A ‘Great Cultural Depression’ Looms for Legions of Unemployed Performers

He was selected to perform at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, played regular gigs at home and on tour, and produced “Fire in Little Africa,” an album commemorating the 1921 massacre of Black residents of Tulsa by white rioters.

“This was projected to be my biggest year financially,” said Mr. Simon, who lives with his girlfriend and his two daughters, and was earning about $2,500 a month as a musician. “Then the world shut down,” he said.

A week after the festival was canceled, he was back working as a call center operator, this time at home, for about 40 hours a week, with a part-time job at a fast-food restaurant on the weekends.

In November, on his birthday, he caught Covid-19, but has since recovered.

Performers on payrolls have suffered, too. With years of catch-as-catch-can acting gigs and commercials behind her, Robyn Clark started working as a performer at Disneyland after the last recession. She has been playing a series of characters in the park’s California Adventure — Phiphi the photographer, Molly the messenger and Donna the Dog Lady — several times a week, doing six shows a day.

“It was the first time in my life I had security,” Ms. Clark said. It was also the first time she had health insurance, paid sick leave and vacation.

In March, she was furloughed, though Disney is continuing to cover her health insurance.

“I have unemployment and a generous family,” said Ms. Clark, explaining how she has managed to continue paying for rent and food.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/26/arts/unemployed-performer-theatre-arts.html