ARIEL 2020 – LOOKING BACK & LOOKING AHEAD

We are headed into the eighth month of the COVID-19 pandemic. What does your world look like? Hopefully you have experienced at least a few silver linings – more time with family, more time to slow down and show gratitude, more time to organize and plan, and more time to enjoy the beauty of nature. However, with the shelter-in-place orders and other restrictions that limit travel and social/recreational events, it’s inevitable that many of us are now seeing much of the world in a very two-dimensional way. With computers, tablets, phones, and TV at our fingertips, screen time is up, WAY up, for most people. Distance learning, working from home and learning to “Zoom” are realities that we are learning to live with, for now.

Online theatre at ARIEL was not a “thing” before March 2020. Well, it has definitely become a “thing” that inspires creativity, encourages interaction, and is just plain fun! One parent wrote, “We miss you. We miss how things were. Yet, to see how you pivot, recreate and renew your program to meet the needs of your community is a beautiful thing.” It hasn’t been an easy road, but with support from our amazing community and a bit of inspiration, we’ll make it to the light at the end of the tunnel.

While we wait for a return to normal, ARIEL will be here, and we’ll be busy!

Stay tuned for:

• A Christmas Carol Radio Drama – Since we can’t present the musical this year, we are going old school with a 1940’s radio show play – our holiday gift to the community! Dates for this free virtual event will be announced in the coming weeks.
• Super Happy Awesome News – We could all use some good news, and the young performers from ARIEL Theatrical will be making news with this super, happy, awesome, online production!
• Online Workshops and more… – If your child is interested in musical theatre games (Musical Theatre Fun with Kylee), creating and performing a one-of-a-kind online show (Zoomtastic), or even participating in an outdoor theatre day camp (The Play’s the Thing), details for our next sessions will be coming soon!

One more piece of exciting news – ARIEL was selected to participate in MC Gives!, a unique partnership between the Community Foundation for Monterey County and the Monterey County Weekly newspaper. This annual fundraising campaign encourages giving with a matching fund, real-time donation updates, and no fees of any kind, including credit card processing or other administrative costs. Plus, every donation is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. MC Gives! officially launches on November 12 and runs through December 31, 2020. Giving instructions and links for online donations will be live on the ARIEL website next month.

2020 has been unforgettable to say the least. With your support, ARIEL will sail on into the future and will be ready to face 2021 with resilience, resolve and remarkable commitment.

#SailOnWithARIEL #alltogetherforARIEL