THEATERS

SAN ANTONIO – It’s been nearly a year since the coronavirus pandemic forced performing arts theaters to close their doors. Crazy to believe that it’s been 11 months,” said Courtnie Mercer, the chief of staff and company manager of The Public Theater of San Antonio. Smaller venues like The Public Theater of San Antonio were pushed to find creative ways to stay afloat. List of upcoming shows for The Public Theater of San Antonio:Feb. 25 - March 7: EmpanadaApril 8 - April 18: Golda’s BalconyMay 13 - May 23: I Am My Own WifeYou can also donate to The Public Theater by clicking here. List of upcoming shows for the Woodlawn Theatre:RELATED: Regal Fiesta Trails movie theater closes permanently, property could be turned ‘into something entirely different’

The 1.57 million pound ($1.96 billion) package for museums, galleries, theaters, movie theaters, heritage sites and music venues includes almost 900 million pounds in grants and more than 200 million pounds in loans. Details of how the money will be distributed have not been released, but leaders of arts organizations breathed a sigh of relief at the announcement. But social distancing rules and an almost total absence of tourists mean they face a big financial hit. Theaters and concert venues have not been told when they can admit audiences, and several have already announced they will close permanently. I just want to be a bit realistic about the challenges of getting us back to that point any time soon.

CNN Cineworld Group, the owner of Regal Cinemas, will begin reopening movie theaters next week following a three-month shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Cineworld became the second largest cinema business in the world by number of screens after it acquired Regal in 2017 for $3.6 billion. It said it has updated its booking system to ensure social distancing throughout auditoriums, adapted daily screening schedules to avoid crowds and enhanced cleaning procedures. AMC Theaters, the world's largest movie theater owner, is planning to open around 1,000 cinemas around the world next month. In the United Kingdom, the government is reviewing whether to reduce its social distancing rule from two meters.