The security measures in the rehearsal room were extensive. On daily arrival, participants packed their personal items in assigned garment bags, including the face masks that were worn during the commute. Production delivered a new mask each day that could be worn during rehearsal. No food was allowed in the room. No phone chargers. The schedule included regular “ventilation breaks”.
During my first week of quarantine in a Tokyo hotel, I attended rehearsals through Zoom. Choreographer Ste Clough was already in the studio, but the rest of the overseas creative team remained confiscated and channeled back via WhatsApp. Over the course of the week we cut off 15 minutes of the show, replaced a song, and juggled notes from different directions. We staged the first half of our non-stop musical.
On the morning of my eighth day of quarantine, I received a call from a producer. One of the actors had symptoms and had tested positive for Covid-19. The rehearsals were interrupted. The exposed – 19 performers; various producers, stage managers, and production assistants who were in the room every day; That afternoon those who had just dropped in were also tested, including our orchestrator and a vocal coach.
The more optimistic among us shared the hope that the results would confirm the precautions taken and allow work to resume in two weeks after everyone in close contact with the actor concerned had waited their quarantine period.
The next afternoon, our lead producer shared the results at a Zoom production meeting. Seven positives. Five on the stage, two off. Our efforts may have limited the spread of the virus, but certainly not prevented it. It became more and more difficult to adapt to the ever-changing circumstances. “Sometimes,” she said, “the bravest thing is to go away.”
I realized that we would have to be in the studio with as few people as possible if we were to continue. And I had to admit, I wasn’t sure if I would feel safe to be one of them. Since the remote sampling machine was already in place, I decided to return to New York.
