Post Productions plays through the pandemic 

Performers with a local theatre company are prepared to put on a show this weekend, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.  

In March, the theatre scene in Windsor-Essex ground to a halt following the emergency orders enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The restrictions put in place under the Emergency Management and Civil Protections Act by Premier Doug Ford closed businesses across Ontario or required strict social distancing measures. This resulted in live theatre performances disappearing from the region for nearly seven months. Now, Post Productions is among the first of Windsor’s 26 pre-pandemic theatre companies to resume in-person performances. 

Fatboy is a dark farce, using clowns as a medium to comment on timely issues, according to Michael Potter. 

“This is a satire of – American culture and politics that almost seems prophetic in the current day and age,” said Potter, managing director of Post Productions. 

Potter said the decision to develop the production was made in the first half of 2019 and was purposefully scheduled to coincide with the American election. While he began his research and pre-production process in November 2019, the first rehearsal for Fatboy did not occur until August of 2020.

To make sure progress on the performance could be made while adhering to physical distancing guidelines, the initial readthrough for Fatboy occurred over  Zoom.  

Initially, both cast and crew believed the show was not likely to proceed, according to lead Joey Wright.  

“When the shutdown occurred in March, I just assumed the show was cancelled, but when I got the call–in late July that rehearsals would be starting, I grabbed my script and started memorizing,” said Wright. 

This is Wright’s second time performing in a production of Fatboy. Eight years ago, he had a small role in a production of the play at Korda Artistic Productions. He said it is surreal to see how far he has come over the last eight years – now leading a production that gave him one of his first community theatre roles.  

After social circles were expanded in the region, rehearsals began to occur in person with everyone masked to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Rehearsals remained entirely masked until Oct. 5. Beyond masks, further adjustments had to be made to the production for it to be considered safe.  

“In the middle of Act Two there is a little song and dance number. We had to cut that because the rules allow actors to perform onstage unmasked with an audience that’s masked, but not to sing,” said Potter.

Under Ontario’s Stage Three guidelines for reopening, any singers are required to have a plexiglass barrier between themselves and the audience. Instead of installing a barrier for the sake of a single scene, the production opted to replace the scene with their own work-around.  

Because of current social distancing requirements for businesses, Post Productions has also been forced to cut their audience size down at The Shadowbox Theatre.  

Potter said he hopes by this time next year, all 26 of the region’s pre-pandemic theatre companies are back at full capacity. However, at this time, fears the pandemic could shut them down again remain.  

Fatboy opens at the Shadowbox Theatre on Oct. 9 and runs until Oct. 24. Tickets are available online at postproductionswindsor.ca