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Thinking outside the box office

Like so many businesses, the WYO Theater saw tough times during the COVID-19 pandemic. As was the story with so many theaters in the nation, they closed their doors to live shows and funding began to run dry.
But according to Executive Director Erin Butler, the staff and board pulled together during the hardship. Butler and her team created opportunities and installed new technologies. If the audience couldn’t come to them, they would go to their audience.
Thanks to generous donations and Federal COVID-19 grants, they kept staff on payroll. The WYO began installing new equipment and began to stream shows from the MET Live in HD. They then began to stream their own performances and live music. All of which continue today. Although the pandemic put the WYO in a tight spot for a while, the struggle forced the team to search for silver linings and think outside of the box.
WYO Theater Executive Director Erin Butler.
As the COVID-19 numbers continue to remain low and the tide of restrictions begin to subside, one performance Butler has attempted to get into the WYO for years will be on stage Friday March 4, Nobuntu.
Nobuntu is a “Five Part” A’cappella Vocal ensemble made up of young women from Zimbabwe. The name Nobuntu is an African concept that values humbleness, love, purpose, unity and family from a woman’s perspective.
To purchase tickets and learn more about Nobuntu, click here.
