Forget the door-to-door trick-or-treating and the accidental sidewalk clustering of ghosts, demons, ballplayers, and Beyonces. Covid-19 may not allow for those traditions.
Here’s an alternative idea: Invite small groups of socially distancing trick-or-treaters and their families to four different garages to watch four groups of actors perform a story of a giant Brazilian snake that saves the forests and the world.
Yale School of Drama grads An-lin Dauber and Addie Gorlin proposed that alternative Tuesday night at the East Rock community management team.
The group’s regular meeting drew 25 attendees and was chaired by David Budries via the Zoom teleconferencing app.
Described as a walking theater project for all ages, the East Rock Halloween Story for Kids was on hand to recruit volunteer ushers, to spread the word, and to raise a remaining approximately $6,276 needed for the project.
You can read more about it and make a donation here.
Four groups of actors (along with a director and other stage personnel) will perform one of four scenes based on the Brazilian folktale Boitata, about a frankly scary snake that helps preserve the forests from loggers’ predations, and they’ll do this in four separate garages in performances of five minutes each.
Between the walking to different locales and the performances, the Oct. 31 show runs an hour long. It requires pre-registering to maintain the social distancing at each locale, the proposers explained.
The idea was warmly received by participants and Alder Anna Festa suggested Gorlin and Dauber recruit volunteer ushers from among local high school kids who need community service hours as part of their requirements.
“Fantastic,” said Dauber.
“East Rock is popular for Halloween,” said Festa. “The kids will be happy if they have something to do.”
So it isn't safe to wear a mask, walk down the sidewalk outdoors to trick or treat BUT it'll be ok to wear a mask, walk down the sidewalk outdoors to 4 garages, stand in a crowd and watch other people perform. Sounds logical.