One of the biggest industries that Covid hit is entertainment. From the nightclub to the theater, it’s been a real hassle and sense of hurt for those that still aren’t able to get their footing due to the climate of the world. For people like dancer and actress, Rena Riffel, this really upended everything for her when it came to gigs. For performers, musicians, artists, they’re already fragile with finances, but the pandemic shut everything down, which made things increasingly difficult. She said it was like an ebb and flow. There’s really no hope or opportunity at the moment.
Riffel’s concern echoes in a new survey by The Actors Fund that shows the depth of need due to the coronavirus. It reveals financial hardship, food insecurity, and housing. In a survey of 7,163 people, they found 76% lost income and 40% reported decreased food security. Furthermore, this extends to people falling behind on their mortgages and even having to sell their car or home in more dire situations. Joe Benincasa, CEO of The Actors Fund, talks about the impact on performing artists and entertainment professionals. However, it’s the people that do regular live entertainment that has the most to worry about. Those working in a gig economy face a lot of stress due to the high level of uncertainty.
The Actors Fund helps provide a national safety net for performing artists and entertainment professionals in industries from theater to the radio. In 2020, it distributed more than $19 million to 15,000 individuals. Riffel was able to receive a grant to cover her living expenses. Also, she received financial advice and pointed her to more schooling. She was able to attend workshops to increase her skill set and counseling. She said this not only helped her stay focus and creative but gave her hope that better things will come.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that Broadway theaters can reopen on September 14th. In the fall, more dates will open for different shows, such as “Phantom of the Opera” in October. All of this news shows that the theater community is “one step closer to the safe reopening” of Broadway. However, this long wait still has people underwater. Benincasa says that the arts community has a while before it can begin to recover. The people involved have accumulated debt and by the fall the caps on rent and mortgage will start to go away, which will be tough on struggling artists.
Riffel is starting to feel confident in things and has begun to audition for roles again. The Actors Fund has helped her through dark times and she feels it positively impacted her life in many aspects.