Madison's Shakespeare Theater Struggles To Survive

MADISON, NJ—Bonnie Monte has seen a lot in her three decades as Artistic Director at The Shakespeare Theatre. But the pandemic has created challenges that Monte and the others at the theater on the Drew University campus have struggled to overcome.

"The level of uncertainty for us is at its peak now," said Monte. "We are going to be the sector of society that is hit the longest and hardest, because we perform indoors."

Monte said she understands that there will be hesitancy on the behalf of the public to attend indoor concerts or plays. But she added that the theater will have problems if the indoor seating capacity is not increased.

"We cannot possibly function at 25 percent capacity," Monte said, "it would be a massive money loss. So we're facing a really uncertain, worrisome future."

The theater, one of the oldest and most respected Shakespeare theaters in the U.S., celebrated its 58th anniversary this year. During that time, the 300-seat facility has also become one of the leading training grounds for emerging young theatre actors.

"Besides Shakespeare," Monte said, "we do a lot of work inspired by the classics, and we also do modern classics, like Tennessee Williams Harold Pinter, so a pretty good variety."

Monte said the theater is focused on education and training for all levels, from members of the public with no experience to professionals. About 75,000 people per year attend the theater, she added. Alison Kenney of Brooklyn was one of those 75,000, taking in two performances over the last three years.

"I'm originally from the area, and I loved attending that theater," Kenney said, "everything about it—the acoustics, everything—is lovely."

After schools shut down last spring, many of the theater workers were furloughed, leaving a skeleton staff. But that thin crew included a small group of actors who were from across the country and could not travel home.

"When the governor eased the restrictions on outdoor gatherings," Monte explained, "we actually found ourselves in a good situation because we had a small group of actors who we knew were covid-free."

Monte said the theater built an outdoor stage behind its administrative offices in Florham Park, where they began performing in late July.

"The reaction was so successful, we created fall programming there, as well," said Monte. "We will be able to be out there until the end of October when the weather gets bad."

Monte said the theater isn't interested in trying to do virtual performances, as so many others have done, for a good reason.

"The virtual thing is not the answer," she said, "its not who we are, not what we're good at. It's not our mission. We are performers that specialize in being there in the flesh."

Monte said, in addition to being detrimental to actors, the virtual experience for an audience does not translate well when classics like Shakespeare are performed.

She added that the theater being closed has an economic domino effect in the area, hurting hotels, restaurants, bars, and other places theater-goers frequent before and after a performance.

Monte said she realizes that the theater company cannot perform outside all winter. She added that in the current situation, the organization is counting on the public for support, and that it recently established a donation fund.

"We're really stuck between a rock and a hard place right now," Monte said. "It's our hope that our patrons love us enough that they're going to hang with is and support us until things do get back to some sort of normal."

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