March 2020 - Press Pause on the Gala

To our valued partners...As we undergo this shared once-in-a-lifetime experience, I am deeply grateful for our patrons and community, many of whom have called and written notes of support in recent weeks. Our community was overwhelmingly gracious when - with three days notice early on in this crisis - we were forced to cancel our major fundraising event for the year. The people who perform, create, and participate in our programs are our most valuable assets, and protecting their health is our first priority. While we cannot predict how the cultural and entertainment landscape will change over the next several months, we do know that once the restrictions of movement are lifted, we are all going to want to get out and stretch our legs. And what better time of year? July and August are arguably Seattle's best months.

With great expectations, we had The Pirates of Penzance fully cast, the technical team already working, and tickets ready to go on sale. Our hopes were dim, and finally dashed. The prolonged and volatile nature of the COVID-19 infection has made producing a spectacular and expensive musical like Pirates in 2020 foolhardy. For the first time in 66 years, Seattle G&S will not have a July Main Stage production. The decision is painful, however this doesn't mean our voices are silenced.We at Seattle G&S are resilient, adaptive, and recognize the importance and benefit of the arts to our patrons and society as a whole, especially in times like these. We reaffirm our commitment to producing musical works, including the works of Gilbert & Sullivan, well into the future.

We will see you soon.

- Catherine Weatbrook