As a result of the rapid and deadly spread of coronavirus disease, EVERYBODY’S, the Caribbean-American magazine, has postponed the performances of the new Oliver Samuels play, “Crazy But True,” scheduled during the last two weeks of May and early June.
The health of our patrons and the public comes first.
Performances in New York City – the boroughs of Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn – and in the states of NJ, CT, PA, MA and MD are on hold.
We cannot give new dates and venues until the COVID-19 becomes manageable and normalcy returns to public life.
Fans who paid for Oliver tickets during the Christmas-New Year season to be sent as gifts and organizations that gave deposits for group sales, if you wish, we will return your payments or hold the payments.
Before announcing the postponement of “Crazy But True” we alerted several cherished Oliver fans and patrons of Caribbean comedy-theater.
“Why postpone in March when the play is in the end of May and early June?” many queried.
That’s a reasonable question. Here’s the answer.
1. We do not want to sell tickets and then postpone the performances.
2. Why wait until the government makes it mandatory to postpone events especially when the venues are educational institutions?
3. Preparation for Oliver Samuels annual plays classified as off-Broadway shows begins in November when we apply to the union representing Broadway and film actors for labor approval.
4. By December application is sent to the U.S. Immigration Services seeking Work Permit. If, or when, it is approved around Feb/March in the U.S., it is then sent to the U.S. Embassy in Jamaica to interview the cast before issuing the Work Visa which takes another month or more.
5. By April approximately 80% of expenses have been paid such as insurance, venue rentals, airline, hotel, immigration, set building, promotion and advertising.
Nobody knows if in May/June the COVID-19 will be raging thereby forcing more governors to declare a state of emergency.
It is far better to postpone the play now rather than later.