHS choir, performing "You'll Never Walk Alone:" tinyurl.com/y7key84a.

That's all for today. Stay safe.

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