Huntington Theatre Company ready for opening night

After 17 months in the dark, live professional, indoor theater is back in Boston with the Huntington Theatre Company’s production of "Hurricane Diane" at the Calderwood Pavilion.

PERFORMANCES AND SHOWS.THE EYEOPENER’S MATT REED ISLIVE IN THE SOUTH END WITH ASNEAK PEEK AT WHAT AUDIENC CESANEXPE.CTIT IS EXCITING, MATT.TT:MADOUG, IT CERTAINLY IS.IT HAS BEEN MORE THAN 530 DAYSSINCE THE HUNTINGTON THEATRECOMPANY HAS PUT ON AHO SW INFRONT OF A LIVE AUDIENCE,BECAUSE OF COVID.THEY ARE MAKING A CONSCIOUSDECISION TO START THE SEASONWITH A 90-MINUTE COMEDY, WNOHINTERMISSION, HOPING TO MAKEPEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLERETURNING TO THE THEATER.KATIE: THEATER IS MEANT TO BESORT OF SHARED AS AN IN-PERSONEXPERIENCE, SO NOT HAVING THATHAS LOST SOME OF THE MAGIC.MATT: BUT AFTER 17 MONTHS IN THEDARK, LIVE PROFESSIONAL INDOTHEATER IS BACK IN BOSTON, WITHTHE HUNTINGTON THEATRE COMPANY’SPRODUCTION OF "HURRICANE DIANEAT THE CALDERWOOD PAVILION.KRIS: THTHE EATERS NEVER GONEDARK THIS LONG, SO I THINK A LOTOF US ARE -- I’M JUST HAPPY TOBE WORKING AND BACK ON THESTAGE.MATT: ACTOR KRIS SIDBERRY SAWHER LIVELIHOOD DISAPPEAR DURINGTHE PANDEMIC, HAVING TO GET AJOB AT WHOLE FOODS AND RELY ONWHATEVER TELEVISION ANDCOMMERCIAL GIGS SHE COULGED T.KRIS: I BOOKED A COMMERCIAL IN2019 THAT, BECAUSE OF THEPANDEMIC, THEY COULDN’T REFILMANOTHER ONE, SO THAT RE-UPPEDAND THAT SAVED ME.MICHAEL: THE WORST THING THATHAPPENED TO US IN THE LAST 17MONTHS IS THAT WE HAD TOFURLOUGH ABOUT 60% OF OUR STAFF.MATT: AND WHILE SOME STAFFMEMBERS NEVER CAME BACK, MTOSHAVE, BECAUSE THEATER ISN’JUTA JOB, IT’S A PASSION.AND NOW A TEAM OF MORE THAN 10ARE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK,PUTTING THE FINAL TOUCHES ON THESHOWMA, KING SURE OPENING NIGHTIS A MAGICAL, INSPIRING, ANDSAFE RETURN TO LIVE THEATER.KATIE: REQUIRING VACCINES FORALL OF OUR AUDIENCE MEMBERS.WE’RE REQUIRING VACCINATION FORALL OF OUR STAFF, FOR ALL OF OURARTISTS, ANDE WDO WEAR MASKSTHROUGHOUT THE BUILDINGS.MICHAEL: IT’S EQUALLY EXCITI,AND IT’S A THRILL TO KIND OFREIMAGINE AND REINVENT ANDREOPEN THE HUNTINGON FORUR OAUDIENCE.MATT: NOW "HURRICANE DIANE" RUNSUNTIL SEPTEMBER 26.ANOTHER MAJOR CHANGE, BECAUS