NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — A New York City theater company was forced to get creative during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yoni Oppenheim, the artistic director of "24/6: A Jewish Theater Company," said that with everything closed, he turned to the telephone to bring theater to people.
He commissioned 16 playwrights to conjure up 10-minute vignettes.
The "challenge," according to Oppenheim, was to find a balance between drama, which is so much "about conflict," and the period of isolation, when light and connection are so desired.
"How do you create something in a dark time that connects people to one another when they're isolated at home, that uplifts them when they haven't seen another person in months, and it was beautiful to see the different ways those writers dealt with that challenge," he added.
They partnered with Upper Manhattan social service providers to link up with seniors who could use some company and a laugh.
One telephone play features a woman dreaming up stories about the birds outside her window. Another is about a grandparent tape recording a message for a grandchild.
What they've learned is that telephone plays are a great way to reach people at any time — not just during a pandemic.
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